Name: Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: serves 6 to 8
Ingredients: 4 Idaho potatoes, baked, cooled and dice (half with skins and half without); 16 slices of bacon cooked crisp and crumbled, (set some aside for garnishing, about 5 slices of the crumbled); 1 ¼ cups (1 ½ sticks) butter; 2/3 cup all-purpose flour; 6 ½ cups whole milk; 1 cup heavy cream; 4 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese, divided; 1 sour cream, divided; 6 green onions, chopped (saved 2 for garnish); 1 ½ teaspoons salt or to taste; 1 teaspoon white pepper

Ingredients

4 Idaho potatoes, baked, cooled and dice (half with skins and half without)
16 slices of bacon cooked crisp and crumbled, (set some aside for garnishing, about 5 slices of the crumbled)
1 ¼ cups (1 ½ sticks) butter
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
6 ½ cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 sour cream, divided
6 green onions, chopped (saved 2 for garnish)
1 ½ teaspoons salt or to taste
1 teaspoon white pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place potatoes on baking sheet and bake for about an hour and 10 minutes. Let cool and dice.
Fry bacon until crisp and crumble. Set aside about 5 to 6 slices of the crumble bacon for Garnish.
Melt butter in a heavy saucepan and slowly wish in flour to make a roux. Whisk until thick and clear.
Slowly whisk in milk and heavy cream. Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. Add 3 cups cheese and stir constantly until cheese has melted.
Fold in sour ½ cup sour cream. Add onions, diced baked potatoes, bacon, salt and pepper. Heat until hot but do not boil.
Top each bowl with the remaining crumbled bacon, cheese, onions and sour cream if desired.

Notes

Make ahead tip/Freeze: You can bake the potatoes a day ahead. Let them cool before storing in the refrigerator. Bacon can also be fried the day before. Heat in the microwave to crisp up.

Leftover soup maybe frozen up to 3 months. Soup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.