Loaded Cheesy Baked Potato Soup

Recipe by The Gourmet RD

This is comfort food overload. It's cheesy, potato-y, bacon-y, and is everything you could want on a Sunday afternoon while watching football (or Fixer Upper).  It's literally all of my Midwestern roots scooped into one

Ingredients

• 2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes*
• 4 slices bacon (chopped)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 medium onion (diced)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 3 tbsp flour
• 2 cups unsalted vegetable or chicken stock + more if needed
• 1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
• 1 tsp coarse salt
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• ½ tsp celery salt
• ¼ tsp dry mustard
• cayenne pepper
• splash of fresh lemon juice
• 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
• ¼ cup chopped chives or green onion

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet or aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes, until slightly soft. Remove from the oven and let cool. Chop potatoes into bite-sized pieces (leave skins on) and set aside. Heat a Dutch oven or stock pot to medium heat. Add chopped bacon and cook 8-10 minutes, until crispy. Remove from the pan and place on a paper towel to drain. Add butter to the pot, then add onion and saute 4-5 minutes, until soft. Stir in garlic and saute 30-60 seconds, until fragrant. Whisk flour in until bubbly. Whisk in 2 cups stock and bring to a simmer until thickened, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in evaporated milk and cubed baked potatoes. Stir in salt, pepper, celery salt, dry mustard, cayenne pepper and fresh lemon juice. Use a potato masher to mash about half of the potatoes (leave half chunky). Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheese until melted. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Add additional stock if soup is too thick. Serve in bowls with crispy bacon, remaining ½ cup cheddar cheese and chives or green onion.

View the recipe instructions at The Gourmet RD