Baked Potato Soup Recipe Comfort Food

The good and the bad in a baked potato (good=potato, chives/bad=butter, sour cream, bacon bits) likely balance each other out, unless you’re one of those folks who consider a baked potato a blank canvas on which to slather savory tidbits, like so many jimmies, nuts, and sauces on an ice cream sundae.

In that case, you’ll be mighty disappointed in this baked potato soup recipe, but if you like a simple, comfort-inducing soup, you can’t go wrong with this one. Of course, like any variation of a baked potato, you can go overboard and add whatever you like to this recipe. Still, the simple ways are the best, in my opinion.

4 baking potatoes (Russet)
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
4 cups 1% milk
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup chopped chives
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup imitation or lite sour cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (Optional)
Bacon bits (Optional)
Chopped broccoli (Optional)
Chili powder (Optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat over to 400 F.
2. Bake potatoes until you can push a fork in easily, typically about an hour.
3. Scoop out the insides of the potatoes and discard the skins.
4. Melt the butter over medium low heat in a saucepan. Slowly stir in the flour to make a creamy paste. Once mixed, stir for 1 minute, then slowly pour in the broth.
5. Continue stirring and slowly add the milk.
6. Turn up the heat to medium and stir until the soup mixture begins to thicken.
7. Add the slightly crumbling potatoes, chives, salt and pepper. Stir well and heat for 12-15 minutes.
8. Mix in the sour cream until well blended with the soup.
9. If you like, mix in bacon bits, sauteed chopped broccoli (florets), or chili powder to taste, or serve these as separate condiments in bowls.

Serve while hot. Serves 4-6.