Dalt's Baked Potato Soup
Submitted by Ross the Boss
Dalt’s baked potato soup with diced potatoes, slow-cooked onions, half and half, and a clever potato-flake thickening trick. Restaurant-style copycat with crispy bacon scattered on top.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
25 minCOOK
65 minREADY
90 minDalt’s baked potato soup is the steakhouse copycat that does what a great chowder should, creamy without being gluey, rich without being one-note. The trick that lifts this from average is the use of dried potato flakes as a thickener alongside a traditional flour roux, the flakes dissolve into the broth and add body and a subtle earthy potato flavor without the lumpiness that diced potatoes alone can give. Cooking the onions low and slow for 15 minutes without browning is what gives the base its sweet, mellow foundation, no rushing this step. The diced cooked potatoes go in last to keep them whole rather than dissolving into starch. You can purée the soup smooth or leave it chunky depending on mood, both are legitimate. A scatter of crisp bacon on top is the bare minimum garnish, though shredded sharp cheddar and snipped chives push it firmly into loaded-potato-skin territory.
Pro Tips
- Use waxy potatoes like red or white rather than russets as the recipe specifies, waxy potatoes hold their dice shape while russets dissolve into the soup.
- Whisk in the potato flakes gradually while the broth is hot, dumping them in all at once creates pockets of dry, gritty starch.
- Don’t let the soup boil after adding the half and half, high heat will curdle the dairy and break the texture.
- Cook the bacon hard and crisp, soft bacon goes limp on contact with hot soup and loses all its crunch.
Variations
- Stir in a cup of sharp cheddar at the end and serve with sour cream and chives for full loaded-baked-potato treatment.
- Add a cup of corn kernels and a diced jalapeño for a Southwestern spin on the soup.
- Replace half the chicken broth with stock made from roasted potato skins for an even deeper potato flavor.
Ingredients
Directions
Place potatoes in a large pot of cold water and bring to a boil.
Boil gently about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Drain, cook and cut into ½-inch dice (about 3 cups), set aside.
In a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
Add the onions, turn heat to low and cook the onions, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
Do not brown.
Stir in flour and let bubble for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Raise heat to medium and whisk in the chicken broth.
When the broth is hot, whisk in the potato flakes and continue shisking until mixture is smooth.
Let simmer on low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Whisk in the half and half and simmer an additional 10 minutes;do not broil.
Stir in the seasonings and the potato cubes.
Puree to desired consistency or serve soup chunky.
To serve, divide among 6 large soup bowls.
Sprinkle the tops with the bacon, and herbs if desired.
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