This soup is called loaded because it includes the regular fixins' for a baked potato but also sour cream and broccoli! A warm and comforting soup for those fall and winter months.
Servings: 10-12 servings
Prep Time: 45 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 2 hourshours
Total Time: 2 hourshours45 minutesminutes
Ingredients
3 to 3.25poundsIdaho Russet potatoes, scrubbed and washed
4Tablespoonsunsalted butter
6green onions, sliced and divided in half
5cupslow sodium chicken broth
1cupheavy cream
1/2cupsour cream
1cupsharp cheddar, grated (and more for topping)
2heads of broccoli, florets cut
cooked bacon for topping, optional
Instructions
Heat oven to 400 degrees and line a cookie sheet with foil. Place potatoes on cookie sheet and bake for 60 minutes. After baking, allow potatoes to cool for 20 to 30 minutes or cool enough for you to handle. Remove the potato peels and chop into 1 to 1.5 inch cubes.
Melt butter on medium heat in a large heavy bottom French oven, I used my 5.5 quart Le Creuset. Add half of the green onions and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
Add chicken broth and turn heat to high and bring to a boil. After it comes to a boil, turn heat back down to medium or medium low and allow to simmer for about 5 to 6 minutes. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes in the broth, about 5 to 6 times.
How to temper cream and sour cream
Add cream and sour cream by tempering. Do not add both directly to the pot, first take a measuring cup and remove about 1-2 cups of potato soup mixture into a bowl. Add half of the cream and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Pour cream-potato soup mixture back into the pot and repeat for the remaining cream and sour cream. By tempering, you ensure the cream and sour cream doesn't curdle in the soup.
Add the 1 cup of cheddar cheese and all of the broccoli to the soup and simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes on low to medium low heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with cheese, bacon and green onion as toppings.