Loaded Baked Potato Soup

This is by far my most requested soup recipe and it’s amazing and warm and perfect for cold winter nights.  My family loves it and so do their friends…

Matter of fact, Emily has two friends that request this almost every time they come over!  I love that! Last night Becca’s best friend came over and my hubby, she calls him Papa Bare, wanted her to try it and he requested it especially for her.  How sweet!

Well, we almost didn’t get to make it.  The basketball games took a little while, but we won!  Then my dishwasher decided not to work and my dishes were piled high in my sink and they were all over my counter. It looked like dinner impossible.  So, my sweet hubby hand washed all the dishes!  How could I not make his favorite soup for him?

This soup is thick and creamy and it’s better than anything you get in a restaurant!  Or so I’ve been told by those who’ve had it.  Even though we didn’t get to eat until almost 10 pm, it was worth the wait.  It takes about an hour to make, but it’s super easy and loaded with potatoes.  And Becca’s friend loved it!

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Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Servings 10 servings

Author Tera Bare

Ingredients

• 5 pounds of potatoes peeled and cut into cubes
• 6 can evaporated milk or enough to make 8 total cups
• 1 pound block of Velveeta cheese
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1/4 cup = flour
• salt
• pepper
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 pack bacon
• 1 bag shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  I put my bacon on a wire cooling rack in a baking sheet and bake it in the oven.  If you prefer, you can cook your bacon on the stovetop.  I just love how it cooks in the oven.
2. Boil potatoes in a large pot in salted water.  Be sure to use a good bit of salt this is your only chance to get the potatoes salted.  Cook until about 1/2  to 3/4 done, you do not want to cook them all the way done yet or overcook them.  They will turn to mush if you do.  They will finish cooking when everything is put together.  Drain potatoes.
3. While your potatoes are cooking, in a sauce pot, melt the butter on about medium heat.
4. Once melted, add flour. Let flour sit for about 1-2 minutes. You don’t want to have a flour taste in your soup. Then blend it with the melted butter with a whisk. Watch your temperature and turn it down to low. You don’t want to over brown your butter/flour.
5. Add 1 can (about 2 cups ) evaporated milk and whisk with the flour/butter mixture until smooth. Cut Velveeta into large chunks and add to the pot to melt.
6. Stir with your whisk to blend it all together. It should come out smooth and creamy.
7. Once your potatoes are drained add them back to your large pot and pour in 6 cups of evaporated milk.  Turn heat up to medium.  Once the soup is a little warm, add the sauce from the other pot and stir gently to combine.  You want your soup to be on a low simmer for about 20 minutes.  But watch your temperature so you don’t scorch the soup on the bottom.  You can always turn it down if you think it’s too hot.
8. Once the soup is good and warm it’s time to add your seasonings.  I start with about 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. of pepper, because you can always add more but you can’t take it out!  Add the onion powder, garlic, and cayenne.  Allow to cook for about 10 minutes and then taste and adjust the seasonings to your taste.
9. When the potatoes are nice and tender and the soup is good and warm, then it’s done!  Time to eat!  Top bowls of soup with crumbled bacon and shredded cheddar cheese.  Enjoy!