Best Potato Soup

  • Prep 40 min
  • Total 40 min
  • Servings 15

Ingredients

  • 1 package (12 oz) bacon
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
  • 6 cups Progresso™ chicken broth (from two 32-oz cartons)
  • 2 lb baking potatoes, peeled, cubed
  • 2/3 cup butter
  • 3/4 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups milk
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 cup diced cooked ham
  • 1 container (8 oz) sour cream
  • 2 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (10 oz)
  • 3/4 cup sliced green onions

Steps

  • 1
    In 12-inch skillet, cook bacon over medium heat 6 to 7 minutes or until crisp; drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon; set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Cook onion in bacon drippings over medium-high heat 6 minutes or until almost tender.
  • 2
    In 6-quart Dutch oven, mix onion, broth and potatoes. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cook 10 minutes or until potatoes are very tender.
  • 3
    Meanwhile, in same skillet, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour with whisk until smooth. Cook and stir 1 minute. Gradually stir in 2 cups of the milk. Pour milk mixture into potato mixture. Add remaining 2 cups milk, the salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with whisk, until mixture is thickened and bubbly.
  • 4
    Stir in ham, half of the bacon, the sour cream, 2 cups of the cheese and 1/2 cup of the green onions. Cook until thoroughly heated and cheese is melted. Evenly top individual servings with remaining bacon, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/4 cup green onions.

  • A classic baking potato is the russet, which is one of the most starch-filled in the world of spuds. That starch is released as the potatoes cook in the broth, becoming part of the underpinning of a rich, thick soup.
  • Think outside of the bowl for serving up soup. Serve in mugs for an extra cozy feel, or hallow out a round loaf of bread to create a bread bowl.
  • A quick route to uniformly crisp pieces of bacon is to cut the slices crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces. Scrape them into the large skillet (cast-iron is an especially good pan for cooking bacon) and fry them over medium heat until deeply golden brown.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving
Calories
362
Total Fat
25g
0%
Saturated Fat
14g
0%
Sodium
863mg
0%
Total Carbohydrate
20g
0%
Dietary Fiber
1g
0%
Protein
13g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
0%
0%
Vitamin C
0%
0%
Calcium
0%
0%
Iron
0%
0%
Exchanges:
1 1/2 Starch; 1 1/2 High-Fat Meat; 2 1/2 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
1 1/2
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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