Restaurant Quality Baked Potato Soup
Baked potato soup is probably one of my favorites, but I have been traumatized by the watery, bland garbage too often passed off as potato soup-I wont even order it anymore.
You see, I worked at Bennigan's in college. Bennigan's had the thickest, chunkiest, most savory potato 'soup' ever. It was popular and it was amazing and I know there are some of you out there feeling my pain-as all the Bennigan's are gone-along with their delicious potato goop of a soup.
So I decided not to be disillusioned by watery mockeries any longer-and I decided to try my hand at a thick, stick-to-your-bones potato soup. And you know what? I did it!
Restaurant Quality Potato Soup
Serves: 1 (6 if you decide to share)
6 med baking potatoes-coarsely peeled and chopped in large chunks
1 small yellow onion-chopped
4 strips bacon, uncooked-cut into bite sized pieces (I use my kitchen scissors for this-its easier)
1/2 stalk of celery-chopped
1 stick unsalted butter
1 pint half & half
3-4cups potato flakes
salt & pepper
Coarsely peel and chop the potatoes, put in a pan and cover with water. Bring to a rapid boil and continue boiling until the water is cloudy. When the potatoes start to boil, take a larger pot and put in onion, bacon, celery, butter and a few turns of pepper. Allow it to cook until butter is melted over med-high heat. Add half & half and stir until bubbling. The potato water should be cloudy and potatoes very soft, carefully pour all the water and potatoes into the half & half mixture. Bring to a boil.
At this point take a small spoon and taste the soup-it should taste along the same line of the soup you're looking for. At this time, you can add a little salt or pepper if you feel it needs it. You soup will still be runny and will look like the following photo:
Next, add about 1 cup of potato flakes and stir for 1 minute. Taste test. Continue adding 1 cup of flakes, stirring for 1 minute and doing a taste-test until reaching desired consistency and flavor.
Top with green onion and cheese and Enjoy!
Restaurant Quality Baked Potato Soup- A Bennigan's copycat recipe
Ingredients
- 6 med baking potatoes-coarsely peeled and chopped in large chunks
- 1 small yellow onion-chopped
- 4 strips bacon, uncooked-cut into bite sized pieces (I use my kitchen scissors for this-its easier)
- 1/2 stalk of celery-chopped
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 pint half & half
- 3-4cups potato flakes
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Coarsely peel and chop the potatoes, put in a pan and cover with water. Bring to a rapid boil and continue boiling until the water is cloudy (20min).
- When the potatoes start to boil, take a separate larger pot and put in onion, bacon, celery, butter and a few turns of pepper. Allow it to cook until butter is melted over med-high heat. Add half & half and stir until bubbling. The potato water should be cloudy and potatoes very soft, carefully pour all the water and potatoes into the half & half mixture. Bring to a boil.
- At this point take a small spoon and taste the soup-it should taste along the same line of the soup you're looking for. At this time, you can add a little salt or pepper if you feel it needs it. You soup will still be runny and will look like the following photo:
- Next, add about 1 cup of potato flakes and stir for 1 minute. Taste test. Continue adding 1 cup of flakes, stirring for 1 minute and doing a taste-test until reaching desired consistency and flavor.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste
- Top with green onion and cheese and Enjoy!
