The other day I had a Facebook message from a friend suggesting an online food contest she thought I should try.
Actually, her words were, “You could rock this!” and I was flattered (even if it turns out she said the same thing to her other foodie friends).
What kind of contest is it, you ask? A potato contest!
And what does the grand prize winner get? A professional photo of the recipe and the cover of Family Circle magazine, plus a few other goodies.
I have the most amazing, comforting, delicious, can’t-stop-thinking-about-the-leftovers recipe for cheesy potato soup with bacon (easily converted to become vegetarian-friendly!), and now I’m going to share it with you.
You will get addicted!
Cheesy Potato Soup
Yield:
4 to 6
Prep Time:
15 minutes
Cook Time:
30 minutes
Total Time:
45 minutes
This cheesy potato soup is simple to make and easily converted to be vegetarian.
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 6 potatoes, cubed
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup salted butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 cups milk*
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 6 strips bacon, cooked & crumbled
- 1/4 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Combine the first five ingredients in a large soup pot.
- Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes (or until potatoes are fork-tender). Keep covered over low heat; do not drain.
- Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour, whisking to combine, then let cook for an additional minute. Add the milk all at once, whisking occasionally. Once the mixture starts to thicken and bubble, whisk constantly for one more minute.
- Remove the sauce pan from heat and add the cheese, stirring until cheese has melted. Add the milk mixture and the green onions to the soup pot and stir to combine. Let simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Serve hot with bacon and sour cream for garnish.
Notes
I use whole milk, but you could try 2%. I wouldn't use 1% or skim milk because they doesn't have enough fat content and your sauce might break. A mixture of whole milk and cream would be delish!
This recipe is easily made vegetarian by omitting the bacon or by serving it on the side only (if you're serving both meat eaters and non-meat eaters)!
Let’s hope we have a winner!
