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Ina Garten Loaded Potato Soup

Loaded potato soup made with Yukon gold potatoes and a silky cream base, thickened with a butter-and-flour roux for a smooth finish. Pancetta stays crispy and tops the soup with salty crunch, while parmesan and sour cream create a rich, tangy flavor.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 640
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pancetta or bacon
  • 4 oz pancetta or bacon, diced
Yukon gold potatoes
  • 4 lb Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
Yellow onions
  • 2 cup yellow onions, diced
Garlic
  • 4 garlic, minced
Chicken broth
  • 4 cup chicken broth
Half-and-half
  • 2 cup half-and-half
Unsalted butter
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
All-purpose flour
  • 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
Parmesan
  • 1 cup grated parmesan
Sour cream
  • 1 cup sour cream
Kosher salt
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
Black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
Fresh chives
  • 1 fresh chives and extra parmesan for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the pancetta
  1. Cook pancetta in a large pot over medium heat until crispy, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the pancetta and set it aside.
Build the base
  1. Melt butter in the same pot over medium heat. Sauté onions for 8 minutes until soft and golden.
  2. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring so it doesn’t brown. Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes.
Simmer and thicken
  1. Gradually add chicken broth and half-and-half while whisking constantly, until smooth. Bring the mixture to a simmer, 2 to 3 minutes.
  2. Add the cubed Yukon gold potatoes and simmer until very tender, 20 minutes. You should be able to pierce them easily with a fork.
  3. Mash about half the potatoes in the pot to thicken the soup. Stir in parmesan and sour cream until smooth and creamy.
  4. Season with kosher salt and black pepper, to taste, then stir to combine. Serve hot, topped with crispy pancetta, fresh chives, and extra parmesan.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, whisk the roux and dairy together until completely smooth before adding the potatoes. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; reheat gently over low heat, since cream soups can tighten when boiled. Freezing is not recommended because the dairy may separate after thawing. If you want it lighter, substitute half-and-half with low-fat milk and add the parmesan last for best texture.