Doody The Foody

Creamy potatoes, melty cheese, and all the fixings — this soup never lasts long in my house.

RECIPE

• 3lbs of Potatoes (I use golden or red potatoes)
• 1lb Thick Cut Bacon
• 4 Cups Chicken Stock
• 2 Cups Heavy Cream
• 1 Cup White Wine
• 1 Large White Onion
• 2 Bunches of Green Onions
• 4-6 Cloves Minced Garlic
• 2 Cups Shredded Cheddar
• 1Tbsp Garlic Powder
• 1Tbsp Onion Powder
• 2Tbsp Butter
• Sour Cream (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS

1. Start by prepping everything to keep cooking stress-free. Dice your potatoes (I skip peeling, but you can), slice the bacon, chop the onion, slice the green onions, mince the garlic, and measure out your broth, cream, and wine — and pour yourself a glass while you’re at it.
2. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon and drain most of the grease, leaving just enough to sauté the onions.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low. In the same pot, melt 2 Tbsp of butter, then add the onions with a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic, about two-thirds of the green onions (reserve the rest for garnish), plus the garlic powder and onion powder. Stir and cook until the garlic is fragrant.
4. Pour in 1 cup of white wine — and don’t forget to take a sip yourself. Let it simmer 6–8 minutes to cook off the alcohol and reduce slightly. Stir in the chicken stock and heavy cream, then add the potatoes and two-thirds of the bacon (reserve the rest for garnish). Season with salt and pepper, turn the heat to high, cover, and boil until the potatoes are soft and tender.
5. Once the potatoes are fork-tender, remove the pot from heat and give them a light mash. Don’t go overboard, we’re not making mashed potato soup. Keep it chunky, but break some up to add texture and naturally thicken the broth.
6. Slowly stir in the cheddar cheese, one handful at a time, letting each addition melt fully before adding more. Make sure the soup isn’t boiling hot at this stage — that’s how you keep the cheese smooth and melty, not lumpy.
7. Time to serve! Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a little extra cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkle of bacon and green onions. Top off your glass of wine and dig into your loaded potato soup.