Baked Potato Soup
Total Time
Approximately 1 hour
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
50 minutes
Rating
0 out of 5 stars
(0)
Ingredients
6 servings
- 1 head garlic
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 medium leeks, white and light green parts halved lengthwise, washed, and chopped small
- 5 to 6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (I used 5 cups; add the extra cup after pureeing if you’d like a thinner soup)
- 2 bay leaves
- Table salt
- 2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- Ground black pepper
- Toppings, optional:
- Minced fresh chives or scallions
- Bacon bits
- Sour cream
- Grated cheddar
- A drizzle of melted (or melted and browned) butter
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Preparation
Step 1
Prepare the garlic: Rinse the head of garlic to remove any outside grit or dirt. Cut the top third off the head and peel any loose papery skins off the bottom two-thirds. Instead of discarding the top third (CI’s suggestion), pop out a bunch (or all) of the garlic clove tips and mince them.
Step 2
On the stovetop: In a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add leeks and cook them until soft (but not brown), about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook another minute. Add the larger part of the garlic head (whole, not chopped), broth, bay leaves, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat and simmer until garlic is very tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 30 to 40 minutes. Add potatoes and continue to simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 3
In an InstantPot or electric pressure cooker: Use the sauté function to melt the butter, add the leeks, and then cook them until soft (but not brown), about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook another minute. Add the larger part of the garlic head (whole, not chopped), broth, bay leaves, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cancel out the sauté function and select the soup/broth function; cook for 10 minutes at high pressure, then manually release the pressure. Add the potatoes to the pot, select the soup/broth function again, and cook for 5 more minutes at high pressure. Let it release naturally for 15 minutes, then manually release the pressure the rest of the way.
Step 4
Both methods: Discard bay leaves. Remove garlic heads. Optional: If you’d like an extra garlic boost to the soup, using tongs or paper towels, squeeze garlic head at root end until cloves slip out of their skins. Using a fork, mash the garlic cloves to smooth paste and add it back to the soup.
Step 5
To finish: Add sour cream to soup and cook [use the sauté function in an InstantPot/electric pressure cooker) for another 2 to 3 minutes. Adjust seasonings, adding more salt and pepper to taste. Using an immersion blender, process soup until chunky-creamy, leaving lots of potato texture intact. (Alternatively, transfer a portion of the potatoes and broth to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.) Serve with whatever makes you happy on top, or nothing at all.
Step 6
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Chef's notes
The title is a riff on the taste and toppings of baked potatoes. I did, of course, initially consider starting with baked potatoes but rejected this approach because of time constraints, textural concerns, and flavor worries.
If you want to adhere closer to the baked potato theme or have leftover baked potatoes, add them in chunks exactly when you’d add the raw ones, but only cook it for 10 minutes, not 15 to 20, before finishing the soup.
Skins or no skins? Your choice. I went without skins because I wanted a light-colored soup but leaving the skins on would amp up the baked potato flavor.
