Loaded Baked Potato Soup

🥘 Ingredients

• bacon
  8 oz
• butter
  2 tbsp
• chicken stock concentrate
  4 unit
• cornstarch
  1 tbsp
• cream sauce base
  8 oz
• garlic powder
  2 tsp
• hot sauce
  2 tsp
• mexican cheese blend
  1 c
• paper towels
• pepper
• plastic wrap
• potatoes
  24 oz
• salt
• scallions
  4 unit
• sour cream
  3 tbsp
• white cheddar cheese
  1 c

🍳 Cookware

• large bowl
• large pan
• large pot
• small bowl

1. 

   1

   Wash and dry produce. Dice potatoes into ½-inch pieces. Trim and thinly slice scallions , separating whites from greens.

   potatoes: 24 oz, scallions: 4 unit
2. 

   2

   In a large bowl , combine potatoes with half the garlic powder (you'll use the rest later); season generously with salt and pepper . Toss until potatoes are evenly coated. Cover tightly with plastic wrap ; microwave until tender, ⏱️ 6-7 minutes . Keep covered until ready to use in Step 5.

   garlic powder: 2 tsp, salt, pepper, plastic wrap
3. 

   3

   Meanwhile, heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add bacon ; cook, turning occasionally and adjusting heat if browning too quickly, until crispy, ⏱️ 6-10 minutes . Turn off heat; transfer bacon to a paper towels -lined plate. Reserve bacon fat in pan (you'll use some of it in the next step). Once bacon is cool enough to handle, roughly chop.

   bacon: 8 oz, paper towels
4. 

   4

   In a large pot , combine scallion whites, remaining garlic powder, 1 TBSP reserved bacon fat, and 1 TBSP butter over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until scallion whites are tender and fragrant, ⏱️ 30-60 seconds . Add cream sauce base , chicken stock concentrate , and 2 cups water (4 cups for 4); bring to a boil.

   butter: 2 tbsp, cream sauce base: 8 oz, chicken stock concentrate: 4 unit
5. 

   5

   In a small bowl , combine half the cornstarch and ½ TBSP water (all the cornstarch and 1 TBSP water for 4 servings). Whisk until smooth. Once potatoes are done, add to pot along with cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until soup has thickened, ⏱️ 5-7 minutes . Reduce heat to low. Add white cheddar cheese and half the chopped bacon to soup; stir until cheese is melted and combined.

   cornstarch: 1 tbsp, white cheddar cheese: 1 c
6. 

   6

   Divide soup between bowls. Top with mexican cheese blend , sour cream , scallion greens, remaining chopped bacon, and as much hot sauce as you like. Serve. **Bacon is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 145°.**

   mexican cheese blend: 1 c, sour cream: 3 tbsp, hot sauce: 2 tsp