Loaded Baked Potato Soup & Bacon Shallot Grilled Cheese
There’s something about a loaded baked potato that just feels like home, especially when it’s transformed into a rich, velvety soup and paired with a buttery grilled cheese. This baked potato soup is smoky, creamy, and packed with bacon, tender potatoes, and sharp cheddar in every spoonful. On the side, a bacon and shallot grilled cheese made on flaky croissant bread delivers the perfect contrast of crisp edges and melty center. Together, it’s comfort food at its most indulgent, the kind of meal you savor slowly, preferably with a blanket nearby.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
Baked Potato Soup
- 16 oz bacon chopped
- 4 cups golden potatoes peeled and chopped
- 2 cups mild cheddar cheese shredded
- 2 cups chicken broth unsalted
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup onion diced
- 1/2 cup celery diced
- 1/4 cup chives minced
- 3 tbsp butter unsalted
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1 tbsp garlic minced or paste
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp paprika
- Salt to taste
Bacon Shallot Grilled Cheese Croissant
- 8 slices croissant loaf
- 4-6 slices of bacon cooked
- 1 tbsp shallots minced
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup mild cheddar cheese shredded
- Unsalted butter for cooking
Garnish
- Bacon
- Cheddar cheese
- Chives
- Sour cream
Instructions
Baked Potato Soup
- To a larger pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, render down the chopped bacon until cooked. Once crispy, set aside and remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the pan.
- Add the unsalted butter to the pot followed by the diced onions, celery, and garlic. Stir and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes until the onions become translucent. Break down one chicken bouillon cube into the mix and stir to combine.
- Once incorporated, bring in the chopped potatoes and the flour. Stir and let the flour soak up the bacon fat and butter.
- Deglaze the pot with the unsalted chicken broth, milk, and heavy cream. Season with black pepper, thyme, and paprika.
- Cover and lower the temperature to medium-low. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender and the soup has thickened.
- Once cooked, stir and break up some of the potatoes to help thicken the soup further. Remove from heat and finish with the shredded mild cheddar, bacon, and chives. Stir, cover, and set aside.
Bacon Shallot Grilled Cheese Croissant
- To one of the slices of croissant loaf, layer mozzarella cheese, mild cheddar cheese, shallots, and bacon. Top with another slice of croissant loaf.
- To a pan over medium-low heat, add some butter and toast each sandwich on both sides until golden brown and the filling is melted and gooey. Once cooked, serve immediately.
Assemble
- Once the soup is cooked, stir and break up some of the potatoes to help thicken the soup to your liking. Remove from heat and finish with the shredded mild cheddar, bacon, and chives. Season with salt to taste. Stir, cover, and set aside.
- Serve immediately into individual bowls and garnish with more bacon, cheddar cheese, sour cream and chives. Accompany with one of the golden bacon shallot grilled cheese croissant and you're all set to enjoy!