Description
Hearty Outback Steakhouse potato soup blends creamy comfort with rich flavors of bacon and cheese. Generous portions and simple ingredients make this classic soup a satisfying meal for home cooks who appreciate restaurant-style comfort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 large russet potatoes (peeled and diced)
- 6 slices bacon (diced)
- 3 cups (710 ml) chicken broth
- 2 cups (470 ml) milk
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded monterey jack cheese
- 1 small onion (finely chopped)
- 3 tbsps unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- Additional shredded cheese (for garnish)
- Crispy bacon bits (for garnish)
- Chopped green onions (for garnish)
Instructions
- Bacon Preparation: Crisp bacon in a large pot over medium heat until golden. Remove bacon, reserving two tablespoons of drippings.
- Aromatic Base: Melt butter in bacon fat. Sauté onions until translucent, then add garlic and cook briefly to release fragrance.
- Roux Development: Sprinkle flour over vegetables, stirring to create a smooth base. Gradually whisk in chicken broth, milk, and heavy cream, ensuring a silky texture without lumps.
- Potato Infusion: Add potatoes, thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until potatoes become tender, approximately 15-20 minutes.
- Texture and Creaminess: Partially mash potatoes to create a rustic consistency. Incorporate cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, then blend in sour cream until smooth. Mix in half the reserved bacon.
- Serving Flourish: Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with remaining bacon bits, additional cheese shreds, and chopped green onions. Serve alongside crusty bread or crackers.
Notes
- Bacon Crispness Control: Cook bacon until perfectly golden and crisp, ensuring maximum flavor extraction without burning. Remove immediately when edges turn deep brown.
- Roux Technique Mastery: Whisk flour into bacon drippings and butter smoothly, toasting briefly to eliminate raw flour taste and create a rich, velvety base for the soup.
- Potato Texture Management: Partially mash potatoes to achieve a rustic, creamy consistency while maintaining some potato chunks for textural variation and hearty feel.
- Cheese Melting Precision: Incorporate cheese off direct heat, stirring gently to prevent separation and ensure a silky, smooth soup texture without graininess.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg