Baked Potato Soup With Crispy Potato Skins Recipes

Steps:

• Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain, crumble, and set aside.
• In a stock pot or Dutch oven, melt the margarine over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in milk, whisking constantly until thickened. Stir in potatoes and onions. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
• Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Mix in bacon, cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Wash the potatoes and prick them several times with a fork. Wrap them individually in foil and bake until they are soft when squeezed, about 1 hour (see Cook's Note). Let the potatoes cool slightly.
• While the potatoes bake, cook the bacon in a small skillet, in a microwave or on an indoor grill until crisp. Drain the bacon on paper towels and, when cool enough to handle, crumble into small pieces. Set aside.
• In a large heavy saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly for 1 minute until smooth. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and bubbling, 5 to 10 minutes. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into the thickened milk mixture. Add the Cheddar, salt, pepper, green onions and reserved bacon. Cook over low heat just until heated through, then stir in the sour cream. Garnish with shredded Cheddar, crumbled bacon and chopped green onions and serve with more sour cream on the side.

Steps:

• In a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon (if using) until crisp, 12 to 13 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate or cutting board. Return the pot with just 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat to the stove. (If there's not enough fat, supplement with butter to total 3 tablespoons.) If making the soup vegetarian, melt butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
• Over medium-low heat, sauté the white parts of the scallions and the garlic until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently and adjusting the heat as necessary to avoid burning the garlic. Add the potatoes, milk and 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat (resist the urge to heat it faster as this can lead to curdling). Once at a boil, lower the heat and simmer covered until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
• As soup simmers, prepare the potato skins: Warm the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Working in batches if needed, add the potato peels in a single layer and cook, flipping once, until crisp and golden-brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate or cutting board, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, cayenne and garlic powder. Crumble and set aside.
• Once the potatoes are tender, take the pot off the heat, and purée the mixture with an immersion blender if you'd like a smooth soup. (Mash with a potato masher if you'd like a chunkier soup.) Stir in the sour cream and cheese until combined, then season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with crumbled bacon, more sour cream and Cheddar and the green parts of the scallions. Top with potato peels (eat any extra as chips, dipped in ketchup and mustard).