Karen’s Baked Potato Soup with Potato Skin Croutons
Dec 08, 2016, Updated Feb 10, 2025
THE soup to fuel you through winter! Bake potatoes, use the flesh for the soup, skins for “croutons.” Healthy and lightened up with broth, milk, silken tofu and loaded with vegetables.

A healthy take on potato soup – hearty yet light, creamy, not gloppy with a natural baked potato flavor.
A little bit of genius… bake potatoes – use the flesh in the soup – save the shells for ‘potato skin croutons’ which you crisp up in the oven with olive oil and smoked paprika.
Add grated sharp cheddar cheese and herbs for a tasty ‘side’ treat.
Unlike deep fried potato skins, you won’t believe these skins… irresistible! ~ with a fraction of the calories and grease.
As winter approaches, a piping hot bowl of nourishing soup is comforting and this recipe is so good-for-you with the addition of a bevy of vegetables.
Elements of the Soup:
- Yukon Gold potatoes are baked (see my speedy recipe) – the inside flesh is added to the soup and the skins are transformed into “potato skins croutons”
- A good dose Sautéed Vegetables are the base for the soup
- Simply thickened with a little flour (regular or gluten free)
- Thicken too with the addition of flesh from the cooked Yukon Gold Potatoes
- HALF the Soup is blended smooth, and added back to the pot
- Silken Tofu adds a wonderful creaminess (you could substitute for milk too.)
- Garnishes matter: Add these fabulous potato skin croutons with their melted cheese, top with herbs and a sprinkle of smoked paprika. Dollop of sour cream or greek yogurt is optional but yummy.
A Vegan Alternative:
- Use your favorite vegan milk and vegetable broth in the recipe
- Silken Tofu is vegan
- Garnish with my Vegan Shiitake “Bacon”
- Omit the cheese on the croutons, or smear with your favorite vegan cheese
Myth: Potatoes are fattening:
Potatoes contain no fat! Potatoes provide the carbohydrate, potassium and energy that we need to perform at our best. More energy-packed than any other popular vegetable, potatoes have even more potassium than a banana. The low-carb diet craze of the early 2000s left many of us hungry and grouchy – turning to fats and sugar.
I believe in eating a balanced diet and love including all types of potatoes in my diet (and recipes.)
One medium baked potato has only 161 calories, plus 4 g of filling fiber, which mostly comes from the fiber-rich skin. Potatoes make a satisfying, low-cal, nutrient-rich addition to any meal.
Enjoy this healthful and comforting soup!
Karen
Baked Potato Soup with Potato Skin Croutons
Equipment
- 1 large pot or dutch oven
Ingredients
- 3 large yukon gold potatoes , about 1.5 pounds, baked for I hour; 350 degrees
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup leeks, whites and light greens, cleaned and sliced thinly
- 3/4 cup carrots, cleaned and diced
- 1/2 cup celery, cleaned and diced
- 3/4 cup parsnip, cleaned and diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoons flour, can use gluten free flour blend
- 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 cup milk, full fat
- 8 ounces silken tofu
Potato Skin Croutons:
- 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 2 teaspoon fresh chives or scallions, small chop
Garnishes:
- 1 teaspoon dill leaves
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped fine
- 2 tablespoons crispy bacon , crumbled (optional)
Instructions
- Scrub potatoes, dry them.Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Pierce each potato a bit with the tines of a fork. Place the potatoes on a plate and microwave for 5 minutes to partially cook them. Place the potatoes on a large piece of tin foil on a baking tray, brush with a little oil all over. Crimp the foil to totally enclose and bake on a pan for 20 minutes until fully baked.
- Remove from oven, cool a bit. Cut the potatoes in half horizontally, scoop out the potato flesh and place in a bowl. Leave a 1/4" shell of potato on the skins; reserve for croutons.
- In a large, heavy pot, add 1 T. olive oil, raise heat to medium-low. When warm add the vegetables; leeks, carrots, celery, parsnip, garlic,1 t. smoked paprika and pepper. Give a big stir, cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add 1 T flour. cook one minute stirring. Add 3 cups of broth and 1 cup of milk.
- Bring to a boil stirring, will thicken slightly. Add the silken tofu and reserved potatoes flesh from their skins. Turn heat down to a simmer after it boils and cover the soup.Cook for 10 minutes to mingle the flavors. Taste the soup, add up to 1 teaspoon sea salt (depends on the saltiness of your broth.)
- Add HALF to the soup to the carafe of a blender, and blend smooth. Add back to the pot.
Potato Skin Croutons:
- Preheat to oven to 400 degrees. You will have reserved 6 potato skin halves. Cut each half into 3 wedges to create 18 wedges. Add them to a foil lined baking tray. Add the 1 1/2 T. oil with smoked paprika in a small dish. Brush over potato wedges. Bake in the hot oven until crisped and dark golden, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with sea salt.Top with grated cheddar cheese. Sprinkle with chives or scallions, add back to the oven until melted, about 2 minutes.
To Serve:
- Ladle the soup into individual bowls. Serve with potato skin croutons on the side, or cut them into smaller pieces and add to the top of the soup. Garnish with dill leaves and chopped rosemary. Finish with a dusting of smoked paprika. Add optional crumbled bacon or my "shiitake" bacon. Add a dollop of sour cream or greek yogurt if you desire.
Notes
Karen’s Shiitake Mushroom “Bacon” VEGAN (recipe) This recipe may not be reproduced without consent of its author, Karen Sheer
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.