Baked Potato Soup with Potato Skin Croutons
Dec 08, 2016, Updated Dec 22, 2020
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 and loaded with vegetables.
Ingredients
- 3 large yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil*
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Bake potatoes: 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 oil, brush with a little oil all over. Crimp the foil to totally enclose and bake on a pan for 15 - 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. You will have 6 potato skin halves. Cut each one into 3 wedges to create 18 wedges. Add the 1 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.
- Lay out half of the wedges on tin foil. Top with some shredded sharp cheddar cheese and a sprinkling of chopped rosemary. Heat in a warm oven just to melt.
- Make the soup: Add butter to a 3 quart heavy soup pot, melt over low heat. Add leeks, garlic, celery, carrots, salt and pepper. Stir over low heat, then cover for 10 minutes to soften the vegetables. Uncover and add the flour. Stir for 1 minute. Add 2 cups of broth, bring to a boil, whisking well - soup will thicken. Add the milk, bring to a boil. Add the reserved 2 cups of potato flesh, give a big stir, cover and cook at a simmer 10 minutes to meld the flavors.
- To Serve: Ladle soup in bowls. Cut crispy potato wedges into 3/4" pieces to make potato skin "croutons" - add a few to each bowl. Top with garnishes... bacon, scallions and dill. Sprinkle on some smoked paprika. Serve with cheese and rosemary wedges on the side.
- Garnishes: Crispy bacon (I cut turkey bacon into thin strips, and cooked in a bit of oil in a stick proof skillet.) Scallions, thinly sliced. Fresh dill, small sprigs Add some sour cream (or Greek yogurt) if you like.
* with concerns about gmo’s and processing of oils, use a vegetable oil which has not been chemically treated, this is called “expeller pressed.”
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This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.
