The “Loaded” Creamy Potato Soup

The Sauté: In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft (about 5 minutes). Stir in the garlic for 1 minute until fragrant.
The Flour (The Roux): Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes. This “cooks out” the raw flour taste and will act as your thickener.
The Simmer: Slowly pour in the broth while whisking to avoid lumps. Add the potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender.
The Texture Choice: * For Chunky: Leave as is.
- For Creamy: Use an immersion blender to blend half the soup, or mash some potatoes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon.
The Finish: Stir in the milk/cream and half of the cheese. Season generously with salt and plenty of black pepper.
Serve: Ladle into bowls and pile high with bacon, more cheese, sour cream, and chives.

Don’t Over-Blend: If you use a high-speed blender for the whole batch, do it quickly. Over-working potato starch can make the soup “gummy” or glue-like.
The Potato Mix: Using half Russets and half Yukon Golds gives you the best of both worlds: the Russets break down to thicken the soup, while the Yukons stay intact as creamy bites.
Cold Milk: When adding the milk at the end, make sure the soup isn’t at a rolling boil. A gentle simmer prevents the dairy from curdling.