Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients

0 of 13 out on the counter

• 2 lb russet potatoes, baked, skins removed (about 530 g of baked potato)
• 3 slices reduced-sodium bacon (about 24 g cooked)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups skim milk
• ¾ cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar, divided
• ½ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 3 green onions, sliced
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper

All set! Everything is out. Time to bake.

Method

1. 1Heat the oven to 400 °F. Prick the potatoes all over, set them right on the oven rack, and bake about 1 hour, until a knife slides in with no push. A mile up the oven runs true, so the sea-level time holds.
2. 2Let the potatoes cool 15 minutes. Cut them open, scoop out the insides and mash them roughly with a fork. Throw away the skins.
3. 3While the potatoes cool, lay the bacon on the air-fryer rack and cook at 375 °F for 8 to 10 minutes, until crisp. Crumble it. Throw away the drippings in the tray; they are not in the soup.
4. 4Cook the onion in the olive oil over medium heat 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic powder for 30 seconds, then stir in the flour and cook 1 minute.
5. 5Whisk in the broth, then the skim milk. Simmer gently, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes. It is ready when it coats the back of a spoon. Water boils at about 203 °F here, so give it the full time.
6. 6Take the pot off the heat. Stir in the mashed potato, about ½ cup of the cheese, the salt and the pepper until smooth. Let it cool a minute, then stir in the yogurt; it can split if it is boiled. Warm it over low heat 2 minutes if it has cooled; do not let it boil.
7. 7Ladle into bowls. Top with the bacon, the green onions and the remaining ¼ cup of cheese.