Loaded Potato Soup with Cheesy Tots
Loaded Potato Soup with Cheesy Tots... OMG YES! There's something crazy legendary about the cheesy tater tot topping here and I can't wait for y'all to try it!
Ingredients
- 3 cups frozen Tater Tots
- 2 lbs russet potatoes (Yukon gold will work too)
- 2 TBSP unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion, diced (approx. 1 + 1/2 cups)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
TASTY TOPPINGS
- 3 slices bacon cooked until crispy, or 2-3 TBSP veggie bacon bits
- extra cheddar cheese
- fresh chives or scallions
- sour cream or plain greek yogurt
- crispy baked tater tots see above
Instructions
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Pre-heat oven to 425 F.
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Spread your tots on a baking sheet (I like to line mine with parchment paper) and bake until crips, about 20 minutes. For extra crispy tots you can shake the pan at the 10 minute mark to move them around a bit, totally optional. When they're hot and ready, add 1 cup of cheddar cheese on top and return to the oven for an additional 4-5 minutes to melt.
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While your oven crisps the tots, wash, peel, and dice your potatoes and grate your cheeses. Freshly grated cheese works best here. If you haven't yet, measure out all your ingredients and set them aside.
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Heat the butter in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender. Once softened, add your garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
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Next add your potatoes and broth. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer once boiling. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender, 10-12 minutes.
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If you're using fresh bacon here (skip for the veggie version) cook in a skillet on med-high heat unit crisp. Drain on paper towels.
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Remove soup from heat, and puree the soup with an immersion blender. Alternatively you may allow the soup to cool a bit and puree in batches using a blender or food processor. In a pinch grab a potato masher and a whisk for an extra chunky potato soup! An additional 1/4 cup of broth (or milk) may be added to thin the soup as desired, but I love mine thick!
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At this point feel free to add any additional salt and pepper you desire. Add half the chives and stir in half the sour cream, remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese, and parmesan cheese until melted.
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Ladle soup into bowls and top with cheesy tots, bacon of choice, chopped chives, remaining sour cream, and any extras your heart desires! Enjoy! This soup is great the first day and stellar the next, so feel free to save yourself a bowl for lunch tomorrow!
Recipe Notes
Freshly grated cheese works best here, as pre-shredded cheese are coated and don't melt well in soup.
I didn't add dill here but it's a common (and tasty!) spice to add to potato soup. If you're a fan and want to amp up the flavors, feel free to add some! Crushed red pepper flakes also make a fun (spicy) addition to the soup if you'd like.
Since much of the cooking is done all at the the same time (and much of the prep work can be done during the cooking parts) - this soup can come together in about 40 minutes! The soup itself is also amazing the next day or two, so it makes a great make-ahead or meal-prep option for those of you planning for the week. SCORE!
Nutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed and enjoy!