Description
This copycat Outback Steakhouse Potato Soup recipe delivers restaurant-quality comfort food at home. Rich, creamy, and loaded with tender potato chunks, cheddar cheese, bacon, and green onions.
Ingredients
For the Soup:
- 4 large russet potatoes, diced
- 2½ cups chicken stock (Swanson is my go-to)
- 1 cup water
- ½ small yellow onion, diced ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup butter (real butter, not margarine!)
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup heavy cream
For Toppings:
- ¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/8 cup bacon bits
- 1/8 cup green onions, diced
Instructions
I chop russets into dice-sized pieces – I gets mad if they’re too big for her spoon! Fill a big pot with salted water, add potatoes, and boil for 12-15 minutes until fork-tender.
Don’t let them get mushy! Last week I overcooked them and ended up with potato mush soup. Drain and set aside.
Pour chicken stock, water, onion (if using), salt, and pepper into your Dutch oven. I pick out onions anyway, so I skip them half the time.
Heat to medium and let it simmer gently – just tiny bubbles around the edges.
This used to terrify me, but Sarah walked me through it! Melt butter in your saucepan over medium heat until foamy.
Dump in all the flour and whisk like crazy for 3 full minutes. It’ll smell nutty when ready – don’t let it brown!
My first attempt was a disaster because I dumped all the roux in at once. Looked like cottage cheese floating in broth!
Add the roux one spoonful at a time to your simmering base, whisking constantly. Takes patience but watching that thin broth transform is so satisfying.
I always pull cream out early so it’s room temperature. Cold cream hitting hot soup creates weird lumps – learned that the hard way!
Pour it in slowly while stirring, then simmer for 20 minutes. The kitchen smell during this step is incredible.
Gently fold in those drained potato chunks with a wooden spoon. I want distinct pieces, not mashed potato soup.
Taste and add more salt – I always need more than I think. I usually appears asking “Is it ready yet?”
Ladle into bowls and top with sharp cheddar, bacon bits, and green onions. I use our wedding china bowls for this special soup.
Notes
Watch Your Heat: Keep everything barely bubbling after adding cream. My first kitchen disaster taught me this!
Cheese Strategy: Add cheese to individual bowls, not the whole pot. I ruined a batch trying to be fancy.
Don’t Mash: Keep those potato chunks intact. I got impatient during batch two and broke them up – big mistake.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American