Copycat Panera Bread Baked Potato Soup Recipe
This Copycat Panera Bread Baked Potato Soup recipe is warm, comforting, and irresistibly creamy! Loaded with tender potato chunks and savory bacon swimming in a creamy broth, this copycat recipe is a perfect way to enjoy the cozy flavors you love from the restaurant, right at home!
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 3/4 cups heavy cream or half and half
- 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch chunks or yukon gold potatoes
- 1 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- salt & pepper, to taste
Optional Ingredients
- finely diced chives
- dollops of sour cream
- bacon bits
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, cook the diced bacon until crispy for 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pot to a paper towel-lined dish. Keep the bacon grease in the pot.
- Sauté the onions in the reserved bacon grease until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Sprinkle the flour and garlic powder over the sauted onions and cook the flour for 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.
- Add in the chicken broth, milk, cream, and cubed potatoes to the pot. Allow the mixture to come to a slight simmer. Once the soup starts to simmer, cover the pot with a lid, and lower the heat and continue to cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once the potatoes are fork tender, mash some of the potatoes along the sides of the pot, if desired, to give the soup a more thick texture. Stir in the sour cream (or Greek yogurt), shredded cheese, bacon bits, salt, and pepper and continue stirring until the cheese has completely melted.
- Serve with some freshly chopped chives or green onions, additional bacon bits, and a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!
Notes
To store: Allow the soup to cool completely before placing into an airtight container. Store the soup in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To reheat: Place soup in a microwave-safe dish and reheat for 2 minutes on 50% power until heated through. Alternatively, you can reheat your soup on the stovetop for 2 minutes until heated though.