Baked Potato Soup

I made half this recipe for 2 of us and it needed some work to make it good. It was WAY too thick so less flour. I added at least 1 cup sour cream to half the recipe and more milk (still very thick). It was pretty bland so I added a few good squirts of Sriracha sauce and that made for a nice little kick of flavor. Half the recipe made more than 4 servings.

Thick and creamy as you could want it to be. It took longer than 8 min for the milk to thicken. I cooked it for about 25 min, but later the soup was so thick I had to add more milk. Next time I may try about 20 min and see how that works.

I was very skeptical that this recipe was going to work but the milk/flour mixture did thicken eventually, it just took time. The base of the soup definitely had a raw flour taste because it wasn't thickened with a roux. The sour cream and other ingredients definitely helped cover. The soup was definitely better the next day, just make sure to heat on the stove to preserve the texture. All in all, a good recipe. My husband really loved it.

I peeled and microwaved the potatoes. I didn't want to take the time to bake them. I would bake or boil them the next time. Also, I didn't let the soup get to a good bubble. You see, it was not bubbling after 12 minutes much less the 8 listed in the recipe! As such, I moved ahead because I was afraid it was going to burn. When I was all done adding the ingredients, I could taste the raw flour, so I had to give it a second boil. But, my technique troubles aside, it's just bland. I've got seven cups of bland to deal with now. Like so many reviewers, I'll try to spice it ... Here's to hoping.

Loved this soup! It was delicious!

Love Love this soup. It is a hit!

Yummy,yummy, yummy! My family loved this soup.. we did add a bit more salt and pepper for our palates. It is very easy to make...my 15 year old daughter happily made it. Thank you for keeping us healthy and happy!

Was looking forward to lunch leftovers all morning!

Good recipe. It is really hearty. If you like more of a broth based soup I would recommend leaving out a potato. I read some reviews claiming this was bland, but wanted to try it because it was a healthier version. The milk flour mixture does take longer than the instructions. I added the salt, pepper, bacon, and then three cloves of minced garlic after the milk flour mixture finally started bubbling. I did this so the sauce could cook the flavors into the mixture after it thickens...it didn't make sense to add all of the seasoning almost right before you serve it. I added the potatoes, then the remaining. Added a few more pinches of salt and pepper to taste. in bowl....garnished cheese first, then onions, 1-1.5 inch of bacon thinly cut. Then sprinkled some butchers blend pepper over the bowl. It was good, and the ingredients were cheap (about $5-7)...will make again!!

Very reliable. Great cold-weather soup -plus- what could be so bad about anything that's topped with cheese, bacon & scallions? Have been making this since I saw the Sep '07 cover photo & read it was chosen "best soup" in CL's feature on excellent recipes. http://www.cookinglight.com/eating-smart/from-the-editors/all-time-best-recipes-00400000041570/page22.html Even though they recommend against it, we usually use fat-free sour cream because that's most often what's in the fridge.

I notice most are negative complaints for this soup is that it was bland and lacking seasoning. I suggest roasting a head of garlic and mashing the roasted garlic in with the potatoes.

This was fairly good, but not fantastic. Needed more seasoning than the recipe calls for. I also added the bacon into the soup.

Thick, flavorful soup. Great for a cold winter evening.

I've made this a number of times and it's always a big hit. I also make baked potato skins with the leftover skins so they don't go to waste.

Very tasty.

Yumm-o! Now, it took well over 8 minutes for the milk and flour to get thick, about 20 minutes for me, but everyone will have different results. What did I change? I did not add the green onions to the soup while cooking, added as a garnish with the bacon before serving so if someone doesn't like onion then no biggie. I added about 1 tablespoon of : garlic powder, onion powder. A pinch of red pepper for a tiny kick. I also added twice as much salt and pepper to spike it a little. I did add 3 tablespoons of light butter to the soup when I added the cheese. But again, I can see why someone would skip this if eating healthy. I also added to a sourdough bread bowl that I scraped a lot of the inside out of. This is so filling but high on calories. I am looking forward to eating leftovers tomorrow. A salad and a bowl of this is perfect to warm up a cold day.

I am now famous amongst my friends for this soup. It's my go-to when taking food to a sick friend or having people over for a soup night. It has now been posted in friends' facebook statuses and tweeted about. How's that for fabulous? I've always made it exactly as written except I eyeball the salt and adjust to taste so I may add a bit more than called for. YUM!

Very good! Perfect for a filling lunch. I sautéed some shallots and also added some onion powder. This could use some spicing up but the consistency and base flavors are good.

Absolutely the best potato soup, light or not. By the way, it's supposed to be thick.

This soup is really delicious...indulgent, but worth it. Like the others, I too used the 5c milk/1c broth, and half cup flour. Also, I use salt super sparingly when I cook, and I thought it need more salt then indicated. So add more to taste. Other than that it was great.

No joke about the thickness of this soup, even when I sub'd 1 cup chicken broth for milk as suggested by others. I added an additional 1/4 cup of broth to thin it a bit more. I only used 4 slices of bacon, but used smoked cheddar instead of regular and 1 tsp of smoked paprika, so it still had the bacon-y flavor. I did think it needed an extra tsp of salt, per other reviews. Threw all the garnish ingredients in before serving as I didn't want to fight over bacon and cheese toppings with husband and teenage son. Also added 2 Tbsp of sherry before serving. This is VERY filling. Perfect for today's chilly, rainy November day. Served with rosemary-garlic toast. Very easy and will definitely make this again.

As written this recipe does taste like wallpaper paste with potatoes in it. I added a very healthy dose of salt and course cracked black pepper along with granulated garlic. Very good!

Amazing exactly as laid out. LOVED LOVED LOVED this soup and had rave reviews from those I shared it with. Making it again tonight.

This is one of the most delicious soups ever! I added 3 shredded carrots and 1 small chopped onion before adding the flour to the pot and I think it really improved the flavor. I will definitely be making this again as it reminds me of the soup I usually get from restaurants. Yum, thanks!

This was awful. This was mashed potatoes (and not very good ones), not soup. If you like more of a broth based soup, this is not for you.

Wow, this is good! I did follow other reviewers suggestions and used Yukon Gold, 1/2 c flour, 1 c chicken broth/5 c milk and additional sharp cheddar. I recently started using Greek yogurt instead of sour cream and didn't notice a difference. In addition, I added corn and baby carrots. It definitely needed more salt and I added 1 t cayenne pepper to give it a little kick. It did take longer than 8 minutes to become thick and bubbly. Will definitely make again

I loved this soup, but loved it even more the second day. I added a little Cajun spice for leftovers, and loved the spice. I froze half of the recipe for a later day, and it thaws well.

I love this recipe!!! It has great flavor and is very filling! I have been making it for years; it's one of my hubby's favs too! Also, it freezes well... so, double up!

Tried this last night for the first time, and it's a keeper. I decreased the onions that were added to the soup by half because my mate is not an onion lover. Baking the potatoes really is the hardest part, as one reviewer said. Do this ahead of time, if you are a planner! Great flavor. I'm glad to have a light potato soup recipe as we go into the winter months.

I have been making this soup since it was first published in Cooking Light. It is the best baked potato soup EVER! Everyone I serve it to thinks its the best. Not only it is quick to make, it freezes well too, if there is any left to freeze!

This is my favorite baked potato soup. It is so creamy and full-bodied- you would never know it's a light recipe. It is also easy to make! I recommend baking the potatoes and cooking the bacon ahead of time, while cooking something else so the soup takes a lot less time to put together. Definitely don't leave out the bacon!

It was a dark and stormy night.....My husband gets home late and I am always looking for something good, hot and flavorfull. This fit the bill and I will make this again.

I don't know why it took me so long to get around to making this recipe! It was easy once the potatoes were baked. I did like the idea of using chicken broth for some of the milk. We had it with a nutty wheat bread from our co-op and a salad. Delicious!

This will be one of my favorite soup recipes! It is rich and creamy and a perfect comfort food.

We love this soup and make it often in the fall and winter.

I was really excited to make this soup given all the positive reviews. I followed the recipe to the letter and it tasted like paste. It was thick, gloppy and tasted strongly of flour. My husband, who normally eats whatever is put in front of him couldn't even finish his bowl.

My husband and I loved this soup! Very hearty, creamy and flavorful. With a little crusty bread, it made the perfect bacony, cheesy meal. We couldn't believe it was light! Step-by-step photos on my blog: http://me-myself-and-pie.blogspot.com/2010/05/loaded-baked-potato-soup.html

Really, really good, and very easy. I followed another's suggestion and replaced a cup of the milk with chicken broth to add depth of flavor, but that was my only change. Tasty. I serve it with a salad or a sandwhich.

What a great recipe! I love potato soup and this one really hit the spot. If I want a light but filling dinner this is one of my go to soups. If I am short on time I will cook the potatoes in the microwave rather than bake them in the oven. I have also cut up red potatoes and boiled them and then mashed them and this works too. This soup makes a pretty good amount so we usually have leftovers but the leftovers disappear pretty quickly!

I made as stated and it was a good, hearty soup.

Made this last night to rave reviews from my family!! I did make a few changes based on reading the other reviews. 1. I used only 1/2 cup of flour 2. I used 5 cups of milk and one of chicken broth. 3. I added some fresh chopped broccoli which I steamed. The end result was delicious! I will add this soup to my winter soup rotation. Thank you!!

Wonderful flavor! The soup is so hearty and filling! Love the cheese, bacon and onion garnish! I used maple smoked bacon...so good. I'll make it again and again.

I thought this recipe was going to be tasteless but I was shocked that it tasted like the best baked potato in the world! Make sure to season it very well and use a good old sharp cheddar, the kind that is not bright orange. I reviewed it on my site, I give it five out of five wooden spoons.

Delish - just like a loaded baked potato. I am not a huge fan of potato soup and I liked this one. It made some sick family members happy :) I followed the recipe closely, just added more salt & pepper. I think you could skip the cheese topping and it would still be good.

While thick and creamy, I thought it was kind of bland. I only prepared about 1-1/4 cups of potatoes because I like my soup to have a certain amount of liquid. I served with french bread and butter. Not sure if i'll make it again. It's definately not one of my favorite cooking light recipes.

This soup was delicious! An easy recipie too - I love potato soup and have fixed it many times; what I liked about this recipie was that while it was a lighter version, it didn't skimp on flavor. I replaced one of the cups of fat free milk with fat free half and half - and it turned out just fine -

My husband said this was the best potato soup he had ever had...and it is lower in fat than some other options! I was very pleased with the ease of the recipe. A great weeknight meal- just bake potatoes the night before. I had to add a little extra salt & pepper and cook the white sauce a little longer than the recipe stated (may have been my dutch oven), otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly.

This soup was a delightful rainy day lunch today. I did blend it smooth(er) because I didn't want it chunky, and I added some chicken base for extra flavor. I added a few cups of cooked broccoli too. Very filling and flavorful, like eating a stuffed baked potato! I will definitely make this again, and I am already looking forward to the (plentiful) leftovers in the fridge.

Delicious, simple-to-make soup. I will definitely make this again. I followed the instructions exactly and the flavors were just right. Serve with bread and it makes a comforting, filling meal.

This is a fantastic soup recipe. We will make the potatoes the night before, it becomes a quick dinner that way. My husband is typically a "meat and potatoes" kind of a guy who thought he wouldn't get full off this soup, but he requests it all the time now. Just have it with some bread on the side, it's a winter favorite in our house!

LOVED this soup. I did have to add a bit more salt and I added Ms. Dash salt-free table seasoning. Used 1% milk and it was fine. Very think and chunky. Will def. make again!

The only thing I had to add to this soup to make it outstanding was a tiny bit more salt and pepper. I also used real cheddar instead of the reduced-fat stuff, but that didn't mess up the nutrition facts too badly since the soup makes 8 servings. I loved the thick, chunky texture but I can see how if that's not what you're looking for you might not be into it. This was VERY hearty and we'll make this anytime we want potato soup.

I've made many cooking light recipes and this one was okay. The soup was a little bit on the thick side, so I added extra milk. It also needed a bit more salt and pepper to make it less bland. The toppings add flavor. I probably won't make this recipe again, because I wasn't too crazy about the chunkiness of the soup with the potato's.

Given the rave reviews, I was really disappointed with this soup. My husband liked it pretty well, but I couldn't even finish my bowl. It was really lacking in flavor, even with extra salt, cheese, and bacon (and by then any "lightness" is way past gone!). If I cooked it again, which I probably won't, I would definitely add something with some butter flavor - even a butter-flavored topping would add some much-needed variety. In addition, it was very thick, almost to the point of being unappetizing.

love love love this recipe! I fed it to my husband and my mother and both refused to believe it was light. a definite keeper.

This was easy and great! It really does taste similar to a loaded mashed potato. I used one percent milk, and fat free sour cream. I also chopped up some of the potato skins and added it to the soup. I used a little extra cheese and bacon. Fantastic soup. Makes lots, happy to have leftovers. Will definitely make again.

Excellent recipe. Used skim milk and fat free sour cream as that is what I had on hand. Was still very thick and creamy. Definitely use the green onions as we thought they really added to the overall great taste.

Delicious! I've also used Monterey Jack cheese and had great results.

This soup was excellent. My husband loved it too. I forgot the green onion but it still had plenty of flavor. Good consistency. Pretty easy, though, for some reason it took me a long time. I will have to figure that out next time. There will be a next time. Great with a green salad.

The best soup I have ever made!!! Can not believe it is low fat!

This soup was great! I did start by sauteing leeks in a small amount of butter, which replaced the green onions, but shouldn't have added to the fat content very much.