Loaded Baked Potato Soup with Smoky Kielbasa

It’s that time of year when I pivot to making cool weather dishes. And one of our favorite cool weather dishes is soup, in any form. Here’s my homemade recipe for loaded baked potato soup with smoky kielbasa!

One of my favorite things to make in the fall and winter is soup. Most soups are easy to make and require little active time before they sit simmering on the stovetop for an hour or two. They also fill the house with the delicious scents of sauteed vegetables, herbs and spices. And finally, a big pot of soup provides multiple meals that you can either serve as leftovers later in the week or freeze for future use.

While I love all kinds of soups (broth soups, cream soups, pureed soups, bisques & chowders, and even cold soups), my absolute favorites are the heartier pureed soups that “stick to your ribs” and provide a satisfying meal all on their own. A few weeks ago, I made our favorite loaded baked potatoes to go with a grilled ribeye steak and immediately started thinking about how I could turn those delicious and decadent potatoes into a soup that would showcase all the ingredients, from the potatoes to the smoky bacon to the cheddar cheese to the sour cream with chives.

Well, mission accomplished! First, I started by sautéing chopped kielbasa until they were browned and crispy – I thought the smoky flavor and texture of the kielbasa would be more interesting than bacon. After that, I sauteed the classic soup base of onions, carrots, and celery in the rendered fat from the kielbasa. I then combined the potatoes with Laurie’s famous homemade chicken stock and left the pot to simmer until the potatoes were tender and cooked all the way through.

Next, I pureed the soup in a blender, returned it to the pot, and then added chives, sharp cheddar cheese, a bit of heavy cream, and the kielbasa. To finish things off, I garnished the soup with sour cream, a bit more cheese, and some reserved kielbasa and chives.

The result is a rich and tasty soup filled with veggies and goodness! Give this one a try and let me know what you think!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup with Smoky Kielbasa (Serves 8)

This soup mimics the flavors and textures of the classic loaded baked potato with butter, cheese, bacon, sour cream and chives. It’s the perfect hearty and filling cool-weather soup! We either serve this on its own or pair it with a turkey club sandwich. A nice pinot gris or lighter style of chardonnay would also go nicely with this dish.

Ingredients

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

8 oz. smoked kielbasa, chopped into ½-inch pieces

1 large yellow onion, diced

3 medium carrots, peeled and diced

5 celery stalks, trimmed and diced

5 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced

8 cups homemade or store-bought chicken stock

8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated plus more for garnish

1/3 cup chopped chives plus more for garnish

½ cup heavy cream

Sour cream for garnish

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the chopped kielbasa and sauté, stirring frequently until nicely browned, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the pot using a strainer and place on a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.

Add the onion, carrots, celery, 1 tsp. of kosher salt and ½ tsp. of freshly ground pepper to the pot with the rendered fat and sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and chicken stock to the pot and bring liquid to a simmer. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, partially covered, until potatoes are tender and cooked through, about 25-30 minutes.

Transfer 3 cups of the soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Return the pureed soup to a clean soup pot and continue pureeing the soup in batches, 3 cups at a time. Add the chives, cheddar cheese, and all but ¼ cup of the kielbasa to the pureed soup and season to taste with salt and pepper. Reheat the soup on medium-low heat until heated through. Add the heavy cream and stir until fully incorporated.

Serve in bowls, garnished with the remaining cheese, kielbasa, chives and sour cream.