The Best Loaded Poblano and Potato Soup (2024)

You've got to try the best loaded poblano and potato soup ever! This thick and creamy potato soup is stuffed with tons of potatoes, bacon, and poblanos. This is potato soup taken to the next level!

It's been an extra cold and rainy year for all of us. Why not cook up some delicious comfort food?

Cozy up next to the fire with this filling soup or serve as an appetizer for a steak dinner or as a main course. This steakhouse-inspired loaded potato and poblano soup is topped with cheese, and bacon and then finished with a poblano gremolata for that extra punch of flavor!

🥘 Ingredients

For a complete list of ingredients see the recipe card below.

For the soup:

• Bacon
• Potatoes - I used and recommend using Yukon Gold potatoes, but russet potatoes will work well too!
• Poblanos
• Butter
• Onion - Yellow onion works best for this recipe but white onion would also work.
• Garlic
• Flour - All purpose
• Chicken stock
• Whole Milk
• Heavy Cream
• Sour Cream or cream cheese
• Smoked Paprika
• White Pepper
• Salt

For the gremolata:

Gremolata is a condiment that is quick and easy to make that adds tons of flavor! It's optional but I highly recommend it. It takes this poblano and potato soup to the next level!

• Parsley
• Garlic
• Poblano
• Lemon Zest

🔪 How to make this poblano and potato soup

1. Dice onions and set aside. Remove seeds from poblanos and discard. Chop poblanos into ½" pieces and set aside.

2. Peel potatoes. Cut potatoes into ¾" pieces. Try to keep all of the potatoes about the same size.

3. Preheat a heavy-bottom dutch oven over medium heat. While heating, cut bacon into bite-size pieces about ½" thick. Cook bacon until crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon from pan and set aside.

4. Carefully remove bacon drippings leaving 2-3 tablespoons in the pan. Add poblanos and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove poblanos from the pan and set aside.

5. Add onions and butter to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. While onions are cooking chop garlic.

6. Add garlic and cook for 1 -2 minutes until fragrant.

7. Add flour and cook for 1 -2 minutes, stirring continuously.

8. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add chicken stock. Using a whisk, whisk the chicken stock with the flour and onion mixture until the flour is fully incorporated. Try to get all brown bits off the pan for added flavor (brown bits=flavor).

9. Add milk, potatoes, salt, and pepper. Once the mixture starts to bubble, reduce heat to medium. Stirring occasionally, cook until potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 - 15 minutes.

10. Reduce heat to low. Using an immersion blender, puree ½ of the soup. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can carefully blend ½ of the soup in a blender until smooth. Once the soup is pureed, add it back to the soup pot.

11. Soup should be creamy with chunks of potatoes.

12. Add cream, sour cream, smoked paprika, bacon, and poblanos (reserve ½ cup of poblanos for the gremolata, and some of the bacon to garnish the soup, if desired). Simmer on low for 10 - 20 minutes or until the desired consistency is reached. Add salt and pepper to taste.

13. While the soup is simmering, make the gremolata. Mince garlic and parsley. Zest lemon and mix with garlic and parsley. Using the reserved poblanos, chop them into a fine dice. Stir all ingredients together and set aside.

14. Serve it up and take it over the top! Garnish with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions, bacon, and gremolata.

💭FAQ

How hot are poblano peppers?

Poblano peppers are mild green peppers. They are a little spicer than green bell peppers and much milder than a jalapeno. However, poblanos can vary in spiciness. A mild poblano is about 1000 on the Scoville Heat Scale, while a spicier poblano is about 2000. A jalapeno ranges between 2500 - 8000 on the heat scale.

How do I choose poblano peppers at the grocery store?

Choose poblano peppers that are dark green in color with smooth shiny skin. Older peppers will have a dull and slightly wrinkled appearance.

Do I need to remove the skin of the poblanos?

No. For this recipe, we are cutting the poblanos into smaller chunks so there is no need to peel them before cooking. Cooking these peppers in the bacon grease helps break down and soften the skin making it easier to eat and digest. Easy peasy.

👩🏻‍🍳Top Tips

• Cut the potatoes about ¾" thick, and no thicker than 1"
• Make the soup the day before you serve it. Making soups the day before allows the flavors to meld and tastes much better!
• Use Yukon gold potatoes for a creamier texture in this soup.
• Substitute the sour cream in the soup with cream cheese! So good. Break up the cream cheese into small chunks. Allow time for the cream cheese to fully incorporate into the soup - don't worry it will with time!

💭Topping Ideas

• Cheddar Cheese
• Bacon
• Poblanos
• Sour Cream
• Green Onions or Chives
• Croutons or bread crisps
• Oyster Crackers
• Smoked Paprika
• Hot sauce
• Gremolata

💭Storage

Store this soup covered, in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Is this the Best Loaded Poblano Potato Soup? Would you do anything differently? I would love to know your thoughts in the comments! Happy cooking! Suzie

📖 Recipe

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