• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

A cook named Rebecca

  • Home
  • Favorite Cookbooks
  • Recipes
  • Travel
You are here: Home / Archives for ultimate comfort food

ultimate comfort food

Perfect Comfort Food- Loaded Baked Potato Soup

January 13, 2025 by Becky Spoon

Loaded Baked Potato SoupJump to Recipe
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Whenever I indulge in this Loaded Baked Potato Soup, it transports me back to my childhood. As a grown-up, I am reminded of the times when my mother would whip up a potato-based soup for us whenever we fell ill. Although it was a simpler version compared to what we have now, it consisted of a delightful mixture of potatoes, milk, butter, and a touch of salt and pepper. This humble concoction always served as the ultimate comfort food, magically working its wonders to make us feel better, regardless of the ailment we were facing.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Just like a loaded baked potato, this loaded baked potato soup starts with a baked potato, there’s sour cream added at the end, AND I topped my bowl with all your favorite toppings for a baked potato like cheese, bacon bits, green onions.

Similar to a baked potato that has been loaded with toppings, this indulgent baked potato soup begins with a baked potato. Towards the end, sour cream is incorporated, and my bowl is garnished with beloved baked potato toppings such as cheese, bacon bits, and green onions.

Many recipes for Loaded Baked Potato soup involve dicing and boiling the potatoes. It’s interesting how they still call it Loaded Baked Potato Soup when the potatoes aren’t actually baked. I’m not criticizing, just find it amusing! However, in my version, I actually bake the whole potatoes, peel them, and then dice them. This extra step of baking really enhances the creaminess and flavor of the russet potatoes.

The lusciousness of a baked potato surpasses that of boiled potatoes. I genuinely enjoy potatoes in various forms, especially fried and baked. I also love scalloped potatoes and potato au gratin, to name a few. I consider myself quite knowledgeable about potatoes. Planning ahead a bit to bake the potatoes is definitely worth it.

What ingredients do you need for the Loaded Baked Potato soup?

  • russet potatoes
  • unsalted butter
  • shallot or onions
  • flour
  • whole milk
  • heavy cream
  • chicken stock
  • sour cream
  • salt and pepper
  • cheese, I use cheddar
  • bacon bits for garnish
  • green onions for garnish
Loaded Baked Potato Soup

How do you prepare the soup?

  • Preheat oven to 350˚F. Prick potatoes all over with a fork or knife and place onto the center oven rack.Bake potatoes until fork tender, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.
  • Remove potatoes from oven and cool. Peel potatoes and dice.
  • Place a large pot over medium heat and melt butter. Add shallots and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Add flour and continue to cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Stir in milk, heavy cream and stock until no lumps remain and continue to simmer until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
  • Stir in potatoes, season with salt and pepper and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes.
  • Using an immersion blender, blend soup but still leave some whole potatoes. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a hand held potato masher or break some u with the back of your spoon
  • Stir in sour cream and adjust seasonings. (If soup is too thick, stir in an extra 1/2 cup to cup of milk). Add a pat of butter if you like.

This is a nice set up if you’re interested in a an immersion blender. I use mine often,

https://amzn.to/47Oprv3

This soup is heaven in a bowl. It taste like a loaded baked potato. You taste the baked potato, the butter, the sour cream, the cheese and it has milk and heavy cream. I know you’ll love this too.

I love soup bowls and here are some of my favorites:

https://amzn.to/3C9VDP4

https://amzn.to/40va5dH

I like dinnerware that is solid colors usually, and in neutral colors unless you are making a soup from a part of the world that has amazing bowls and dishes they use like serving Ramen from Japan! I love these ramen bowls:

https://amzn.to/4hbtnKP

Need another soup recipe?

This is a delicious vegetable beef soup!

homemade vegetable beef soup

Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup
Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup

Well I hope you try both of these soups. They are both delicious. Here’s the Loaded Baked Potato Soup recipe! Enjoy!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Cold weathers coming!! You need this soup! Here’s the recipe! Enjoy!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Appetizer, dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 Russet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), scrubbed clean
  • 5 Tbsp Unsalted butter
  • 1/2 onion, diced or shallot
  • 1/4 Cup Flour
  • 1 Cups Milk
  • 2 Cups Heavy cream( you can use all milk, or half and half, but I like some cream)
  • 1 Cup Chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1/2 Cup Sour cream
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Garnishes Shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled crispy bacon, sliced green onions, crispy onions or shallots

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350˚F. Prick potatoes all over with a fork or knife and place onto the center oven rack.

    Bake potatoes until fork tender, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.
    Remove potatoes from oven and cool. Peel potatoes and dice.

    Place a large pot over medium heat and melt butter. Add shallots and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
    Add flour and continue to cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
    Stir in milk, heavy cream and stock until no lumps remain and continue to simmer until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Stir in potatoes, season with salt and pepper and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes.

    Using an emersion blender, blend soup but still leave some whole potatoes. Stir in sour cream and adjust seasonings. (If soup is too thick, stir in an extra 1/2 cup to cup of milk). Add a pat of butter if you like.

    Ladle soup into bowls and top with a bunch of shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, sliced green onions, and crispy shallots or onions. Finish with more cracked black pepper.
Keyword baked potato, loaded baked potato, loaded baked potato soup, soup
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • More
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit

Filed Under: Soups/Stews/Gumbo//Chili Tagged With: baked potatoes, loaded baked potato soup, potatoes, ultimate comfort food

the best beef stew over creamy polenta.

November 21, 2023 by Becky Spoon

Short Rib StewJump to Recipe
Beef Stew
Beef Stew

This beef stew over creamy polenta really is the best. I used short ribs that fell off the bone and their marbling just makes it delicious. The broth is rich mostly because of the short ribs. I use a chuck roast mostly which is very good too, but because I love short ribs so much it occurred to me that I should try this old fashioned beef stew I grew up with using short ribs. If you ever make a basic stew using short ribs, I think it will become your favorite.

Stew is the perfect comfort food in my opinion. I love it year around but especially when it’s cold. I love it with cornbread or just some really fresh saltines and of course big chunks of cheddar cheese. And, a favorite is over polenta. I remember growing up my Dad would make “polenta”. Seriously. It was before polenta was popular. We called it cornmeal mush. Anyway, we’d put the cornmeal mush or polenta in the bottom of the bowl, then add our beef stew! Amazingly Good! That is to this day a favorite way to eat beef stew.

Beef Stew
Beef Stew

No polenta, just the yummy stew with cornbread!

Beef Stew
Beef Stew

making the beef stew.

There’s a couple of steps in this recipe, but they are easy and make such a tremendous difference. I always use a well marbled chuck roast or in this instance I used short ribs. You actually could use a combination of oxtails and beef short ribs. I don’t use the stew meat you see in the store because it seems a little tough and it is really lean. You need the fat to make a delicious and rich broth.

I made the stew in the instant pot to save time in producing a very tender meat whether it is chuck roast or short ribs. Of course, you don’t have to make it in an Instant Pot; however, it will take some time to render the fat and to make a very tender ribs or roast, The ingredients and technique will remain the same without an Instant Pot.

My first step is to salt and pepper the short ribs or roast. If using a roast, I cut it into 1 inch cubes. I then brown them on both sides in a little oil on the normal sauté mode in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop in a heavy pan, medium to medium high. I saute in batches if I’m working with a large portion.

more instructions……

I then remove the meat from the pan and add a roughly choppd onion, carrots, celery and garlic. I cook stirring to release the bits from the bottom allowing the onions to become translucent I add the meat back in, the tomatoes , then I add the beef stock to cover the meat by about two inches, stirring to continue to deglaze the pan. I then add a bay leaf and I add one or two sprigs of fresh thyme. I secure the lid of the instant pot and set the Instant Pot for 35 to 45 minutes depending on the size.

At that point you can do a quick release or allow the Instant Pot to cool on it’s on. I check for salt and pepper and adjust. At this time I add additional carrots and potatoes because in the first cook I was building flavors and bringing the meat to fork tender so I just throw in a couple of carrots in for the flavor. Now I want lots of potatoes and carrots added and cooked until they are tender. I then set the instant pot to 10 minutes.

If you are cooking on your stovetop, cook follow the above steps and cook until the meat is tender. It make take 2 to 2 1/2 hours to become fork tender. At that point, check for seasoning, add the potatoes and carrots and cook until they are tender. Add your carrots about 5 to 10 minutes before potatoes, as it takes longer for carrots to get tender.

Beef Stew
Beef Stew

If you’re serving this without the polenta and want to serve it with cornbread, try my recipe for Southern Cornbread because it is no-fail (I think) and is delicious. Here’s the recipe for it: https://the2spoons.com/southern-cornbread/.

 Cornbread
Cornbread
Beef Stew
Beef Stew

Another favorite to have with this stew is my Jalapeno Cornbread! It’s delicious. Loaded with jalapeno, creamed corn and cheddar cheese,s it is the perfect accompaniment so easy, the best jalapeno cornbread.

Jalapeno Cornbread
Jalapeno Cornbread
Jalapeno Cornbread
Jalapeno Cornbread

If you decide to make polenta, you can make it from cornmeal or you can buy polenta. I have purchased a coarse polenta and I’ve purchased an Instant polenta that seems finely ground. I have a hard time finding polenta in my area so if I order it online. This is what I ordered the last time: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DVIA9AE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1. This is an Instant Polenta that is good and so fast to make. Because I was having the polenta with the stew I really didn’t want a parmesan cheese element so I just added salt, pepper and butter. So good.

Here’s the yummy recipe for this beef stew. Enjoy!

Beef Stew

beef stew over creamy polenta.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • Instant Pot or other Pressure Cooker If not using a instant pot, I would use a Dutch oven or heavy pot.

Ingredients
  

  • 3 lbs Beef Short Ribs
  • Enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan
  • 1 Lg onion, quartered
  • 2 Carrots, quartered
  • 2 Stalks Celery, diced
  • 2 Cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 1 28 oz can of whole tomatoes, crushed with your hands or diced tomatoes if you prefer
  • Beef broth to cover the beef by 2 inches above
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 2 Tbsp Canola oil

Finishing the stew

  • 4-6 Carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 4-5 Baking potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks Add more depending on your potato size, you want lots of potatoes and carrots
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

For the Short Ribs

  • Set your Instant Pot mode to sauté or if cooking on the cooktop, heat your pan to medium to medium high. While your pans are heating, salt and pepper the short ribs. Add the oil to your heated pan. Add the short ribs and sear on all sides. Remove and set aside.
  • Add the carrots, celery, onions, garlic, and bay leaves to the pot and cook until the onions are translucent. Add the back into the pot. Add your canned tomatoes to the pot. Add enough beef broth to cover the ribs by about 2 or 3 inches over.
  • Change the setting to the meat/stew mode and set for 45 minutes. When the 45 minutes has completed, quick release the steam. Check the doneness of the short ribs. They should be fork tender, falling off the bones.

To finish the Stew

  • Remove the short ribs from the pan. Remove the bone and cut the meat into large pieces if necessary. Set aside.
  • Add the potatoes and carrots to the broth and other ingredients. If using the pressure cook mode, set for 10 minutes. At the end of the 10 minutes, quick release the steam and check to see if your potatoes and carrots are tender. Stove top, add them to your pot and cook until tender.
  • Add your rib meat back in and adjust seasoning! Enjoy!

For the Polenta

  • Cook the polenta according to the package directions. Most recipes call for parmesan cheese. If you don't want the cheese just add salt, pepper and butter.
Keyword cold weather meals, comfort food, Easy, instant pot beef stew, old fashioned beef stew, short rib stew, stew,, winter stews
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • More
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit

Filed Under: Soups/Stews/Gumbo//Chili Tagged With: beefstew, cold weather food, Comfort food, easy, instant pot beef stew, instant pot cooking, shortribs, soup, Stew, ultimate comfort food

love this creamy baked macaroni and cheese.

September 10, 2021 by Becky Spoon

Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Jump to Recipe

You also will love this creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese! Honestly, there are few that don’t love Macaroni and Cheese. It is a side dish so versatile that you can serve it along side so many main courses. For instance,

  • Meat Loaf The Best – Mom’s Meatloaf
  • Oven Fried Chicken Mom’s Super Oven Fried Chicken
  • Pork Chops perfect for a Sunday lunch or dinner – delicious southern smothered pork chops.

This is the perfect dish to have with just other vegetables. A pot of beans and cornbread. Mustard greens and mac n’ cheese are the perfect combination.

Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese

love this creamy baked macaroni and cheese.

I like to use the large elbow macaroni shells. I think they are the best for this dish. I know some like to use Penne but I really like the elbow shells. I bought these the other day and they were great: https://amzn.to/3BYSz2w. A nice brand and the shells were big.

Ronzoni Large Elbows Pasta No. 74 (3 Boxes)

Don’t let Macaroni and Cheese intermediate you if you haven’t made it before and please make it from scratch. There are just a few easy steps.

  • Boil the pasta and drain.
  • Make the cheese sauce by combining the butter and flour and whisking in the cream/milk.
  • Cook the sauce until it has thickened
  • Add the shredded cheeses and combine until melted.
  • Combine cheese sauce with cooked pasta.
  • Transfer half of the mac and cheese to a baking dish, add some of the shredded cheese.
  • Top with the remaining macaroni and cheese and top with the remaining shredded cheese.
  • Dot the finished mac and cheese with Velveeta cubes.

You can use your choice of cheeses. In this recipe I just used Medium Cheddar, Monterrey Jack Cheese and Velveeta. Other cheeses I like to use in Mac n Cheese are Muenster, Gouda, Gruyere, Fontina, Colby and American.

Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese

love this creamy baked macaroni and cheese.

Here you go with this great recipe! I hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you think!

Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese

You will love this creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese! Honestly, there are few that don't love Macaroni and Cheese. It is a side dish so versatile that you can serve it along side so many main courses.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course easy side dish, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups large elbow macaroni
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • pinch smoked paprika
  • 1 cup mild to medium cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 cup Monterrey Jack Cheese, grated
  • 6-8 1 inch cubes Velveeta cheese

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter your casserole dish.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until tender. Drain the pasta.
  • While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a large sauce pan. Add the flour and cook, while whisking a couple of minutes until it starts to turn a little tan in color.
  • Add the heavy cream and milk and cook until thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste. I like lots of black pepper in my macaroni and cheese. Add the onion powder, garlic powder and a pinch of smoked paprika. Taste and add additional seasonings if desired.
  • Add the Cheddar cheese and the Monterrey Jack Cheese (or other cheeses you choose) reserving the Velveeta cubes. Whisk the cheese into the sauce until completely melted.
  • Add the cooked macaroni into the cream sauce and combine.
  • Add half of the mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Add half of the cheese and the Velveeta cubes. Add the remaining macaroni mixture and top with the remaining grated cheese. If you need more milk add it at this time. I prefer a finished dish that is really creamy.
  • Place in the oven and cook until the cheese is melted and golden. Enjoy!
Keyword baked, cheese, creamy macaroni and cheese, easy side dish, macaroni, macaroni and cheese, side dish
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • More
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit

Filed Under: Pasta Tagged With: cheddar cheese, Comfort food, macaroni, macaroni and cheese, pasta, side dish, ultimate comfort food, Velveeta

Primary Sidebar

Categories

  • Appetizer
  • Beans, Lentils, Grains, Rice
  • Beef
  • Bread
  • Breakfast/Brunch
  • Cocktails
  • Dessert
  • Dishes of Mexico, Tex Mex and New Mexico Red and Green Chile
  • Fish/Seafood
  • Ice Cream
  • Pasta
  • Pizza
  • Pork
  • Poultry
  • Salad Dressings
  • Salads
  • Salsas
  • Sandwiches/Burgers/Hot Dogs
  • Sauces, Compound Butters, Condiments
  • Side dish
  • Soups/Stews/Gumbo//Chili
  • Stocks, Broths, Gravies
  • Vegetables

Copyright © 2025 The 2 Spoons on the Foodie Pro Theme

Manage Cookie Consent
We use cookies to optimize our website and our service.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Preferences
{title} {title} {title}