Brown the chopped bacon in a heavy pot. Transfer the bacon to a plate.
Add the potatoes and onions to the pot and cook until the onions are tender.
Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic and cayenne pepper, cooking for 1 minute. Transfer the vegetables to a plate.
Melt butter in the pot. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes over medium heat.
Whisk in the milk and chicken broth in several increments. Add the cooked vegetables back to the pot and simmer until fork tender.
Stir in both shredded cheeses until melted. Stir in the bacon, sour cream, chives, and salt and pepper to taste.
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PREPARATION TIPS
Bacon is much easier to chop when partially frozen, so toss it in the freezer about an hour before preparing the soup.
Don’t add the bacon and sour cream until the end, as you want the bacon to stay crispy and the sour Cream not to curdle.
Top with chopped crispy bacon, sour cream, green onions, finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and chopped chives.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are the best potatoes to use in this soup?
The best potatoes for this soup are Russets. I always say don’t use Russet Potatoes in soup because they will start to break down. Well, there is an exception to every rule, and in this particular case, you want the potatoes to break down slightly into the soup, creating an ultra-creamy texture.
Why does my sour cream curdle when I add it to soup?
The heat causes the protein and the water in the sour cream to separate. It is best to warm the sour cream first. To warm the sour cream, take the soup off the heat and temper the sour cream by mixing small amounts of hot soup with it before adding it to the pot.
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