Houston’s Baked Potato soup is a really tasty version of this famous soup. Houston’s is well known for their tasty dishes, and they are specially known for the Houston’s Baked Potato Soup. Houston’s turns classic dishes into something special with the addition of a couple of extra ingredients.
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About Houston’s Restaurant
Houston’s Restaurant is an American casual-dining restaurant chain with an upscale vibe that is owned by Hillstone Restaurant Group. As of 2016, there were fifty-one Hillstone locations in thirteen states operating under various names.
The restaurant group aims to provide a menu exemplifying consistency and quality in a way not usually found in this type of restaurant. If you are interested, you can read a more detailed history of Hillstone and Houston’s restaurants.
What Makes Houston’s Baked Potato Soup so Good
Baked potato soup is famous among soups and Houston’s Baked Potato Soup is a delicious version of this classic. Houston’s is primarily known for turning classic dishes into food that is extra special with the addition of some unusual, tasty ingredients.
In the case of this soup, it’s the fennel that really adds a flavor that’s interesting and a little different.
All About Fennel Seeds
Fennel is a perennial herb that is part of the parsley family. The slightly sweet-tasting, anise-flavored fennel seed is one of the most widely-used ingredients in cuisines all over the Mediterranean region.
Fennel seeds are high in minerals, vitamins, essential oils, and other health-beneficial nutrients. You can read more about fennel seeds.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s a list of what you need:
- Russet potatoes
- Whole milk
- Half and half
- Sour cream
- Shredded Cheddar cheese
- Chives
- Salt
- Fresh ground pepper
- Butter
- Celery salt
- Fennel seeds
- Green onion
- Bacon
How to Buy Russet Potatoes
A green tint on potatoes means that they are old and well past their prime. Look for potatoes that are even in size and have consistent brown skin.
If your potatoes have a few sprouts, remove them before cooking. Potato sprouts are not tasty and are believed to be poisonous.
Russet potatoes are ideal for baking. They are shaped just right for your favorite baked potato toppings.
How to Make Houston’s Baked Potato Soup
- Rub potatoes with butter and bake them at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until done.
- Leave the skin on one of the potatoes and peel the rest.
- Combine milk, half and half, and fennel seeds in a saucepan. Heat until just before it boils (scald it) then cool it to room temperature.
- Cut the peeled potatoes in half and place them in a food processor. Add sour cream, chives, salt, pepper, celery salt and cheddar cheese.
- Strain the fennel seeds from the warm milk and discard seeds. Pour the milk mixture into food processor. Process until smooth.
- Dice the potato with skin and place it in a large pan or soup pot over low heat. Add butter and the potato mixture. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Ladle the soup into into individual bowls and garnish with cheddar cheese, bacon, and diced green onion.
Baked Potato Heaven
You may think you are in baked potato heaven when you taste this creamy soup.
I don’t know who first thought of baking them and making them into a soup, but it was pure potato inspiration. You can get an answer on the possible origins of baked potato soup from Dr. Potato.
More Houston’s Copycat Recipes
Favorite Baked Potato Recipes
Popular Soup Recipes
- Autumn Squash Soup
- Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli Soup
- Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup
- She Crab Soup
- Southwest Chicken Soup
Check out more of my easy soup recipes and the best copycat restaurant recipes here on CopyKat!
Houston’s Baked Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 5 medium russet potatoes
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cups half and half
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chives
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 2 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 green onion, sliced
- 2 ounces bacon diced and fried crispy
- 1 1/4 teaspoons fennel seeds
Instructions
- Wash and scrub potatoes, pat dry. Rub potatoes with butter and place in baking pan, bake at 350 for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the done.
- Remove from oven and cool slightly. When the potatoes have cooled enough to touch, peel 4 of the potatoes, we will need the skin on the 5th potato.
- While potatoes are cooling, add fennel seeds to milk and half and half, and scald the milk. Scalding is heating milk at a moderated temperature just until a boiling point but not boiling and quickly remove from heat.
- Scalding will keep the mixture from separating. Let milk cool slightly with fennel seeds in the mixture. When potatoes or cool enough to work with carefully cut 4 in half and place in a food processor.
- Potatoes should measure out to 1 1/2 – 2 cups cooked potato. Dice the 5th potato and set aside, leave the potato skins on this potato. To the cooked potato add sour cream, chives, salt, pepper, celery salt and 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon shredded cheddar cheese.
- Strain the fennel seeds from warm milk and discard seeds, pour milk mixture into food processor and processes 1 1/2 – 2 minutes until smooth.
- Place mixture into a saucepan add butter and diced potato stir frequently and simmer on very low setting for about 15 – 20 minutes. When ready to serve ladle into individual bowls and garnish with cheddar cheese, bacon, and green diced onion.
Notes
- shredded Cheddar or Colby Jack cheese
- top with green onion slices
- a small dollup of soup cream
Tamara
Definitely a copykat of Houston’s Bake Potato Soup! Kudos to you for nailing it perfectly! I’ve loved their baked potato soup for 30 plus years. I’ve tried to making from other recipes but never was Houston’s. Thank you again for sharing your recipes & talent!
jimmy
This was the creamiest potato soup ever. So good.
Bev Turner
Is it fennel or tarragon?
Debbie
They use tarragon! Not fennel
Baltisraul
You forgot to mention how much you liked it!!
Jaymi
This recipe is fantastic. Thank you!!
karen
this is my all time favorite potato soup/never served it to anyone who didn’t agree
Fran
AAHH! Houston’s! I haven’t been to one in over a dozen years. I used to LOVE their Asian (They called it Oriental then when they weren’t so PC) Chicken Salad. It had crispy tortilla chips (even though it was Asian) and a lot of cilantro and a delicious honey-lime dressing. I used to recreate it myself all the time, but haven’t done it in a while. Might have to make it tonight, but would love the real recipe. I wonder if they still make it.
California Pizza Kitchen used to have a great version, but they stopped using cilantro consistently, substituting basil and that just wasn’t the right sub.
And Big Bowl had a great one, but they stopped using mandarin oranges and subbed grapefruit. I spoke with the manager about it and she insisted (speaking to me like I was an idiot) that it wasn’t grapefruit — that it was, indeed mandarin orange. Uhhh… right. NOT! Anyway, I spoke with the bar tender about it a few weeks ago — I can get in and out in 30 minutes for my allotted lunch break if I sit in the bar — and she said that it’s a $$ thing. Exactly what I thought, but please … don’t speak to me like I’m too stupid to know the difference between grapefruit and a sweet, very orange looking mandarin orange that’s been in a can or jar for — ever. LOL