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Loaded Baked Potato Soup is rich and creamy and full of the flavors of a loaded baked potato, like cheese, bacon, and green onions. It’s warm and comforting, and simple enough to make that it’s perfect for a cold weeknight dinner.

A ladle full of baked potato soup with bacon, cheese and chives on top

Melty cheddar cheese, crispy bacon and sour cream are some of my favorite baked potato toppings and now I can have it all in one big pot of delicious, rich and creamy loaded baked potato soup! I usually serve a tossed garden salad with it for a complete meal.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup is one of my favorite things to make for dinner any time of the year but especially during the chilly fall and winter months. Be sure to check out some of our most popular soups, like Ground Turkey Soup with Rice and Kale, Easy Chicken Minestrone, Homemade Chicken Soup and Split Pea Soup with Bacon.

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Why We Love Loaded Baked Potato Soup

  • It takes about 45 minutes from start to finish, making it a great weeknight dinner option.
  • Kids love the creamy texture of the potatoes and broth.
  • You can customize it with your favorite baked potato toppings.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe Ingredients

  • Butter and Flour – To make a roux for the soup base.
  • Onion – One white or yellow onion, diced
  • Garlic – 2 cloves, minced. You can use pre-minced in a jar, but fresh will have the best flavor.
  • Milk – I exclusively buy fat free milk, so that’s what I used. But you can use whatever kind of milk you have on hand.
  • Heavy Cream – For a rich, creamy soup.
  • Broth – I like to use vegetable broth but chicken broth will also work.
  • Potatoes – You need 2 pounds of russet potatoes. I like russets because hold their shape better and don’t turn to mush in the soup.
  • Sharp Cheddar Cheese – Freshly grated, off the block.
  • Sour Cream – For a little extra creaminess.
  • Bacon – About half a pound of bacon, cooked until it’s crispy and them crumbled into bits.
  • Kosher Salt and Black Pepper – Wait until the soup is done to taste and add salt and pepper.
  • Fresh Chives – for garnish.
ingredients for baked potato soup

How to Make It

It’s super simple with some basic steps, like sauteing and simmering.

  1. First, grab a large soup pot. My 5-quart cast iron dutch oven is my favorite piece of cookware in my kitchen and it’s perfect for this soup. Melt some butter and saute about a cup of diced sweet onion and some garlic.
  2. Whisk in flour – it’s time to make a roux. This is the base of what will thicken your soup. Let the flour get golden in color then pour in some milk and heavy cream. You can really use any ratio of milk to cream as long as you get a full 3 cups.
  3. Pour in some chicken or vegetable broth and whisk until it’s all combined. Add diced potatoes and bring everything to a simmer (gentle bubbles at the surface). You don’t want a rolling boil as that could end up spoiling the milk.
  4. Reduce the heat to low, but leave the pot uncovered. Stay close by and stir occasionally to keep the bottom from scorching. Cook until the potatoes are tender.
  5. While the potatoes are cooking, chop up some bacon and cook it in a skillet until it’s crispy. This is not the place for soggy bacon! PRO TIP: To save yourself from a crumbly bacon mess, cut the raw bacon directly into the hot skillet using kitchen shears. Set the bacon aside to drain on paper towels while you finish the soup.
  6. Once the potatoes are nice and tender, turn off the heat and stir in sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and about half of the bacon. Be sure to have more sour cream and cheese on hand for garnishing each bowl. Taste your soup and add salt and pepper as desired.
collage of images showing the steps for making loaded baked potato soup

FAQs

How do you thicken potato soup?

Potatoes are very starchy, so as they cook they release this starch into the cream broth, thickening it as it simmers. Starting with a roux also helps to thicken your soup. If your soup is too thick, stir in milk or broth a little at a time until you are happy with the consistency.

Should you peel potatoes for soup?

Russet potatoes have a thicker skin so I prefer to peel it off. However you can leave the skin on if you don’t want to take the time for peeling. Just know that some of the skin will fall off and be left floating in the soup.

Serving Suggestions

This soup is a very rich and hearty meal on its own. I will usually toss a green salad together to serve on the side because you really don’t need much else.

To serve, I like to top each bowl with crispy bacon, shredded cheddar, sliced green onions, and a dollop of sour cream. Just like a regular baked potato!

A close up of a bowl of potato soup

What to do with leftovers

Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Freezing: Potato Soup makes an excellent freezer meal. Allow the soup to cool completely, then portion into freezer bags or airtight freezer containers. Make sure to label them, then store in the freezer for up to six months.

Reheating: Thaw completely in the refrigerator first if necessary, then heat in a saucepan on the stovetop. You can also heat in the microwave, gently.

Pro Tips

  • Cut potatoes as evenly in size as possible for even cooking.
  • The cooking time could vary based on the heat level or even on the potatoes themselves or how big you cut them.
  • I wanted the potatoes to still have some texture, so you may want to cook them a little longer than I did.
  • Use freshly grated cheese; avoid pre-shredded bags of cheese which have a cellulose coating that will prevent melting.
  • You can use all milk and you’ll still get a thick soup, but it just won’t have the same creamy consistency.
An overhead shot of a bit red pot of loaded baked potato soup topped with cheese and bacon.

More Favorite Soup Recipes


Recipe
a silver ladle with potato soup, bacon, cheese and parsley, a red pot of potato soup below

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

4.75 from 59 votes
Loaded Baked Potato Soup is rich, creamy and ready in 40 minutes. Made with classic toppings, like cheese, bacon, chives and sour cream.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup diced onion about half of one medium onion
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cups nonfat milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 4 large russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 2 pounds)
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese plus more for garnish
  • 1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 8 slices bacon diced and cooked crisp
  • chives minced

Instructions
 

  • Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for one minute more. Whisk in flour and cook until golden, about 2 minutes.
  • Gradually whisk in milk and heavy cream, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Gradually pour in the chicken broth and whisk until combined. Stir in potatoes and bring the mixture to a simmer (do not boil).
  • Reduce heat to low and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes, stirring often to keep the bottom from burning.
  • Meanwhile, cook bacon until crisp. Drain grease and chop into bite sized pieces.
  • Stir in sour cream, half of the shredded cheddar cheese, and half of the bacon. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. If the soup is too thick, add more milk as needed until the consistency is to your liking.
  • Serve immediately, garnished with chives, and the remaining shredded cheddar cheese and bacon, if desired.

Notes

  • Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
  • Freezing: Potato Soup makes an excellent freezer meal. Allow the soup to cool completely, then portion into freezer bags or airtight freezer containers. Make sure to label them, then store in the freezer for up to six months.
  • Reheating: Thaw completely in the refrigerator first if necessary, then heat in a saucepan on the stovetop. You can also heat in the microwave, gently.
  • The cooking time could vary based on the heat level or even on the potatoes themselves or how big you cut them.
  • I wanted the potatoes to still have some texture, so you may want to cook them a little longer than I did.

Nutrition

Calories: 572kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 19gFat: 43gSaturated Fat: 25gCholesterol: 128mgSodium: 619mgPotassium: 740mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1386IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 457mgIron: 2mg
Keyword baked potato soup, loaded baked potato soup, potato soup

Kristin Maxwell

Kristin Maxwell is the creator and main recipe developer, writer, and photographer of Yellow Bliss Road. A self-taught cook and self-appointed foodie, she specializes in easy, flavorful and approachable recipes for any home cook.

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Comments

  1. Just made this for dinner tonight I double the recipe my family enjoyed it
    made a nice salad and garlic bread to go with it I’ll be keeping this recipe for sure.

  2. I use quite a few of your recipes. I’m a 73 year old man who loves to cook. I do 95%of the cooking for my wife and me.
    When browsing through Pinterest and I see yellow bliss road recipes I can count on them to be delicious and fairly easy to prepare. We really like your baked chicken wings, also instapot ribs.
    Keep up the good work I’ll be keeping an eye out for more. The potato soup was great.

    1. Hi Lee, Thank you so much for your kind words. So glad you are enjoying the recipes – my goal is to create good food that’s easy to prepare!

    1. Hi Haley, Glad you enjoyed the recipes. The cook time for the potatoes can definitely vary, as stated in the recipe, and it can depend greatly on the cut size and the temperature.

  3. I have been searching for a good potato soup and I FINALLY found it!!! This is sooo good. I love the fact that the potatoes all stay as cubed ones instead of mashing them. The flavor is phenomenal. If you’re looking for that comforting potato soup, this is definitely the one.

    1. Yes, you can keep it warm in a slow cooker. Just keep it on warm and watch it closely, because the milk could curdle.

    1. Hi Rena, It won’t translate exactly to the slow cooker. You’d still need to saute the veggies and cook the bacon. You’d probably need another cup of broth and don’t add any milk to the slow cooker. It would be a completely different recipe.

  4. I have made this recipe more times than I can count. It’s so easy and delicious, I can no longer eat potato soup from a can!

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