Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Loaded baked potato soup is my go-to when I need something that feels like a hug from the inside out. You know those nights when everyone’s cranky and dinner feels impossible? This is what I make because it turns regular potatoes, some bacon, and cheese into pure magic that gets my family actually talking instead of staring at phones.

Love More Soup Recipes? Try My Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup or this Italian Penicillin Soup next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Tastes better than Panera – I’m not even kidding, my neighbor asked for the recipe after one spoonful
• Everything’s already in your pantry – No weird ingredients that cost $8 and you’ll never use again
• Leftovers are actually better – Day two is when the flavors really get cozy together
• One pot, minimal dishes – Because who has time for a sink full of pots on a Tuesday?

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Soup:

• 6 big russet potatoes, peeled and chopped up (I buy the 5-lb bag at Costco)
• 8 strips thick bacon, cut into pieces (I use whatever’s on sale)
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced (or that jar stuff, no judgment)
• 1/4 cup flour
• 4 cups chicken broth (the box kind is fine)
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup heavy cream

For the Toppings:

• 2 cups sharp cheddar, grated yourself
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 4 green onions, chopped
• More bacon for on top
• Salt and pepper

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Why These Ingredients Work

Russet potatoes fall apart when you cook them, which sounds bad but it’s actually genius because they naturally thicken everything up. The thick bacon does double duty – flavor and those crispy bits everyone fights over. Regular yellow onions get sweet and mellow when they cook down, nothing fancy needed.

The milk and cream combo is where the magic happens. Just cream is too rich and makes you feel gross after half a bowl. Just milk tastes like cafeteria soup. Together? Perfect. Sharp cheddar melts smooth and has enough attitude to stand up to all that bacon. Fresh chives make everything look fancy even when you’re serving it in mismatched bowls because someone forgot to run the dishwasher again.

Essential Tools and Equipment

Big heavy pot (I use my 6-quart Dutch oven that my mom gave me) Sharp knife (please don’t use a dull one, I worry about you) Cutting board Wooden spoon Potato masher (the one with holes works best) Ladle for serving

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Cook the Bacon

In your big pot over medium heat, cook the bacon pieces until they’re crispy and gorgeous, maybe 6-8 minutes. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon but DO NOT throw away that bacon fat – that’s pure flavor sitting there!

Pro Tip: I learned this the hard way when I was 25 and dumped the bacon fat down the sink. My husband still brings it up during arguments.

Step 2: Sauté the Aromatics

Toss your diced onion into that beautiful bacon fat and let it cook until it’s soft and see-through, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Your kitchen should smell incredible right now – if the neighbors start showing up, you know you’re doing it right!

Step 3: Create the Roux

Sprinkle that flour right over the onion mix and stir it around for 2 full minutes. This step makes your soup thick and creamy instead of watery and sad.

Pro Tip: Don’t skip this even if you’re in a hurry. Raw flour tastes awful and nobody wants that in their comfort food. I’ve been there, learned that lesson.

Step 4: Add the Liquid Gradually

Slowly pour in the chicken broth while whisking like your life depends on it – this prevents lumps which are the enemy of good soup. Add those diced potatoes and bring everything to a boil, then turn it down and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender.

Step 5: Create the Creamy Base

Here’s where it gets fun – grab a potato masher and gently mash about half the potatoes right there in the pot. You want some chunks because texture is everything in this soup. Slowly stir in the milk and cream, then let it simmer for 5 more minutes.

Step 6: Add the Cheese Magic

Turn off the heat completely and slowly stir in that grated cheese until it melts smooth. Season with salt and pepper, but taste first because bacon and cheese are already pretty salty.

Pro Tip: If you try to add cheese while it’s still bubbling hot, you’ll get weird grainy chunks. Turn off the heat first, trust me on this one.

Step 7: Finish and Serve

Stir in half the bacon and half the green onions, then ladle this beautiful soup into bowls. Top with the rest of the bacon, more green onions, a big spoonful of sour cream, and extra cheese if you’re feeling fancy.

You Must Know

Here’s the thing nobody tells you about potato soup – if you rush the cheese part, you’re going to hate your life. The soup has to be off the heat completely before you add cheese or it turns into stringy gross chunks. I’ve ruined three batches learning this the hard way.

Also, this soup gets thicker as it sits. Like, a lot thicker. So if you’re reheating leftovers, add some milk to thin it out. My family actually likes it better the second day when all the flavors have had time to hang out together.

My personal secret: I always make this when my mother-in-law is coming over because she thinks I’m this amazing cook, but really it’s just bacon and cheese doing all the work.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

Don’t use cold milk straight from the fridge – it makes everything seize up and get weird. Let it sit on the counter while you cook the bacon. If you accidentally oversalt it (been there), throw in a peeled potato chunk and let it cook for 10 minutes. It sucks up the extra salt like magic.

Keep some extra chicken broth around because this soup loves to get thick on you. My kids like theirs thin, my husband likes it thick enough to eat with a fork. Everyone’s different.

I learned to taste everything before adding salt because between the bacon and cheese, it might not need any. My neighbor Linda adds hot sauce to hers, which sounds weird but it’s actually pretty good. Sometimes I throw in leftover corn from dinner the night before.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

My sister throws in broccoli sometimes which sounds healthy and gross but her kids actually eat it, so maybe she’s onto something. Add like 2 cups of the frozen stuff in the last few minutes.

If you want it spicier, cook some diced jalapeños with the onions. My teenage son dumps hot sauce on everything anyway so I’ve given up trying to make it spicy enough for him.

Sometimes I use smoked cheddar instead of regular and it tastes like you cooked it over a campfire. Greek yogurt instead of some of the sour cream makes it tangy and my sister-in-law swears it’s healthier (I don’t ask questions). Turkey bacon works if you’re trying to be good, but let’s be real – if we’re eating loaded potato soup, we’re not being good today.

Make-Ahead Options

This is one of those rare soups that’s better the next day. I usually make it Sunday night and we eat it again Tuesday when I’m too tired to think about cooking. It keeps in the fridge for maybe 4 days before it starts tasting weird.

You can freeze it but it gets a little separated when you thaw it out. Still tastes good, just looks funny until you stir it up. I portion it into those freezer containers and write the date on them with a Sharpie. It’s good for about 3 months but honestly, it never lasts that long in our house.

When you reheat it, go slow and add milk bit by bit until it looks right again. Don’t just blast it in the microwave or you’ll have hot soup with cold spots that burn your tongue.

What to Serve With Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Crusty bread is perfect for dipping. I buy those part-bake rolls from the grocery store and pretend I made them from scratch. Nobody’s called me out yet.

My mom always serves it with a basic salad to “balance things out” which cracks me up because we’re eating soup made of bacon and cheese, but whatever makes her feel better. Grilled cheese sandwiches are obviously the dream combo but that’s a lot of dairy and carbs even for me.

Cornbread is good too, especially if you have kids who need something to keep their hands busy while they eat. A cold beer doesn’t hurt if it’s been one of those days. For dessert, keep it simple – nobody wants chocolate cake after this much richness.

Allergy Information

This has dairy everywhere – milk, cream, cheese, sour cream. If someone in your family can’t do dairy, you’re basically making different soup. You could try coconut milk but it tastes like coconuts, not potatoes. There’s flour in it too for the gluten-free people.

My friend Sarah uses cornstarch instead of flour and says it works fine. She mixes it with a little cold water first so it doesn’t get lumpy. For the dairy-free thing, she uses those fake cheese shreds but I’ve never tried it because frankly, what’s the point of potato soup without real cheese?

No eggs or nuts in this, so at least there’s that. Unless you use some weird bacon that has nuts in it, which seems unlikely but these days who knows.

Storage & Reheating

Stick leftovers in the fridge in whatever containers you have. It’ll keep for 4-5 days but starts tasting funky after that. When you reheat it, it’s going to be thick as pudding, so add some milk and stir it up.

Heat it slow on the stove or your microwave will turn it into lava on the outside and ice cubes in the middle. I learned this when I was rushing to heat up lunch and burned my tongue so bad I couldn’t taste anything for three days.

Emily’s Reality Check: This soup is not diet food and I’m not going to pretend it is. Sometimes you just need something that makes you feel better and worry about calories tomorrow.

FAQs

Can I use different potatoes?

You could use Yukon Gold but they don’t break down the same way. Russets get all fluffy and thick when you cook them. Red potatoes stay too firm and you’ll end up with chunky soup instead of creamy. Learned that one the hard way when I grabbed the wrong bag at the store.

My soup’s too thick, help!

Add warm milk bit by bit until it looks right. Don’t dump it all in at once or you’ll go from thick soup to milk with potato chunks floating in it. Been there, had to start over.

Can I use my slow cooker?

Sure, cook the bacon in a pan first though because soggy slow cooker bacon is sad. Throw everything else in except the dairy stuff. Cook on low for like 6 hours, then add the cream and cheese at the end. My sister does this when she’s working all day.

Why is my cheese all clumpy and gross?

You added it when the soup was too hot. Cheese is dramatic like that. Turn the heat off completely and let it cool for a minute before adding cheese. Also, did you use the pre-shredded stuff? Because I told you not to do that.

Can I freeze this?

Yeah but it looks weird when you thaw it – all separated and chunky. Still tastes fine once you heat it up and stir it around. I freeze it in old yogurt containers and it keeps for a few months.

It’s not fancy and it’s definitely not healthy, but sometimes you just need something that tastes like a hug and makes the house smell amazing. My kids are going to remember this soup when they’re grown up with kids of their own, and that’s worth every calorie.

💬 Did you try making this? Tell me how it went! And if you changed something, I want to hear about it because I’m always looking for new ways to make it even better.