This creamy Loaded Baked Potato Soup is easy, delicious and made in one pot! Serve topped with traditional loaded baked potato toppings like sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, bacon and green onions or chives. Yields 6 to 8 servings.
Meet My Family’s Favorite Soup.
This loaded baked potato soup is a recipe I’ve been testing over the past year. With so many potato soups in the world, I really wanted a simple, yet comforting soup that anyone could make. Last week I shot the final recipe to share with you here on SS. We reheated it for dinner that evening (serving it along side ham and cheese paninis) and everyone agreed that soup is up there with their other favorites like my simple broccoli and cheddar, creamy chicken and gnocchi and chicken lemon rice soup.
This recipe is made in a single pot – a necessity for me when I want a quick and easy soup. However, I first tested this recipe by baking the potatoes in the oven and then peeling and adding the in later. What a hassle, not to mention time consuming. So I simplified it and the results were (you guessed it!) perfection.
What is Loaded Baked Potato Soup?
Everything you love about twice-baked potatoes but in lusciously creamy soup form. My family likes lumps of potatoes in our soup, but you could puree it with an immersion blender or add to a regular blender for a smoother consistency. Either way, serve this soup with a dollop of sour cream, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, green onion and crispy bacon pieces. SO GOOD!
To Make This Loaded Baked Potato Soup You Will Need:
- bacon – I like to use center cut bacon. Your will need to reserve some of the bacon fat.
- unsalted butter – Lends fat, flavor and aides in thickening the soup when combined with flour.
- yellow onion –Adds a subtle sweet onion flavor.
- garlic – Adds distinct punchy flavor.
- kosher salt – Used to draw out flavor and season the dish.
- unbleached all-purpose flour – Will help thicken the soup.
- garlic powder – Adds flavor that’s sweeter yet milder than fresh garlic.
- onion powder – Lends additional bold oniony flavor.
- low-sodium chicken broth – Lends subtle flavor and plays its part as the base for the soup. Have extra on hand for thinning the soup out if needed.
- half & half – Which is essentially 1 part whole milk and 1 part heavy cream.
- potatoes – I like to use a combination of russet and yellow potatoes, but use your favorite!
- freshly ground black pepper – This will add some subtle bite and flavor.
- sharp cheddar cheese – Adds delicious sharp cheese flavor
- sour cream – Lends creaminess and delicious tangy flavor.
- green onions – Adds a pop of bright color and mild onion flavor.
To a dutch oven, add 8 ounces chopped bacon. Cook over medium to medium-low heat until the bacon is crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon, transferring to a paper towel lined plate. Remove and discard all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat.
To the bacon fat, add 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 medium diced yellow onion with a pinch of salt.
Stir and cook the onion until soft and translucent. Then add in 3 large cloves of minced garlic. Stir and cook 1 minute.
To the onion and garlic mixture, add 1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour and 1/2 teaspoon each garlic and onion powder.
Stir and cook 2 minutes.
Continue stirring as you pour in 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth.
And 2 cups half & half.
What is Half & Half?
Half & half is commonly found in the dairy section of most American grocery stores. It is equal parts whole milk and heavy cream.
Carefully add in 1 pound each peeled and chopped yellow and russet potatoes.
Cover with the lid askew and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low to medium-low.
Stir often (to avoid anything sticking and burning on the bottom of the pot) and cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
For a chunkier potato soup, use a potato masher to smash and break up the potatoes. However, if you want a smoother consistency, use an immersion blender or ladle the soup into a high-speed blender and puree – just be sure to remove the plug from the lid and cover the hole with a clean kitchen towel.
Season the soup with salt and pepper. I use 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper.
Next, reserve 1/4 cup of the crispy bacon bits and add the rest to the soup along with 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup sour cream.
Stir well to combine and the cheese has melted.
If the soup seems too thick and you want to thin the soup out a bit, add more broth until you’ve reached a desired consistency.
Ladle hot soup into bowls and top with sour cream, the reserved cheddar, bacon pieces and a sprinkle of green onion.
What To Serve With Loaded Baked Potato Soup:
- grilled cheese sandwich (try my double decker grilled cheese!)
- ham and cheese panini
- bread and butter (try my no-knead rustic loaf!)
Enjoy! And if you give this Loaded Baked Potato Soup recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound center cut bacon, diced
- 1 tablespoon reserved bacon fat
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced, about 1 cup
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- kosher salt
- 1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 4 to 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth, *see notes
- 2 cup half & half, **see notes
- 1 pound medium yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 1 pound medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, reserve 1/4 of it for serving
- 1/2 cup sour cream, plus more for serving
- freshly ground black pepper
- 3 green onions, sliced, for serving
Instructions
- In a dutch oven or heavy bottom soup pot, add the diced bacon and cook over medium to medium-low heat. Stir occasionally until crispy. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the dutch oven.
- To the bacon fat, add butter and onions with a pinch of salt. Stir and cook until tender and translucent about 8 minutes. Add garlic, stir and cook 1 minute.
- Whisk in flour, garlic powder and onion powder and cook 2 minutes before slowing whisking in 4 cups broth and the half & half.
- Add in the potatoes, cover and increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low or medium-low with the lid askew. Stirring often to avoid any scorching on the bottom of the pot. Cook 15 to 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- Mash potatoes using a potato masher or use an immersion blender. For an ultra smooth consistency, use a ladle to transfer the potatoes and liquids to a blender. Remove the center plug and cover with a kitchen towel before blending until smooth. Then transfer back to the soup pot.
- Once thickened (see notes) add in 3/4 of cheddar cheese (reserving some for serving) and 3/4 of the chopped bacon (reserving some for serving) and the sour cream. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your preference.
- Ladles soup into bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream, reserved cheese, bacon and green onions.
Notes
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Just so you’re aware, you left out the potatoes in the body of this post when you listed the ingredients needed. This soup looks so decadent and delicious!! I know my family will love it!! Thank you!
Hi Laurie!
I had already planned to make soup today and then your recipe came across my inbox! What wonderful timing!
I had only had this soup once before at a restaurant, and it has always stuck with me. Your version is delicious and so easy to make!
It is flavourful, creamy without being stodgy, and so filling.
I only had red and white fleshed potatoes on hand as well as only green onions – no chives. It all worked out perfectly.
I kept the soup potatoes rough mashed as I love texture in a soup, and although I had planned to make this for supper, I couldn’t wait! I topped my bowl with everything and it was rib-sticking and so satisfying. I can understand why your family rates it at the top!
Thank you Laurie for another delicious offering . . . this soup will be on rotation often during our cold and blistery days!
Warmest wishes for a warm and cozy fall ahead!
Sending “Cheer” from the Canadian Prairies!
Hi Lisa! You’ll want to add the potatoes in after the broth and half & half. Enjoy!
We agree, loaded means LOADED! Asides: I stopped using BUTTER more than a decade ago and lost 40+ lbs, of course that also meant, in some cases, no longer eating the things I cooked in butter or spread it upon. My spice cabinet is filled with powders but when it comes to creating a recipe, I prefer the real things. Here is an example of my thoughts on loaded baked potato soup:
with chunks, or pureed swirls, of steamed beets and/or green vegetable leaves, and/or roasted squash and/or yams.
Add some protein: chicken, pork, sausage, beef tips or burger;
Or cooked fish chunks, baby clams, crab and/or lobster meat,
clam juice.
Preparation-
Bake skin on taters and optional yams and/or squash.
Optional:
Slice potato skins into skinny fries size and deep fry.
Drain fat, pile into a bowl or two, place on the table.
Fried or roasted:
Celery and/or celeriac, yellow onion and/or leek,
bell pepper(s), head(s) of garlic,
optional turkey bacon and/or ham steak.
Steamed or roasted:
broccoli florets, optional protein;
Root vegs i.e. beets, rutabagas, turnips, daikon, jicama;
Green leafy vegs: i.e. spinach, bok choy, kale, arugula.
Kitchen Basics stock of choice, (cornstarch, if needed,)
Califia Farms better/half rather than dairy.
Spices and seasonings:
salt or Ac’cent, hondashi and mushroom seasoning,
ground peppercorns: black, white or medley (+Szechwan peppercorn husks).
Herb choices:
dried or fresh oregano, basil, thyme, mint, cilantro.
Chop and add chosen cooked or fresh vegetables to the potato soup.
Make individual purees of other steamed or roasted vegs.
Swirl individually into potato soup serving bowls.
On the table or counter Garnishes:
grated carrot, grated or crumbled cheese(s), snipped scallions,
sauteed mushroom slices, dehydrated chopped celery, (Tofutti) sour cream, pico de gallo,
bacon bits and/or fried tater skins, jalapeño, hot spicy sauces.
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