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.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

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.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

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!

ingredients for Loaded Baked Potato Soup

To Make This Loaded Baked Potato Soup You Will Need:

  • baconI like to use center cut bacon. Your will need to reserve some of the bacon fat.
  • unsalted butterLends fat, flavor and aides in thickening the soup when combined with flour.
  • yellow onionAdds a subtle sweet onion flavor.
  • garlicAdds distinct punchy flavor.
  • kosher saltUsed to draw out flavor and season the dish.
  • unbleached all-purpose flourWill help thicken the soup.
  • garlic powderAdds flavor that’s sweeter yet milder than fresh garlic.
  • onion powderLends additional bold oniony flavor.
  • low-sodium chicken brothLends subtle flavor and plays its part as the base for the soup. Have extra on hand for thinning the soup out if needed.
  • half & halfWhich is essentially 1 part whole milk and 1 part heavy cream.
  • potatoesI like to use a combination of russet and yellow potatoes, but use your favorite!
  • freshly ground black pepperThis will add some subtle bite and flavor.
  • sharp cheddar cheeseAdds delicious sharp cheese flavor
  • sour creamLends creaminess and delicious tangy flavor.
  • green onionsAdds a pop of bright color and mild onion flavor.

cook bacon pieces until crispy

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.

drain all but 1tbs fat and add butter, onions and a pinch of salt.

To the bacon fat, add 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 medium diced yellow onion with a pinch of salt.

add garlic to sautéed onions

Stir and cook the onion until soft and translucent. Then add in 3 large cloves of minced garlic. Stir and cook 1 minute.

Stir in flour, garlic and onion powder

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

Stir and cook 2 minutes.

Stir in chicken broth

Continue stirring as you pour in 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth.

Pour in half and half

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.

Add potatoes

Carefully add in 1 pound each peeled and chopped yellow and russet potatoes.

Cover with the lid askew and bring to a low boil, stir often to avoid burning

Cover with the lid askew and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low to medium-low.

Soup is thick and potatoes are cooked. Add more broth if too thick.

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.

Break up potatoes.

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 soup to taste with salt and pepper.

Season the soup with salt and pepper. I use 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper.

Add 3/4 of the cheese and bacon and 1/2 cup sour cream. The reserved cheese and bacon is for serving.

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 to combine until the cheese has melted.

Stir well to combine and the cheese has melted.

Add more broth as needed for desired consistency.

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.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Ladle hot soup into bowls and top with sour cream, the reserved cheddar, bacon pieces and a sprinkle of green onion.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

What To Serve With Loaded Baked Potato Soup:

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

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

Loaded Baked Potato Soup
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Yield: 8 servings

Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe

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.

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

*If the soup is too thick, once the potatoes have cooked and are mashed, add more broth until desired consistency. So it's a good idea to have extra on hand for thinning the soup out if needed.
**Half & half is commonly found in the dairy section of most American grocery stores. It is equal parts whole milk and heavy cream.
Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on SimplyScratch.com should only be used as a general guideline.
Serving: 1cup, Calories: 517kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 34g, Saturated Fat: 17g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 99mg, Sodium: 907mg, Potassium: 843mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 800IU, Vitamin C: 17mg, Calcium: 350mg, Iron: 2mg