Loaded Baked Potato Soup
This dreamy Loaded Baked Potato Soup is a true comfort food. On a cool rainy day, there’s nothing like it, it’s good for the soul kind of food. This soup is filled with the same flavors you might enjoy on a loaded baked potato. It’s topped with cheese, sour cream, bacon and green onions just before serving.
Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe
In this Loaded Baked Potato Soup you can choose to use lighter versions of dairy products in place of full fat. I am in no way implying this is a diet dish and it’s perfectly fine if you choose to go the full fat route. It’s just not necessary for the richness and flavor of this soup to shine through. It makes for such a comforting and filling meal served with a side of homemade garlic bread or cheese crackers for dipping. A salad and warm crusty garlic bread is all you need to turn this into a meal fit for a king or queen. How to make Loaded Baked Potato Soup: (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)
- Potatoes – Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wash the potatoes and remove any blemishes don’t peel. Pierce each potato with a fork 2-3 times then wrap in aluminum foil. Place onto a baking sheet and bake for 1-1 1/2 hours until fork tender. Remove from the oven, and cut into bite size chunks.
- Roux – In a saucepan melt butter. Add flour, salt, dry mustard and black pepper. Cook until the roux blends and the flour cooks slightly, about 1-2 minutes.
- Milk – Slowly whisk in milk. Bring to a boil stirring constantly then lower the heat to a simmer. Allow the sauce to simmer for 4-5 minutes, until the flour has cooked.
- Bacon – While the sauce is cooking cook the bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain, reserving 2 Tbsp drippings.
- Onion – Saute red onion in bacon drippings until translucent. Add minced garlic cooking for 1 minute.
- Half and Half – After the sauce has cooked for 5 minutes and thickened add half and half and 2 cups of shredded cheese. Stir until the cheese has completely melted then remove from the heat.
- Potatoes – Add the chopped potato chunks and 1 1/2 cans of chicken broth. Cook on medium. Pour the cheese sauce into the pot and stir until blended.
- Simmer – Allow the soup to bubble but do not boil for about 15-20 minutes.
- Add the chopped parsley, half of the crumbled bacon and sour cream. Continue to cook on medium just until heated through. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, if needed.
- Ladle into bowls, topped with a sprinkle of shredded cheese, crumbled bacon and green onions.
How to Make the BEST Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe
- Ingredients you’ll need to make Loaded Baked Potato Soup: Russet potatoes, light butter, all purpose flour, salt, Old Bay Seasoning, ground mustard, black pepper, milk, bacon cooked and crumbled, red onion, garlic, low fat or regular half and half, shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided 2% or full fat, chicken broth, light or full fat sour cream, green onions and parsley.
- Kitchen tools you’ll need: Dutch oven, measuring cups and spoons, ladle, sharp knife and cutting board, cheese grater.
- The roux tends to stick to the edges of the pot so be certain you mix all of it into the milk or the sauce won’t thicken properly.
- f you thin your soup a little too much, don’t panic, you can easily thicken it by mashing some of the potatoes. Starch is a natural thickener, and the soup will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Store Loaded Baked Potato Soup chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in a saucepan on the stovetop or in the microwave in single servings.
More Potato Recipes to Make
While potato soup is a comforting meal in a bowl, there are many ways to enjoy the loveable spud. A few other recipes to add to the menu:
- Make ahead Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole.
- Loaded Baked Potato Salad can be served warm or chilled.
- New Potato Ham and Broccoli Cheese Casserole is a one dish meal that won’t’ break the bank.
- Sheet Pan Kielbasa and Yukon Gold Potato Hash is a quick and easy meal.
- Easy Twice Baked Potatoes.
- Crispy Loaded Potato Cakes.
- Air Fryer French Fries from Well Plated.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 3 lbs baking-russet potatoes [approximate]
- 5 Tbsp butter or light butter
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 4 cups whole or 2% milk
- 10 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1/3 cup red onion
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cups regular or low fat half and half
- 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided, use
- 2 [14.5 oz] cans chicken broth
- 1 8 oz regular or light sour cream
- 8 medium chopped green onions
- 2 Tbsp fresh chopped Italian parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wash the potatoes, and remove any blemishes don't peel. Pierce each potato with a fork 2-3 times, then wrap in aluminum foil. Place onto a baking sheet and bake for 1-1 1/2 hours until fork tender. Remove from the oven and cut into bite size chunks.
- In a medium stove top pot melt 5 tablespoons of butter. Add 1/2 cup of flour, salt, dry mustard and black pepper. Cook until the roux blends and the flour cooks slightly, about 1-2 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in 4 cups of milk. Bring to a boil stirring constantly, then lower the heat to a simmer for 4-5 minutes, until the flour has cooked..
- While the sauce is cooking in a large pot or dutch oven cook the bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain, reserving 2 Tbsp drippings. Saute red onion in drippings until translucent. Add minced garlic cooking for 1 minute.
- After the sauce has cooked for 5 minutes and thickened add 1 1/2 cups of half and half and 2 cups of shredded cheese. Stir until the cheese has completely melted then, remove from the heat.
- To the pot add the chopped potato chunks and 1 1/2 cans of chicken broth. Cook on medium. You can adjust the thickness of the soup after adding the sauce to the pot.
- Pour the cheese sauce into the pot and stir until blended. If you thin your soup a little too much don't panic you can easily thicken it by mashing some of the potatoes. Starch is a natural thickener and the soup will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Allow the soup to gently simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Add the chopped parsley, half of the crumbled bacon and 8 ounces of sour cream. Continue to cook on medium just until heated through. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, if needed.
- Ladle into bowls top with a sprinkle of shredded cheese, crumbled bacon and green onions.
Turned out great left out the Old Bay but added some Texas Pete and Worcestershire about 2 T each. Yummy
You probably could, although this particular soup doesn’t cook quite long enough to get the full benefit from cooking with ham bone. If you try it, let me know how it goes.
I would say that you could add your leftover ham bone from Chrisfmas to this soup. What do you think?
Hi Nicki-Dee! It’s true comfort food, this soup. I hope you love it as much as we do. Thanks for your visit! ~ Melissa
This is so great!! I used to go to a pub that made it homemade on fridays and then they took it away 🙁 Thank you for posting this I have never found a good recipe until now 🙂 Will be making this tomorrow for sure 🙂
Hi Melissa
How many people does this recipe serve?
Hi Jaxon,
You should yield 6-8 servings of this soup. If you plan on serving this soup as a main course for 6 adults, you might consider making 1 1/2 batch to have extra servings. There are so many variables, it depends on the appetite and ages of those you’re entertaining. This recipe easily doubles if needed. Hope this helps!
I’ve never used frozen potatoes in place of baked potatoes for this soup. If you prefer to go that route, let me know your results. Thanks, Melissa
Can you use Frozen diced potatoes unstid of baking your own? This would save a lot of time?