This loaded baked potato soup turns a baked potato into a cozy, creamy bowl of comfort. The recipe comes together in 35 minutes, with a rich base of butter, flour, milk, half-and-half, and chicken stock, plus cheddar, sour cream, and crispy bacon. It serves 8 and is easy to adapt with the toppings you love. If you enjoy creamy soups, you might also like our Creamy Parmesan Italian Sausage Soup or French Onion Soup Rice.
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Loaded baked potato soup takes the flavors of a fully loaded baked potato—butter, sour cream, cheddar, bacon, and chives—and turns them into a creamy, spoonable soup. This version uses microwaved potatoes for speed, so you can have a satisfying bowl on the table in about 35 minutes. The base is a simple roux of butter and flour, enriched with milk, half-and-half, and chicken stock. Then come the potatoes, cheese, and sour cream, with bacon and chives scattered over the top. It’s rich but not heavy, and the texture is up to you: leave the potato chunks chunky or break them down for a smoother soup. Serve it with crusty bread or a simple salad for a complete meal. If you like the flavors here, try our Lipton Onion Soup Meatloaf for another comforting dinner idea.
Potato Soup Ingredients
- 4 potatoes (scrubbed)
- 8 bacon slices
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1/4 cup yellow onion
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low fat milk
- 1 cup half and half
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup mild cheddar cheese
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
- fresh chives (for garnish)
Step-by-Step Instructions
This soup comes together quickly if you multitask. Start by cooking the potatoes and bacon, then build the base.
1. Cook the potatoes. Pierce 4 scrubbed potatoes multiple times with a fork. Microwave them for 12 to 15 minutes, or until tender. Carefully halve them and let cool. Once cool enough to handle, remove the skins and cut the potatoes into chunks.
2. Cook the bacon. While the potatoes cook, cook 8 bacon slices in a skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool. Reserve up to 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the pan, discarding the rest. Once cool, crumble the bacon into small pieces.
3. Start the base. In a large pot, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. Add the reserved bacon fat, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 1/4 cup diced onion. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onion is tender.
4. Make a roux. Slowly whisk in 1/3 cup flour and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in 2 cups milk and 1 cup half-and-half. Keep whisking until smooth. Gradually add 2 cups chicken stock. Bring to a light simmer and whisk in 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Keep at a light simmer until the mixture has thickened slightly, 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Add cheese, bacon, and sour cream. If you’d like to use cheeses and bacon as a garnish, reserve 1/4 cup of each. Stir in the remaining cheeses, remaining bacon, and 1 cup sour cream. Remove the pot from the heat.
6. Add potatoes and serve. Scoop the potato chunks into the pan, breaking them into small pieces or leaving them chunky, depending on your preference. Serve hot, topped with your favorite garnishes, like cheese, bacon, and chives.
For a smoother soup, mash some of the potatoes before adding, as described in the recipe. Reserve cheese and bacon for serving before stirring the rest into the soup.
Toppings and Garnishes
The recipe suggests reserving 1/4 cup each of the cheeses and bacon for garnish. Serve with the reserved cheese, crumbled bacon and fresh chives. Keep the remaining cheese, bacon and sour cream in the soup as directed in the recipe card.
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Loaded Baked Potato Soup
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
A creamy loaded baked potato soup with cheddar, bacon, and chives. Ready in 35 minutes and serves 8.
Ingredients
- 4 potatoes (scrubbed)
- 8 bacon slices
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1/4 cup yellow onion
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low fat milk
- 1 cup half and half
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup mild cheddar cheese
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
- fresh chives (for garnish)
Instructions
- Pierce the potatoes multiple times with a fork,…: Pierce the potatoes multiple times with a fork, then microwave them for 12 to 15 minutes, or until tender. Carefully halve the potatoes and let cool. Once cool enough to handle, remove the skins, and cut into chunks.
- Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crisp: Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool. Reserve up to 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the pan, discarding the rest. Once the bacon has cooled, crumble it into small pieces.
- In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat: In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the reserved bacon fat, garlic and onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onion is tender. Slowly whisk the flour into the pan and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk and half-and-half. Keep whisking until smooth. Gradually add the chicken stock. Bring to a light simmer and whisk in the kosher salt, garlic salt and pepper. Keep at a light simmer until the mixture has thickened slightly, 5 to 7 minutes.
- If you'd like to use cheeses and bacon as a garnish, reserve 1/4 cup of each: If you'd like to use cheeses and bacon as a garnish, reserve 1/4 cup of each. Stir in the remaining cheeses, remaining bacon, and the sour cream. Remove the pot from the heat. Scoop potato chunks into the pan, breaking them into small pieces or leaving them chunky, depending on your preference. Serve hot, topped with your favorite garnishes, like cheese, bacon and chives.
Notes
If you’d like to use cheeses and bacon as a garnish, reserve 1/4 cup of each. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. For a smoother soup, mash some of the potatoes before adding.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
