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Creamy and hearty, loaded potato soup is the ultimate comfort food packed with tender potatoes, crispy bacon and sharp cheddar cheese. This rich, velvety soup can be topped with sour cream, green onions and extra cheese. Perfect for chilly days or cozy nights, it’s a crowd-pleasing classic. Best of all it can be prepared in 30 minutes.
This soup is the definition of comfort food!
- Billy
You can never have enough soup - from creamy roasted cauliflower soup to chicken barley soup to pumpkin and sweet potato soup.
But when I think of the kind of comforting soups, loaded potato soup is number 1 on my list. It is basically a baked potato in soup form.
The star of this soup really is the potatoes. If you compare it to other recipes there is a higher potatoes to broth ratio than most? I mean who doesn't love potatoes!
And no it isn't loaded with heavy cream. By having the soup be half chicken broth/half milk, you get a nice creaminess from the milk but also additional flavor from the broth.
Jump to:
Why You Will Love This Soup
- Quick and easy - Ready in 30 minutes, it's ideal for weeknight dinners or last-minute gatherings.
- Customizable - Adapt it to your taste with different potatoes, cheeses or toppings.
- Family-friendly - Kids can be picky but loaded baked potato soup is one of those dishes they won't say no to.
Ingredient Notes
- Bacon - Adds a smoky, savory flavor and crispy texture. Reserve some for garnish. The reserved bacon grease is also used to cook the veggies.
- Sweet onion, green bell pepper, garlic - The combination of all 3 adds aromatic and savory notes to the soup.
- All-purpose flour - Acts as a thickening agent for a creamy texture.
- Chicken broth - Provides a savory, flavorful liquid base. Low-sodium broth is recommended for better salt control.
- Whole milk - Creates a rich and creamy consistency. Avoid low-fat milk for best results.
- Russet potatoes - Ideal for soups due to their starchy texture, which helps thicken the broth.
- Sharp cheddar cheese - Adds a bold, tangy richness. Shred fresh cheese for better melting.
- Plain Greek yogurt - Offers a creamy tang and is a lighter alternative to sour cream
- Sea salt and black pepper - Enhances the flavor.
- Toppings - Use your favorite toppings from green onions, extra cheese, bacon or sour cream.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipes, you can mix up the ingredients. Some variations include:
- Instead of bacon grease, you can use unsalted butter.
- If you want a gluten-free soup, use cornstarch to help thicken the soup as opposed to all-purpose flour.
- While chicken broth is more suited for soups, you can use chicken stock or even go with vegetable broth if you will be omitting the bacon and want a vegetarian soup.
- Use heavy cream instead of whole milk for extra richness or half-and-half for a lighter option.
- Yukon Gold offers a creamier texture instead of Russet potatoes.
- Replace cheddar cheese with Gruyere, Gouda, Monterey Jack, Havarti or a blend of cheeses for a different flavor profile.
- Sour cream is a good substitute for Greek yogurt.
How to Make Loaded Potato Soup
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
Step 1: Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon, reserving 4 tablespoon grease.
Step 2: Sauté onion and green pepper until soft, add garlic, and cook for 30 seconds.
Step 3: Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.
Step 4: Gradually whisk in chicken broth and milk.
Step 5: Add potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender.
Step 6: Stir in remaining ingredients, adjust seasoning, and serve warm with toppings.
Types of Potatoes for Soup
The type of potato you use really affects the texture/flavor of the potato soup. These include:
- Russet - Very starchy and best known for baked potatoes. Because of this, russet potatoes are what I use for this loaded baked potato soup. They don't hold their shape as well as others, but to me that is the point with Russets.
- Idaho - Very similar to Russets in that they are more mealy and starchy.
- Waxy - Low in starch, but high in sugar and moisture so they hold their shape better. If you want more bite in your soup, these are the choice.
- Yukon Gold - Considered the all-purpose potato. They are in between the more starchy and waxy potato varieties so they'll be less firm than waxy potatoes, but have a little more texture than starchy.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the potatoes directly on the rack for 45 minutes or until fork tender. Then peel and dice to size.
In general, this is a pretty thick soup, but if you want it even thicker whisk 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoon of water. Then slowly add to the soup as it is simmering and whisk in.
Absolutely! Replace bacon with smoked paprika, use vegetable broth, and skip bacon grease in favor of butter or olive oil.
This soup will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days.
When in comes to freezing, soup is one of those meals that is perfect to throw in the freezer and use when you want. Just let it come to room temperature before placing in a airtight container. You can keep in the freezer for 4-6 months.
Just place the soup in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming. No need for it to come to a boil. You can also warm up in a microwave.
Topping Options
Part of the allure of baked potatoes and this loaded baked potato soup for that matter is the toppings. Some of the toppings that work best include:
- Proteins - Bacon, chicken, diced ham or cooked sausage all work well.
- Vegetables - Green onions, corn, peppers or even avocado (yes I know it isn't a fruit) work.
- Cheese - Use your favorite cheese you have, but freshly grate it yourself.
- Dairy - A dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt always works.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Use quality low-sodium chicken broth as it contributes to the flavor. You can also use chicken stock which gives the soup more mouth feel.
- Be consistent when it comes to dicing the potatoes so they cook evenly.
- If you want a creamier soup, once the potatoes are cooked, take have the soup and place in a blender and then return to the pot. You can also use an immersion blender.
- You can also use 6 cups of leftover mashed potatoes instead of cooking potatoes.
- Use freshly grated cheese as it just tastes better and isn't loaded with preservatives.
Loaded Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 8 oz bacon, diced
- 4 tablespoon reserved bacon grease or unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups sweet onion, diced
- ½ cup green bell pepper, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- 2 ½ cups whole milk
- 5 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced into ¾" cubes
- 1 ¼ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- cheese, green onion, extra bacon, sour cream
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat and add bacon. Cook until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper-lined plate and keep 4 tablespoon of bacon grease.
- Add onion and green pepper and sauté for 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Stir in the flour and cook for an additional minute, stirring occasionally.
- Slowly add the chicken broth and milk, whisking constantly. Add the potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Stir every so often so the bottom doesn't burn.
- Once potatoes are tender, stir in cheese, Greek yogurt, salt, pepper and bacon. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve warm with desired toppings.
Notes
- Use quality low-sodium chicken broth as it contributes to the flavor. You can also use chicken stock which gives the soup more mouth feel.
- Be consistent when it comes to dicing the potatoes so they cook evenly.
- If you want a creamier soup, once the potatoes are cooked, take have the soup and place in a blender and then return to the pot. You can also use an immersion blender.
- You can also use 6 cups of leftover mashed potatoes instead of cooking potatoes.
- Use freshly grated cheese as it just tastes better and isn't loaded with preservatives.
Billy says
This soup is the definition of comfort food!
Ryan says
Yeah it's so good!