Loaded Potato Soup Recipe
This easy loaded potato soup recipe has tender potatoes in a creamy, savory base, all made in one pot and finished with classic loaded potato toppings. It’s the ultimate quick comfort bowl for busy nights.
Servings: 8 cups
Calories: 276kcal
Equipment
- 4.5-quart dutch oven or soup pot
- slotted spoon to get chopped bacon out of the pan
- paper towels
Ingredients
- 6 slices Thick Sliced Bacon (about ½ pound)
- 3 tablespoons Butter
- 1 large Onion diced
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 4 tablespoons All Purpose Flour
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes ½-inch diced (about 6 cups)
- 1 cup Milk or heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon Salt or more to taste
- Black Pepper to taste
- ½ cup Sour Cream
Optional Toppings
- Cheddar Cheese, Fresh Chives, Crumbled Bacon, Sour Cream
Instructions
- Add BACON to a 4-quart stockpot over medium heat and cook until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pot.
- Add BUTTER. Once melted, add ONION and cook until softened, about 3–5 minutes. Stir in GARLIC and cook 1 minute.
- Stir in FLOUR and cook 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Gradually add CHICKEN BROTH while stirring until smooth.
- Add POTATOES. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and partially cover. Cook 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fork-tender.
- Stir in MILK and keep heat low (do not boil) for 5-10 more minutes, or until potatoes are cooked to your liking.
- Mash some of the POTATOES in the pot to thicken the soup, if desired.
- Remove from heat. Stir in SOUR CREAM. Season with SALT and BLACK PEPPER to taste.
- Serve topped with CRUMBLED BACON, GREEN ONIONS, CHEDDAR CHEESE, and SOUR CREAM.
- Cool completely before storing. Refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 90 days.
Video
Notes
Bacon – Cook it however you prefer—stovetop, oven-baked, air fried, or use pre-cooked. If it’s not cooked in the soup pot, replace the 1 tablespoon of bacon fat with butter.
Which potato is best? – Yukon Golds don’t require peeling and hold their shape well. Russets work too—you can peel for a smoother soup or leave skins on for a rustic texture.
Potato size matters – The cook time is based on ½-inch pieces. Larger chunks will take longer to become tender.
Dairy and milk options – Use what you have on hand. Heavy cream, dairy milk of any fat level, or unsweetened plant-based milk all work well in this recipe.
Steakhouse-style serving option – For a richer, steakhouse-style loaded baked potato soup, stir in 1 cup shredded cheddar while the soup is off the heat, just before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 278mg | Potassium: 809mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 147IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 2mg