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Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Loaded baked potato soup with smoky bacon, creamy cheddar broth, and fork-tender russet potatoes. Simmered until thick, then finished with melted cheddar and sour cream for a rich, loaded baked-potato flavor in soup form.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Bacon and soup base
  • 8 slices bacon chopped
  • 1 yellow onion medium, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cup chicken broth
  • 2 cup whole milk
  • 2 lb russet potatoes peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 0.75 cup sour cream
  • 3 green onions thinly sliced

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the bacon and build the base
  1. Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat for 7–9 minutes, until browned and crisp. Transfer to a plate and leave about 2 tbsp bacon drippings in the pot.
  2. Sauté the yellow onion in the bacon drippings over medium heat for 4–5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
  3. Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the onion mixture and stir continuously for 1 minute, until the flour is fully incorporated. Keep the heat at medium so the flour cooks without browning too much.
  4. Whisk in the chicken broth gradually until smooth. Stir in the whole milk, russet potatoes, kosher salt, and black pepper.
Simmer until thick and tender
  1. Bring the soup to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to medium-low and simmer for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
  2. Mash some of the potatoes directly in the pot with a potato masher. Leave plenty of potato chunks intact for a thick, hearty texture.
Finish and serve
  1. Stir in the shredded sharp cheddar cheese and sour cream over low heat for 2–3 minutes, until the cheese melts and the soup becomes creamy. Do not boil after adding the sour cream.
  2. Fold half of the cooked bacon and half of the green onions into the soup. Cook for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
  3. Serve in deep bowls topped generously with the remaining bacon, green onions, and a little extra shredded cheddar cheese. Add extra cheese while hot so it starts melting immediately.
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
  1. Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat for 7–9 minutes, until browned and crisp. Transfer the bacon to a plate, leaving about 2 tbsp bacon drippings in the pot.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender before mashing—this naturally thickens the broth. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove, keeping the heat low to prevent the sour cream from breaking. Freezing is not recommended due to dairy texture changes. Swap suggestion: use turkey bacon instead of bacon for a lighter meat option.