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This easy loaded baked potato soup recipe is simple to make, thick, and creamy. All your favorite baked potato flavors are packed into this comforting and warming meal!
You might also enjoy my Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole or Potato Soup with Bacon next.
Why you’ll love it
This baked potato soup is a favorite since it’s a hassle-free way to get all the cozy flavors of a loaded baked potato in a soup. Some readers have even said this is the one they’ve been searching for. It’s super hearty, and you’ve probably got most of the ingredients on hand.
In case you’re wondering, we’re not actually baking the potatoes for this soup. Techniques for making this recipe vary, but I find it easier to just get on with the soup and cook it all in one pot. I always go with the simpler option if the taste is there! And it definitely is.
What you’ll need
- Bacon – I’m a big fan of using bacon to enhance the flavor in dishes. Instead of using butter or oil in this recipe, I use the leftover bacon grease after crisping up the bacon for sautéing.
- Garlic and onion – my go-to is sweet (Vidalia) onions
- Potatoes – I like Russets best for this soup
- Flour and milk – while this baked potato soup is creamy, it doesn’t actually contain any heavy cream. I used whole (3%) milk along with some flour to thicken it.
- Chicken broth – to add more dimension to the broth
- Toppings – I chose sour cream for that classic baked potato flavor and creaminess, scallions for a pop of freshness, and freshly grated sharp cheddar along with the bacon!
What’s the best kind of potatoes to use?
- I prefer using Russet potatoes in this soup, which are often just labelled as baking potatoes at the grocery store, because they’re starchy and help thicken the soup nicely and are the preferred variety for baked potatoes. They also fall apart fairly easily, which is great for soups.
- I peeled them, but you could always scrub them and skip the peeling step. It’s totally up to you! Some people like the added texture.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- I like to mince garlic with this garlic press. It’s so handy.
- This is the Dutch oven I use, and kitchen shears make cutting up the bacon easy.
- I recommend grating your own cheddar from a block with a grater rather than using the pre-shredded kind in a bag. It melts way better and has a superior taste as well.
How to make baked potato soup
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Cut up the bacon, and fry until crispy in a soup pot. Remove the bacon and set aside, and leave behind about half the grease. Add the onion, and sauté until softened. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute. Slowly whisk in the milk until the flour is dissolved.
Pour in the broth, and add the potatoes and garlic. Scrape up the browned bits, and increase the heat. Right before it boils, turn it down and simmer until the potatoes are tender, then mash if desired. Stir in the sour cream and most of the cheddar and bacon, leaving some for topping.
Garnish with the scallions and extra bacon and cheese, season generously with salt & pepper, and enjoy.
Pro tip
As with any creamy potato soup, it’s very important to add enough salt to bring out all the flavors.
Substitutions and variations
- To give this soup more texture, I like mashing the potatoes a little bit (I just use my potato masher and do it right in the pot), but you can skip that step if you want them to be more intact.
- Want to add a little heat? Add a generous pinch of cayenne pepper or some crushed red pepper flakes.
- You could always add some ham or shredded Easy Baked Chicken Breast if you want more protein in here.
What to serve with baked potato soup
- This soup definitely eats like a meal, but some sourdough bread would be the perfect thing to serve it with if you’re looking for something else.
- If you are looking for an all-out comfort food meal, however, try a slice of my Cheesy Garlic Bread.
- A side salad makes a great pairing since this soup is pretty rich. I recommend mixed greens with my better than Olive Garden Italian Dressing.
Leftovers and storage
- Store any leftovers of this soup in an airtight container for 3-4 days max in the fridge.
- When reheating this creamy baked potato soup, do it on a low heat, stirring often. You will likely need to add some more chicken broth because the potatoes continue to release starch. The longer the soup sits, the more it will thicken up.
- This soup is okay frozen, but I do find that freezing potato soups can make them a little grainy when reheated. It will still taste good, though. Freeze for up to 3 months.
More cozy soup recipes
Let me know if you’ve tried this loaded potato soup recipe in the comments below. You can also find me on Instagram. Tag me #saltandlavender to showcase what you made!
Easy Baked Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 6 strips bacon
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 4 large Russet potatoes diced
- 1/4 cup flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese or more to taste
- Chopped scallions to taste
- 3/4 cup sour cream or more to taste
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut up the bacon and add it to a soup pot (I use kitchen shears to make this job easy). Fry the bacon over medium-high heat until it's nice and crispy (about 10 minutes).
- Meanwhile, prep your onion and potatoes. You can peel the potatoes like I did, or scrub them and leave them unpeeled if you prefer.
- Once the bacon is done, take it out of the pot and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Leave about two tablespoons of the bacon fat in the pot (it's fine to eyeball it). Discard the rest of the bacon fat or reserve it to use in another recipe.
- Add the onion to the pot and sauté it for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the flour and cook it for about a minute.
- Whisk the milk in slowly until the flour has dissolved.
- Add the chicken broth, garlic, and potatoes. Increase the heat to high. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. When the soup is almost boiling, reduce the heat and cover the pot with the lid slightly open. Let the soup simmer gently for 20 minutes.
- While the soup's cooking, get the cheddar, scallions, and sour cream ready.
- The potatoes should be quite fall-apart tender by now. I like to take my potato masher and mash the potatoes a little bit right in the pot, but if you want to leave the potatoes as-is, that's fine too.
- Stir in the sour cream and most of the cheddar and bacon (I reserve some to top the soup with). Season the soup with salt & pepper as needed. Top each bowl with the scallions and remaining cheddar and bacon.
Notes
- If at any point the soup is too thick for you (especially when reheating it), add in some chicken broth slowly until your desired consistency is reached.
- I suggest reheating this soup on a low heat and stirring it often. The potatoes can cement on the bottom if the heat is too high.
- This recipe is also on page 165 of the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials cookbook.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Can you use frozen potatoes?
Hi! I’ve only tested it as written, but I think that should probably be ok. I’d just cook it for a little longer at a lower heat maybe (like until they thaw).
We really enjoyed this recipe. Very simple and very filling.
I’m so glad to hear it, Scott!
Very good! Definitely a thicker/heavier soup, great for winter. I subbed plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream and it was great. Very easy to make. You could lighten it up by pairing it with a salad or lean protein if desired, but also a complete meal on its own.
Glad you enjoyed it, Katie!
Thank you so much. My husband loves potato soup. So I’ve been looking for a recipe. Sure hopes this is the one!! God Bless.
Hope he loves it! Let me know! 😀
I followed all of the instructions, but my soup, even after 20 minutes, is still very liquidy.
Hi! That’s strange as it is quite a thick soup. Did you mash the potatoes as indicated? Perhaps you used smaller potatoes than I did? With time it’ll definitely thicken. I always have to add more broth to leftovers as it gets super thick.
Natasha,
love the recipe , but I will be honest that I love to change things up. A thicker soup, potato flakes work very well. Celery, corn, carrots, mushrooms, clean the vegetable bin.
We love to take can biscuits on a foil line baking sheet sprayed with olive oil. Brush with butter and add any sherdarded cheese to the top. They have to bake longer then directions on can. Bowl of soup and couple of biscuits. The only thing you hear spoons in bowls. Thanks again.
Love those ideas! You’re very welcome! 🙂
I didn’t grab bacon at the store because i forgot but, I just sautéed the onions in oil and then added everything else according and it turned out so good! We also use 1% and it didn’t change the creamy consistency at all. Thank you so much!
My 4year old also gave this a thumbs up! (Not knowing there was an onion!) 🙂
I’m happy it was a hit, Brittney!! 😀 Thank you for taking the time to write me a 5-star review! XO
Loved this! I skipped the sour cream and it still turned out great. I also only had heavy whipping cream & 2% milk on hand which I was able to make work.
How do you recommend freezing this & how long do you think it can be frozen for?
Hi April! I’m glad you liked it, and thank you for your review. 🙂 See the “leftovers & storage” section of the blog post.
I love this recipe. I make on soup and sandwich night. It’s a hit.
Wonderful!! Thanks for your review, Paul!
Very easy to follow and my family loved it!!! I did add in some other seasoning but that is obviously option. I will be making this again!
So glad it was a hit! Thanks!
Very good but too thick once it stands for awhile. I will be adding more chicken stock to make it a soup. But I tried something different, while thick I took about 1/2cup of the thick soup and put it into a frying pan with alittle gee, once heated I added two eggs scrambled. Cooking to my taste. It was really good! Already had my onions, bacon and cheese in the soup. Easy breakfast! Thank you
Hi Cathy! You are welcome! 😀 Yes, I found the same thing as you did and do mention in the blog post to add more broth to leftovers as it does thicken up. That is such a fun idea what you did to turn it into a breakfast. Thanks for sharing!!