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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 next.
Why you’ll enjoy it
This baked potato soup is a perennial 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 claimed this is the one they’ve been searching for, which I love to hear. It’s super hearty, you’ve probably got most of the ingredients on hand, and it’s a winter meal everyone will crave.
In case you’re wondering, we’re not actually baking the potatoes for this soup. Techniques for making this popular recipe vary, but I find it easier to just get on with the soup and cook it all in one pot in one go. I always go with the simpler option if the taste is there! And it definitely is. As the weather gets cooler, I hope this soup will become a staple in your home.
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.
- 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
- Garlic – it’s another tasty aromatic. I like to mince it with this garlic press since you avoid sticky garlic fingers, and there’s no peeling of the cloves needed.
- 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.
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 with kitchen shears 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 tasty browned bits, and increase the heat. Right before it boils, turn it down and simmer for 20 minutes. When the potatoes are tender, 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 tips
- As with any creamy potato soup, it’s very important to add enough salt to bring out all the flavors.
- I recommend grating your own cheddar from a block rather than using the pre-shredded kind in a bag. It melts way better and has a superior taste as well.
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.
More cozy soup recipes
Questions? Leave me a comment below, and definitely let me know if you’ve tried this loaded potato soup recipe. 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.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Amazing, I prefer getting new inspiration after reading your blog
Thank you!!
wow! it was so easy to make and delicious!
Great! Thanks for commenting!
It was a rainy day today and my husband wasn’t feeling the best. So…to help him feel better I decided to make an old fashioned potato soup like his father used to do for him as a young boy. Not really knowing the recipe I used yours. He loved it!! Not only did he say it made him feel better but also brought back wonderful memories of his dad. I didn’t add the sour cream and cheddar cheese to it as called for though. Instead I served it with taco cheese and a dollop of sour cream, with the leftover bacon bits and scallions on top. What a hit with both of us…it was so good, Thankyou!! What a terrific end to finish out our day! I’d recommend this recipe to anyone again and again any day!!
Aww I’m so glad it was a hit! 🙂 That’s so nice it brought back good memories. You’re very welcome, and thanks for coming back to write me a review, Dee!
Just made it. Delicious!
Great!! Thanks for taking the time to comment! XO
Just finished making it and it’s sooooo good!
Wonderful! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
I made this for the first time and my family loved it !!!
They request it weekly! Thanks so much
Woo hoo!! That makes me so happy. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, Tonya!
I’m wondering how this would do in an instant pot? I’m so excited to make this.
Hi! This recipe is a bit more complex, so a straight translation to the IP may not work. I know that sometimes flour/cornstarch don’t work so well in the Instant Pot, and I am afraid that boiling the milk at such a high temperature may curdle it.
Super rich and delish! Made for lunch today and left overs for the week. Thank you for the recipe.
Wonderful!! Thanks for commenting! XO
I had to come back and leave a comment for this as well!! SOOOO good!! My soon to be 8 year old has requested this for his birthday dinner!! This soup is beyond tasty! You’re 2/2 and I can’t wait to try another one of your recipes!
I’m so happy to hear that! Hope he has a great birthday! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
This is a very tasty potato soup. I substituted yogurt for the sour cream.
So glad you liked it!!