Loaded Potato Soup

Enjoy a comforting potato soup filled with tender chunks of potato in a thick, creamy broth. It’s simple to prepare, delicious, and can be ready in 30 minutes!

Loaded Potato Soup Overview

A really yummy potato soup recipe that's rich and creamy. This bowl of soup, made with hearty russet potatoes, is incredibly comforting. Although it stands well alone, the toppings elevate the taste to a whole new level!

Here's a quick overview of how the soup is made: Start by cooking a few strips of bacon in a pot until they're crispy, and set them aside for later. In the bacon grease, sauté chopped onion and garlic to infuse flavor. Then, add milk and broth to create the soup base, followed by the chopped potatoes. Let them simmer until they’re tender. After that, blend half of the soup until it’s smooth and creamy. Finally, mix this pureed portion back into the chunky potato soup for a rich, creamy texture.

Simple toppings are just like those you’d add to a baked potato: a dollop of sour cream, crispy crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, and chopped scallions.

Recipe Ingredients

• 6 strips bacon - uncooked
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 5 large russet potatoes - peeled and chopped (you can also use golden potatoes)
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• ¾ cup sour cream
• Toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, scallions or chives, additional sour cream, and crumbled bacon.

Kitchen Equipment Used

• Either a high speed blender or a food processor to make the soup smooth and creamy.
• Dutch oven pot or large soup pot
• Vegetable peeler to peel the potatoes
• Soup ladle
• Measuring spoons - this is a magnetic set that sticks together in the drawer to keep organized.

How To Make Loaded Potato Soup

Full ingredients and instructions are also in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.

PREP: Wash, peel and chop 6 large russet potatoes into small cubes that are similar in size.

STEP 1: Cook 6 strips of bacon in a large pot over medium high heat until crispy. Add the bacon to folded paper towel and crumble into bite-size pieces. Leave the bacon grease in the pot to cook the chopped onion in step 2.

STEP 2: Add 1 cup chopped yellow onion to the pot over medium-high heat. Cook the onions for 2-3 minutes in the bacon grease. Next, fold up a paper towel and swish it around the pot to absorb the excess bacon grease (this step is optional).

STEP 3: Add 2 minced garlic cloves and ¼ cup all-purpose flour to the pot. Stir together and cook 30 seconds.

STEP 4: Next, pour in 3 cups milk, and 1 cup heavy cream. Gently stir and let simmer for 3-4 minutes to allow the liquid to thicken

STEP 5: Now add the 5 large russet potatoes (peeled and chopped into 1" cubes), 2 cups chicken broth, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp ground black pepper. Stir together. Bring the soup to a boil then reduce to let simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft and tender when poked with a fork.

STEP 6: Now scoop about half of the soup into a high speed blender (careful as the soup will be hot!). Blend until the soup is smooth and creamy. Pour this back into the pot and stir with the other ingredients.

NOTE: You can also add the soup to food processor, blending until creamy .

STEP 7: Next, add 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese and ¾ cup sour cream. Stir it into the soup and let simmer 2-3 minutes until an even creamy texture forms. The soup is now ready to serve. Scoop it into bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream, chopped scallions, shredded cheese and crumbled bacon.

How To Store Leftovers

• Refrigerate – Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just give it a good stir before reheating as the liquid separates a bit.
• To Reheat – Reheat on the stove covered with a pot, or in the microwave covered with a paper towel and stirred halfway through.