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Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Loaded baked potato soup with a thick, creamy texture from tender russet potatoes, a roux, and a partial mash. Crispy bacon, sour cream, and melted cheddar create classic loaded-baked-potato flavor in a cozy bowl.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Bacon
  • 6 slices bacon chopped (about 170 g)
Aromatics and seasoning
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
Soup base
  • 0.3333333333 cup all-purpose flour (42 g)
Liquids
  • 4 cup chicken broth (960 ml)
  • 2 cup whole milk (480 ml)
Potatoes
  • 3 lb russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (1.4 kg)
Dairy and toppings
  • 0.5 cup sour cream (120 g)
  • 1.5 cup shredded cheddar cheese plus more for topping (170 g)
  • 3 green onions sliced

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook bacon and build the base
  1. Cook the bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crisp, then transfer to a paper towel, leaving 2 tbsp of drippings in the pot.
  2. Add the butter and onion and cook for 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
  4. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute.
  5. Slowly whisk in the broth and milk until smooth.
Simmer potatoes and finish creamy
  1. Add the potatoes, salt, and black pepper and bring to a simmer.
  2. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
  3. Mash about half of the potatoes in the pot for a thick, creamy texture.
  4. Lower the heat and stir in the sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and half of the bacon.
Serve
  1. Serve topped with the remaining bacon, extra shredded cheddar cheese, and green onions.

Notes

For the thickest soup, mash while the potatoes are still hot and simmer just until fork-tender (don’t overcook). Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently, stirring to restore creaminess (it thickens as it cools). Freezing is not recommended because dairy can separate, but you can make it dairy-light by swapping sour cream for plain Greek yogurt and using reduced-fat cheddar.