It's finally soup season.
Loaded Baked Potato Soup combines the comforting, hearty flavors of a classic baked potato but in soup form. If you’re looking for a dish to warm up your heart, you need to try try this recipe! Creamy, indulgent and made in one pot. During these colder months, soup is the only thing you need simmering away on your stove top. Living in Washington for most of my childhood, we’re able to enjoy soup season a lot longer than most – no complaints here! One of my other favorite soups is the Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup with homemade Artisan Bread.
Why you'll love my recipe.
Hearty and Cozy
This soup combines the comforting, hearty flavors of a classic baked potato but in soup form. Creamy soup for the win!
Made in one pot
Now that’s my kind of recipe. Less dishes and more flavor.
Ingredient notes.
Yukon golden potatoes or russet
The heart of the soup. Wash the skins well and dice into equal pieces for even cooking time.
Mirepoix
Mirepoix is a fancy word for aromatics. It includes onions, celery, garlic and anything that adds extra flavor to a dish.
All-purpose flour
Used to thicken the soup.
Better than Bouillon Chicken Base
In my soup recipes, I like to use water and Better than Bouillon Chicken Base. You may replace the liquid quantity with half chicken broth and half water.
Heavy cream
Using cream gives this soup an extra level of creamy consistency.
Bacon, cheddar cheese, green onions and sour cream
Loaded Baked Potato Soup is not complete without all these classic add-ins!
For the rest of the ingredients, please see the recipe index card below!
How to make Loaded Baked Potato Soup.
The section below is a quick overview of how to make this recipe. For full details, see recipe index card below!
Cook the bacon
In a large heavy bottom pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon and set aside. Discard some of the bacon grease but leave most of it in the pot.
Sauté the Mirepoix
Make the roux
Add potatoes and broth
Add the cubed potatoes and water. Cover partially with a lid and bring to a low boil for 20-25 minutes. Then, add bouillon and simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes.
Please note that if you are using chicken broth instead of water and bouillon, substitute the liquid quantity with half chicken broth and half water and skip the additional boil time.
Add the cream
Add the heavy cream. Let the soup come to a low simmer for about 5 minutes until it starts to thicken up. Remove half the potatoes with some broth, blend in a blender until smooth and return back to the pot.
Mix in all your loaded toppings
Stir in the freshly shredded cheddar cheese slowly. Mix in all your loaded toppings. Reserve some aside for garnishing each bowl. Best served hot
How do I avoid lumps in my potato soup?
You don’t want to overwork the soup when you notice potato lumps. That is what causes the soup to feel gummy. Loaded Baked Potato Soup is naturally creamy from the buttery potatoes but also the addition of cream. I recommend removing half the potatoes, blending and returning back, leaving the other half in the pot for texture.
What if my soup is too thick?
Soup that is too thick can easily be thinned out with a little extra chicken broth or water.
Expert tips from my test kitchen.
Prep everything before you start cooking
Soups in general cook pretty quickly. Make sure all your vegetables are washed, cut and ready to go.
Blend half the potatoes
For the perfect balance of creamy and chunky, blend half of the potatoes once they are cooked and return back to the pot.
Don’t add cheese too soon
Add shredded cheese at the very end, off the stove. If you add it too soon or on high heat, the cheese may become grainy or clump. And ALWAYS freshly grate your cheese. That’s a number one rule in this corner of the internet.
What else can I add to my soup?
You can add carrots, leeks or spinach to increase nutritional value in Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Anything your heart desires!
What can I replace the heavy cream with?
If you’re looking for substitutes for heavy cream in Loaded Baked Potato Soup, here are some options and how they impact the soups thickness:
Half and Half
Slightly thinner than heavy cream but still creamy. To maintain thickness, consider adding a slurry of cornstarch and water to thicken the soup.
Cream cheese
Add thickness and a slight tang. Blend it into the soup for a silky texture.
Coconut milk
Thinner than heavy cream but a great dairy-free option.
How to store and reheat leftover soup.
Loaded Baked Potato Soup tends to thicken as it cools. Store in the refrigerator up to 2 to 3 days. When re-heating, warm in a saucepan over medium heat and add a splash of broth or water to return it to your desired consistency.
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Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 6 cups water
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 large Yukon golden potatoes may substitute for russet potatoes
- 3 Tablespoons Better than Bouillon Chicken Base see note below for substitutions
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the roux:
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 Tablespoons butter unsalted
For the mirepoix:
- 1 celery stick minced
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 6 garlic cloves minced
For the add-ins:
- 6 slices bacon diced, plus additional for garnish
- 2 Tablespoons sour cream plus additional for garnish
- 1 cup cheddar cheese freshly shredded, plus additional for garnish
- 1/4 cup Green onion plus additional, for garnish
Instructions
Cook the bacon.
- In a large heavy bottom pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon and set aside. Discard some of the bacon grease but leave most of it in the pot.6 slices bacon
Sauté the Mirepoix.
- Add the butter, onions, celery, garlic, salt and pepper to the same pot. Sauté for 5-10 minutes until softened and fragrant. Notice the salt quantity is low. This is because most of the salt comes from the cheese that is added to the soup later.3 Tablespoons butter, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 celery stick, 1 large yellow onion, 6 garlic cloves
Make the roux.
- Sprinkle the flour over the mirepoix, stir to combine and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until thickened.3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
Add the potatoes and broth.
- Add the cubed potatoes and water. Cover partially with a lid and bring to a medium low boil for 20-25 minutes. Then, add bouillon and simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes.Note: If you are using chicken broth instead of water and bouillon, substitute the recipe liquid quantity with half chicken broth and half water and skip the additional boil time. Broth tends to be very salty - avoid this by following my recommendations above.6 cups water, 4 large Yukon golden potatoes, 3 Tablespoons Better than Bouillon Chicken Base
Add the cream.
- Add the heavy cream. Let the soup come to a low simmer for about 5 minutes until it starts to thicken up.1 cup heavy cream
Blend the potatoes and serve.
- Remove half the potatoes with a little bit of broth from the soup, blend in a blender and return back to the pot. Stir to combine. Then, remove from the heat and slowly stir in the freshly shredded cheddar cheese until the soup thickens up. Mix in all your loaded toppings and stir to evenly distribute. Reserve some aside for garnishing each bowl. Best served hot.2 Tablespoons sour cream, 1 cup cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup Green onion
Nutrition
The provided nutritional value above is an estimate per serving. 100% accuracy is not guarenteed. Please see Nutrition Information Disclaimer in our Privacy Policy.
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
This soup is so easy to make and perfect for this cold weather!
Yay! It’s one of our favorites in the winter. 🙂
This soup was so creamy and hearty. It tasted just like a baked potato!
Thank you, Denise! We’re so happy you enjoyed our creamy soup recipe. 🙂
I made this soup last week and it was a hit. The flavors are out of this world. Super creamy and extremely delicious. I highly recommend it!
Thank you, Debbie! 🙂
So creamy and delicious. Great recipe and easy to make.
Thank you, Mike! So happy you enjoyed our soup.
Comfort food doesn’t get better than this loaded baked potato soup. My kids kept asking for seconds!!
Yay! Thank you for sharing. We’re so glad you enjoyed our recipe. 🙂