Loaded Baked Potato Soup is one of the most comforting soups you can ever have! This potato soup recipe is loaded with crispy bacon, soft golden potatoes, cheese, and green onions.
When it’s cold outside, comfort foods and warm soups are just what we need to warm up. Loaded baked potato soup checks all of those boxes! It’s easy to make, has an amazing flavor, and it’s comforting for your tummy and soul.
This soup has the best of the baked potato flavors in all in one comforting bowl. There is the hearty based of potato soup and all finished with bacon, sharp cheddar cheese sour cream, and green onions.
This homemade potato soup, is so much better than the one you can get at Panera or any other restaurant. Plus, you will have the whole batch all to yourself. You can even make a double batch for a big family dinner!
How To Make Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Cook the bacon and onions. Sauté bacon in butter first until the bacon is half way done and then add onions and cook until they are soft starting to caramelize.
Add the potatoes. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
Stir in the broth. There should be enough liquid to just cover the potatoes, though that may depend on how wide your pot is. Add the garlic as well and bring to a boil.
Simmer: Stir in the seasonings, add a bay leaf, and cover with a lid. Once the potatoes are mostly tender, remove the lid and continue cooking until soft.
Add remaining ingredients. Mix until well combined and cook the loaded potato soup for a few more minutes.
Serve: Once the cheese is completely melted, spoon into bowls and serve garnished with more cheese, bacon, and green onions!
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Short on time? Peel, chop, and shred everything in advance and store in an air-tight container, in the refrigerator. (Note: potatoes will oxidize and turn brown on the outside if you peel them ahead of time. But, don’t worry, they are completely safe to eat. Just chop peeled potatoes and cook.) Don’t prep ingredients more than a day ahead or everything will start to wilt.
- Chop bacon cold. The meat is less likely to pull or tear when it’s cold from the refrigerator. Also, use a large, sharp chef’s knife rather than a utility knife.
- Want a smoother texture? Mash some of the potatoes in the pot before serving. Just don’t mash too much or overmix, since that can create a gluey texture from all the starch that’s released.
Storing and Reheating
Transfer any leftovers to a food storage container with an air-tight lid and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
You can easily reheat individual portions of soup in the microwave, in increments of about 45 seconds. Stir it between each increment of time so it reheats evenly. It’s best to reheat in increments to prevent soup from being singed or separated.
If the texture is too thick, add a splash of vegetable stock or milk until it reaches the right consistency.
How to Freeze Loaded Baked Potato Soup?
Usually, soups with dairy products don’t freeze well so you can freeze the soup without adding heavy cream and sour cream. (Add heavy cream and sour cream when reheating.)
You can use one large container, large freezer bag, or divide it into smaller zip-top freezer bags for individual servings. Be sure to leave some room at the top to allow for expansion as the soup freezes.
Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat it over medium-low heat on stovetop and stir in heavy cream and sour cream.
How To Serve Loaded Potato Soup?
While loaded baked potato soup is more than enough on its own, you could easily pair a smaller bowl with a delicious sandwich or some roasted chicken.
Dress it up with all your favorite toppings too!
- Shredded cheese
- Bacon pieces
- Chives
- Herbs: dill weed or parsley
- Sour cream
- Croutons
- Roasted corn kernels
More Comforting Soup Recipes
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Greatest Baked Potato Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 lb raw bacon diced
- 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 lbs cubed golden potatoes
- 2 cups vegetable stock enough to cover the potatoes
- salt
- cracked black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2-3 tbsp sour cream
- 1/2 cup chopped green onion
- 1 tsp fresh dill weed
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients first. Dice cold bacon and onion into small pieces. (Note that bacon is easier to cut when it's cold.) Peel and dice potatoes and measure remaining ingredients.You can dice and prepare green onion and dill when ready to add to the soup.
- Preheat a Dutch oven over medium heat and melt butter in it.
- Add diced bacon and cook it until about half way cooked. Add yellow onion and sauté until onion and bacon are fully cooked.
- Add pressed garlic and sauté until fragrant.
- Add the cubed potatoes and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Pour in chicken stock (enough to just cover the potatoes) and stir well. Bring the soup to simmer on medium-high heat and then reduce heat to medium-low.
- Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and add bay leaf. Cover and cook until the potatoes are mostly tender. Take the lid off and cook until potatoes are completely tender. Make sure to stir often.
- Stir in dill weed, green onion, sour cream, cheese, and heavy cream. Mix well and cook for a few more minutes and serve!
Video
Notes
- Storing: Transfer any leftovers to a food storage container with an air-tight lid and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
- Reheating: You can easily reheat individual portions of soup in the microwave, in increments of about 45 seconds. Stir it between each increment of time so it reheats evenly. It’s best to reheat in increments to prevent soup from being singed or separated.
- When reheating, if the texture is too thick, add a splash of vegetable stock or milk until it reaches the right consistency.
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles on May 27, 2011.
Lisa says
Made this soup for my family and they loved it!
Total keeper in my home menu. Thanks!
LyubaB says
Thanks, Lisa! Glad you like the soup! 🙂
Karen says
I made this today. It’s the best potato soup I’ve ever ate. My family agreed. I’ve had potato soup at many restaurants and this beat them all. I did add 1/2 a block of cream cheese and used chicken broth instead because that’s all I had but this was so delicious.
LyubaB says
Wow, thank you for such a sweet complement! I am so glad you and your family enjoyed it!
Marianne says
We had a BLIZZARD today in the Midwest, and I was looking for some comforting soup recipes. I came across
this loaded baked potato soup and I was thrilled that I had all the ingredients to make it. It looks just like yours
and it tasted so so good! Sorry no picture, I ate it right up. There is still enough for one more serving, but I’ll eat that before my hubby wakes up! LOL!! Yeah, it’s seriously that good!
LyubaB says
Oh, good! I am so glad you liked it, Marianne!
Aimee Waite says
This was amazing and my husband told me it his favorite recipe ever!!
LyubaB says
Wow! What a compliment! I am so glad he liked it so much!
Jason says
Ingredient list calls for Vegetable Stock but the instructions use Chicken Stock. Just an FYI.
Cindy says
I just gotdone making this and I’m eating right now as I’m typing this. This loaded potato soup is absolutely delicious. Thank you.
LyubaB says
Your so welcome, Cindy! I am so glad you like it!
Annemarie Gibbs says
Try taking the skins of the potatoes (use a knife and make them skins chunky), tossing in oil and salt, then baking in the oven, and serving along side the soup, to dip or scoop the soup up. Even more like a soupy baked potato.
LyubaB says
That sounds yummy!
Amber Branconier says
this looks A-MAZ-ING!!!
Ani says
Thanks for stopping by My Favorite Things. I appreciate your comment. And your soup looks scrumptious!
Nicolette says
This looks great. I wish it wasn’t nearly 100 here or I’d make it tonight 🙂
Melynda says
You made some great soup! I love potato soup, and yours looks wonderful.
Rhi The Challenged Cook says
What a delicious looking soup. I always puree my potato soup, and looking at yours I can’t imagine why I do. Those chunks of potato just jump out at me, waiting to be eaten. Thanks for the inspiration.