Loaded Baked Potato Soup
This loaded baked potato soup turns four russet potatoes into a thick, spoon-coating bowl that tastes like a fully dressed baked potato, with crisp bacon, sharp cheddar, sour cream, and green onion built right into the pot.
Equipment
- Dutch oven - or heavy soup pot, at least 5 quarts
- Large stockpot - (optional) backup option if you do not own a Dutch oven
- Vegetable peeler - for the potatoes
- Box grater - for shredding cheese from a block
- Potato masher - to thicken the base
- Immersion blender - (optional) if you prefer a smoother finish
- Balloon whisk - for a lump-free roux
- Wooden spoon - for stirring and scraping the bottom
- Soup Ladle - for serving
Ingredients
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon - about 6 oz / 170 g, chopped
- 2 lb russet potatoes - 900 g, about 4 medium, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces
- 1 medium yellow onion - about 1 cup / 150 g, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- ¼ cup unsalted butter - 55 g
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour - 30 g
- 4 cups chicken broth - 950 ml
- 2 cups whole milk - 475 ml
- 1 cup heavy cream - 240 ml
- 1½ cups sharp cheddar cheese - 170 g, freshly shredded
- ½ cup sour cream - 120 g, at room temperature
- 3 green onions - thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
- 1 teaspoon salt - plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the Toppings
- extra shredded cheddar cheese - for topping
- reserved crisp bacon - for topping
- sour cream - a little more, for topping
- green parts of the green onions - sliced, for topping
Instructions
- Place your Dutch oven over medium heat and add the chopped bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 9 minutes until crisp and the fat has rendered out.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving the drippings in the pot. Spoon off all but about 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat.
- Add the butter to the reserved bacon fat and let it melt over medium heat. Stir in the diced onion and the white parts of the green onions and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour evenly over the onions and butter. Whisk constantly for 1 to 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste until it forms a thick, pale paste.
- Pour in the chicken broth slowly, whisking the whole time to keep the roux smooth. Add the diced russet potatoes and stir to combine.
- Season with the salt and black pepper. Bring the pot to a gentle boil, then reduce to a steady simmer.
- Let the soup simmer, uncovered, for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring now and then and scraping the bottom so nothing sticks, until a fork slides through a potato piece with no resistance.
- Lower the heat to medium-low. Use a potato masher to mash roughly half of the potatoes directly in the pot, or run an immersion blender along one side for a few short pulses, leaving plenty of soft chunks.
- With the heat on medium-low, pour in the whole milk and heavy cream. Warm the soup through for 3 to 4 minutes without letting it boil.
- Add the shredded cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until each addition melts. Stir in the sour cream last, mixing until the soup looks glossy and smooth.
- Stir in most of the crisp bacon, reserving some for the top. Taste and adjust with more salt and pepper as needed.
- Ladle the soup into bowls while hot. Top each bowl with extra cheddar, the reserved bacon, a dollop of sour cream, and the sliced green parts of the green onions.
Notes
- Temper the dairy. Lower the heat before the milk and cream go in to prevent the soup from splitting into grainy curds.
- Shred your own cheese. Block cheddar grated at home melts cleaner than bagged shreds, which are coated to resist clumping.
- Cut potatoes evenly. Uniform ½-inch pieces cook at the same rate, so you avoid raw centers next to mush.
- Do not fully blend the soup. Over-processing russets releases too much starch and turns the whole pot gluey.
- Salt in stages. Bacon, broth, and cheese all add sodium, so season lightly at first and adjust at the end.
- Storage: Refrigerate cooled soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Store toppings separately so the bacon stays crisp.
- Reheating: Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often, and add a splash of milk or broth since the soup thickens once chilled. Avoid boiling.
- Freezing: Freezing is possible but imperfect because cream-based soups can turn grainy. For best results, freeze the soup base before adding the dairy, then stir in milk, cream, and cheese when you reheat.
- Truly baked potato version: Bake the russets at 400°F (200°C) for about an hour, scoop out the flesh, and stir it in during Step 4 in place of the raw diced potato, adding roughly an extra hour of total time.
- Slow cooker method: Cook the bacon and build the base on the stove, then transfer to a slow cooker to simmer the potatoes. Add the dairy during the last 30 minutes on low.
Nutrition
Serving: 1BowlCalories: 485kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 15gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 820mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6g
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