Loaded Baked Potato Soup is a hearty soup recipe loaded with russet potatoes, bacon, cheddar cheese, onions, chicken broth and cream.
Loaded Baked Potato Soup is a creamy soup with all the flavours of a loaded baked potato.
This potato soup is garnished with sour cream, bacon pieces, cheddar cheese and chopped green onions.
This soup recipe takes a little over and hour from start to finish and serves up to ten people.
Printable Recipe Card with a Full List of Ingredients and Instructions is Located at the Bottom of the Post.
Be sure to read through the entire post so that you don’t miss out on any important tips and tricks!
To make this loaded potato soup, I started by chopping some bacon.
I dumped the bacon pieces into a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
I cooked the bacon until it was brown and crispy.
I used a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel lined plate.
I added some diced onions, celery and matchstick carrots to the pot with the bacon grease.
I cooked the vegetables until tender.
I added some diced potatoes, chicken broth, salt, pepper, chicken base, garlic powder, and dried parsley to the pot and stirred.
I brought the liquid to a boil.
Then I immediately reduced the heat, covered the pot and left the soup to simmer for about forty-five minutes until the potatoes were tender.
I removed the pot from the heat.
I used a potato masher to mash some of the potato chunks in the soup.
I added some shredded cheddar cheese to the pot.
I stirred until the cheese was melted.
I added about two thirds of the cooked bacon pieces to the pot.
I stirred well.
Then I added some half and half to the pot.
I stirred well again.
Then the cheesy bacon and potato soup was ready to serve.
I ladled the soup into bowls.
I sprinkled some of the cooked bacon pieces, shredded cheddar cheese and chopped green onions on top.
I also spooned some sour cream on top.
This chunky potato cheddar soup is the perfect comfort food for cold weather.
If you are looking for a hearty potato soup recipe, then you need to try this Loaded Baked Potato Soup!
More Potato Soup Recipes You’ll Love…
PRINTABLE VERSION OF THE RECIPE CAN BE FOUND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make This Loaded Baked Potato Soup:
- 1 pound bacon
- 1 medium onion, finely diced (about ¾-1 cup)
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- 1 cup matchstick carrots
- 6-8 cups peeled, diced Russet potatoes, about 4 pounds
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon chicken base
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon dried parsley
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 ½ cups half and half
Garnish
- Cooked bacon pieces
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Sliced green onion or chives
- Sour cream
- Fresh ground black pepper
How to Make Loaded Baked Potato Soup:
- Cut the bacon into half inch pieces.
- Add the bacon pieces to a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Cook the bacon until it’s brown and crispy.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain.
- Drain all but 2 Tablespoons of bacon grease from the pot.
- Add onion, celery, and carrots to the pot. Sauté the veggies until tender.
- Add potatoes, chicken broth, salt, pepper, chicken base, garlic powder, and dried parsley. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, leaving some room for steam to escape, and simmer for about 45 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender.
- Turn off the heat. Mash some of the potatoes with a potato masher, if desired.
- Add the cheese and stir until melted.
- Add approximately two thirds of the cooked bacon pieces and stir to combine.
- Add half and half and stir to combine.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish.
- Serve and enjoy!
NOTES:
- I used a pound of bacon for this soup. It makes this soup extra hardy and an excellent “main dish” soup.
- I like using some celery leaves along with the celery stalks for soups. Think of the celery as a vegetable and the leaves as an herb.
- I used chicken base in this recipe for the extra flavor it imparts. My favorite is the chicken flavored “Better than Boullion.” If you are sensitive to salt, use low-sodium chicken broth and omit the additional salt listed in the ingredients.
- Mashing the potatoes helps to thicken the soup without adding flour or cornstarch. This step is optional, but I like the creaminess it adds to the soup’s texture.
- I recommend turning off the heat before adding the half and half to prevent the risk of the soup curdling.
- Because the soup tends to thicken upon refrigeration, additional chicken broth is handy to help thin the soup when reheating.
- Why does this soup call for Russet Potatoes, and does it matter? Yes! It matters. Russets are low in moisture. As the soup cooks, the potatoes absorb the broth and break down. The result is a creamy soup that doesn’t require additional ingredients to thicken it. This is wonderful for those who are gluten sensitive or intolerant.
- Can I use pre-cooked bacon? Sure! You will need to add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil to the dutch oven to saute the onions, celery, and carrots to replace the grease from the bacon.
- What is chicken base? Is it the same as broth or stock? Chicken base is a highly concentrated flavoring of blended chicken and vegetables. It has a thick consistency, almost similar to a paste. It is different from broth or stock, and they are not interchangeable.
- Can I use bullion cubes instead of chicken broth? Sure! Just follow the directions on the packaging for making 4 cups of broth.
- Can I use milk or heavy whipping cream to replace the half-and-half? Yes! Either of these choices are a good substitute. However, we recommend using whole milk to keep the soup’s richness comparable to the original recipe.
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Loaded Baked Potato Soup is a hearty soup recipe loaded with russet potatoes, bacon, cheddar cheese, onions, chicken broth and cream.
Ingredients
- 1 pound bacon
- 1 medium onion, finely diced (about ¾-1 cup)
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- 1 cup matchstick carrots
- 6-8 cups peeled, diced Russet potatoes, about 4 pounds
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon chicken base
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon dried parsley
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 ½ cups half and half
Garnish
- Cooked bacon pieces
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Sliced green onion or chives
- Sour cream
- Fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cut the bacon into half inch pieces.
- Add the bacon pieces to a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Cook the bacon until it's brown and crispy.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain.
- Drain all but 2 Tablespoons of bacon grease from the pot.
- Add onion, celery, and carrots to the pot. Sauté the veggies until tender.
- Add potatoes, chicken broth, salt, pepper, chicken base, garlic powder, and dried parsley. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, leaving some room for steam to escape, and simmer for about 45 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender.
- Turn off the heat. Mash some of the potatoes with a potato masher, if desired.
- Add the cheese and stir until melted.
- Add approximately two thirds of the cooked bacon pieces and stir to combine.
- Add half and half and stir to combine.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- The soup will keep for five days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- To reheat, place in a small pot on the stovetop over medium-low heat until heated. A single serving of soup may be reheated in the microwave.
- I do not recommend freezing this soup.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1445Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 87mgSodium: 1637mgCarbohydrates: 240gFiber: 26gSugar: 15gProtein: 53g
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Hi! My name is Erin and I have been here since 2016 sharing simple family friendly recipes that can be prepared by any home cook. Get ready to whip up delicious meals in no time!