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The Best Loaded Baked Potato Soup with Bacon

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A thick, creamy, and indulgent loaded baked potato soup with bacon, cheese, sour cream, and chives. This one-pot wonder comes together in under an hour with simple ingredients and is guaranteed to win over even the pickiest eaters.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 slices bacon, chopped
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 4 large russet potatoes (about 2 pounds), peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • ½ cup sour cream, plus more for serving
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ cup fresh chives or green onions, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Cook the bacon: Place the chopped bacon in a cold Dutch oven. Turn heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy and fat is rendered (8-10 minutes). Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Leave 2-3 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pot.
  2. Sauté the onion: Add butter to the bacon fat. Once melted, add diced onion. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent (about 5 minutes). Do not let it brown.
  3. Make the roux: Sprinkle flour over the onions and stir constantly for about 2 minutes until the mixture is pasty and smells slightly nutty.
  4. Add the liquid: Slowly pour in chicken broth while whisking vigorously. Continue stirring until smooth and slightly thickened (about 3 minutes). Then add milk and heavy cream, stirring to combine.
  5. Cook the potatoes: Add diced potatoes, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir, bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender but not falling apart.
  6. Blend the cream cheese: In a small bowl, whisk softened cream cheese with about ½ cup of hot soup until smooth. This tempers the cream cheese to prevent curdling.
  7. Add cream cheese and cheddar: Pour cream cheese mixture into the pot and stir until fully incorporated. Gradually add shredded cheddar cheese, a handful at a time, stirring until each addition is melted before adding the next.
  8. Mash or blend: Use a potato masher to gently mash some of the potatoes in the pot, leaving about half whole for texture. For a smoother soup, use an immersion blender for a few pulses.
  9. Finish with sour cream: Stir in sour cream until fully incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
  10. Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and top with crispy bacon, extra shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and a generous sprinkle of chives or green onions.

Notes

For best results, shred cheese from a block to avoid anti-caking agents. Do not boil the soup after adding dairy to prevent separation. The soup thickens as it sits; add a splash of milk or broth when reheating. For a vegetarian version, omit bacon, use vegetable broth, and add smoked paprika for smoky flavor.

Nutrition

Keywords: loaded baked potato soup, potato soup with bacon, creamy potato soup, comfort food, easy soup recipe, one-pot soup, weeknight dinner

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