Loaded Baked Potato Soup
All the toppings of a loaded baked potato — bacon, cheddar, sour cream, chives — but in soup form. Honestly, it might be better than the actual baked potato. The soup version is creamier, more concent
Ingredients
- 4 large russet potatoes
- 6 slices bacon (chopped)
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar
- salt and pepper
Toppings
- extra bacon crumbles
- shredded cheddar
- sour cream
- chopped chives
Method
Step 1: Prep the potatoes
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Bake the potatoes at 400°F for about 50-60 minutes until soft inside. Let them cool slightly, then cut in half and scoop out the flesh. Roughly chop it — you want some chunks and some smoother pieces for texture. Alternatively, microwave the potatoes for 10-12 minutes, turning halfway.
Step 2: Cook the bacon base
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In a large pot, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon and set aside — this is your topping. Leave about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pot. Add butter and the diced onion. Cook until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cook 30 seconds. Sprinkle flour over the mixture and stir for 1-2 minutes to make a roux.
Step 3: Build the soup
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Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, then the milk. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the potato flesh and stir. For a chunkier soup, leave it as is. For a smoother soup, use an immersion blender to partially blend — I like to blend about half and leave the rest chunky.
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Stir in the sour cream and 1 cup of the cheddar until melted and smooth. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Off the Galley Mike
Mike — Off The Galley
Six years as a Navy cook on submarines and destroyers, feeding 130 sailors from a galley the size of your bathroom. Now I cook the same big-flavor, no-nonsense food for my family of four — and share every recipe here. No culinary school. No fancy plating. Just real food that works, tested on the toughest critics afloat and the pickiest ones at home.
Loaded Baked Potato Soup — All the Toppings, in Soup Form
All the toppings of a loaded baked potato — bacon, cheddar, sour cream, chives — but in soup form. Honestly, it might be better than the actual baked potato. The soup version is creamier, more concentrated, and you get toppings in every single bite instead of just on top.
This is one of those recipes that sounds fancy at a restaurant but is ridiculously simple at home. You’re basically making mashed potatoes, thinning them out with broth and cream, and loading them up with everything good. It takes about 40 minutes and most of that is hands-off while the potatoes cook.
The Potato Choice
Russet potatoes are the move here. They’re starchy, which means they break down during cooking and naturally thicken the soup. Yukon Golds work too but give you a thinner consistency. Red potatoes hold their shape too well — you’ll end up with chunks in broth instead of creamy soup.
I bake the potatoes first (or microwave them in a pinch), which gives the soup a deeper, more roasted flavor than boiling. It takes longer but the difference is noticeable.
Ingredients
4 large russet potatoes, 6 slices bacon (chopped), 4 tablespoons butter, 1 medium onion (diced), 3 cloves garlic (minced), 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 4 cups chicken broth, 2 cups whole milk, 1 cup sour cream, 1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar, salt and pepper.
Toppings: extra bacon crumbles, shredded cheddar, sour cream, chopped chives.
How to Make It
1
1Prep the potatoes
Bake the potatoes at 400°F for about 50-60 minutes until soft inside. Let them cool slightly, then cut in half and scoop out the flesh. Roughly chop it — you want some chunks and some smoother pieces for texture. Alternatively, microwave the potatoes for 10-12 minutes, turning halfway.
2
2Cook the bacon base
In a large pot, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon and set aside — this is your topping. Leave about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pot. Add butter and the diced onion. Cook until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cook 30 seconds. Sprinkle flour over the mixture and stir for 1-2 minutes to make a roux.
3
3Build the soup
Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, then the milk. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the potato flesh and stir. For a chunkier soup, leave it as is. For a smoother soup, use an immersion blender to partially blend — I like to blend about half and leave the rest chunky.
Stir in the sour cream and 1 cup of the cheddar until melted and smooth. Season generously with salt and pepper.
The Toppings Make It
Ladle into bowls and load them up: crispy bacon, extra shredded cheddar, a dollop of sour cream, and plenty of chopped chives. This is where “loaded” happens. Don’t skimp — the toppings are the whole point.
What to Serve With It
Crusty bread is the obvious partner. Cornbread works beautifully too. A simple side salad adds freshness. This soup is rich enough to be the main course — you don’t need much else.
Pair it with chicken noodle soup and chili for a soup night spread that covers everyone’s preferences.
Make-Ahead Tips
You can bake the potatoes and cook the bacon a day ahead — the two most time-consuming steps. When ready to serve, the actual soup comes together in about 20 minutes. The finished soup stores well in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of milk if it’s thickened too much.
Getting the Texture Right
The ideal loaded baked potato soup is thick enough to coat a spoon but still pourable — not paste, not broth. You control this by how much you mash or blend the potatoes. More blending equals creamier and smoother. Less blending gives you chunks of potato in a creamy base, which is my preference because it reminds you that you’re eating actual potatoes, not just cream sauce.
If it’s too thin after assembling, simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes to reduce. If it’s too thick, add chicken broth a quarter cup at a time until you hit the right consistency. Every potato is different in starch content, so you might need to adjust.
Baking vs Boiling the Potatoes
I strongly prefer baking the potatoes first. It takes longer, but baked potatoes have a concentrated, roasted flavor that boiled potatoes simply don’t. Boiling leaches some starch and flavor into the water, which you then discard. Baking keeps everything inside the potato. If you’re in a time crunch, microwaving the potatoes for 10-12 minutes gives you 80% of the baked flavor in a fraction of the time. Boiling should be your last resort for this recipe.
The Restaurant Copycat
If you’ve ever had loaded baked potato soup at a chain restaurant and thought “I could make this at home,” you absolutely can — and yours will be better. Restaurant versions tend to use thickeners, stabilizers, and reheated bases that give them a slightly gummy texture. Homemade is fresher, more flavorful, and you control the toppings. Plus, one batch makes about 8 servings for the cost of one restaurant bowl.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a slow cooker?
Yes. Bake or microwave the potatoes first, then combine everything in the slow cooker on low for 4-6 hours. Add the sour cream and cheese in the last 30 minutes.
Can I freeze this soup?
You can, with some caveats.
The dairy-heavy base can get grainy when frozen and thawed. If you want to freeze it, leave out the sour cream and cheese, freeze the base, and add them fresh when reheating.
How do I make it thicker?
Mash more of the potato chunks, or add an extra tablespoon of flour to the roux. You can also simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to reduce the liquid.
Turning It Into a Meal
This soup is hearty enough to be dinner on its own, but serving it in a bread bowl takes it to restaurant territory. Hollow out a round sourdough loaf, ladle the soup inside, and eat the bowl as you go. The bread absorbs the creamy soup and becomes part of the meal. For a lighter pairing, serve alongside a simple green salad with vinaigrette to cut through the richness.
Batch Cooking and Freezing
Make a double batch and freeze half in quart-size freezer bags. Thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of milk (frozen dairy-based soups thicken). The toppings (bacon, cheese, chives, sour cream) should be added fresh after reheating, not frozen with the soup. This gives you two dinners from one cooking session — one tonight and one on a future weeknight when you don’t feel like cooking.
The Russet Potato Advantage
Russet potatoes are the best choice for this soup because they break down during cooking, naturally thickening the broth without needing excessive flour or cream. Yukon Golds hold their shape better, which means you’d need to mash more aggressively. Red potatoes stay too firm and waxy. Russets do the work for you — they partially dissolve into a starchy, creamy base that gives the soup its characteristic thick, velvety body.
More From Off The Galley
Classic Meatloaf · Chicken And Dumplings · Beef Pot Roast · Biscuits And Gravy · Olive Garden Breadsticks