Baked Potato Soup

All the flavors of a classic loaded baked potato like bacon, chives, and cheddar cheese are deconstructed into this creamy baked potato soup, perfect for cozying up with on a cold day! 

Why this recipe works

This baked potato soup screams comfort food, the type you reach for in the winter months when you’re looking for something that’ll stick to your ribs and keep you warm. It’s basically what the title says it is, a baked potato, but served as a soup with a little help from chicken broth, milk, and heavy cream to thicken it up and some onions, garlic, and cheddar cheese for loads of flavor. 

This recipe is definitely a classic around our house, it’s an easy and ultra-satisfying meal the whole family will love. Just like our cheddar cheese potato soup, you can’t forget the crumbled bacon on top when serving!

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

POTATOES – We used Yukon gold potatoes, but you can substitute with Russet.

CHEESE – I highly recommend grating your own cheese from the block, it really does make a difference. Pre shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents which prevent the cheese from melting well and can cause the soup to be grainy in texture.

BACON – The bacon grease in the soup is optional, but it does add another dimension of flavor and is recommended.

DAIRY – You can use reduced-fat milk if preferred. The heavy cream is what helps the soup be ultra creamy,  but feel free to omit it for a lighter consistency.

How to Make Baked Potato Soup

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. You can add 1 tablespoon of reserved bacon grease, if desired, to add flavor.
2. Add onions and garlic to the melted butter and saute for 2-3 minutes, until onions soften.
3. Add the diced potatoes to the pot and cook, stirring frequently, over medium-low heat. Cook for about 10 minutes, until potatoes are softened.
4. Sprinkle flour, pepper, and salt over the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring to cook the flour and distribute it evenly throughout the pot.
5. Slowly add the chicken broth and the milk to the pot, adding just a little at a time and stirring to combine the liquid with the flour, which will thicken the soup.
6. Simmer over medium-low for 5-10 minutes more, until the potatoes are cooked through and are soft.
7. Use a potato masher to break apart the potato chunks – you can mash them quite a bit or just a little, depending on how chunky you want your soup.
8. Stir in the heavy cream and the cheddar cheese, cooking over low until the cheese is melted and the soup is thick.
9. Stir in ½ of the bacon pieces, reserving the rest for topping the soup.
10. Serve soup with reserved bacon, extra cheese, and chives.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Serving Suggestions

Serve baked potato soup with chunks of crusty bread for dipping. A nice leafy side salad is always a welcome addition to soup as well. Don’t forget to garnish with extra bacon, cheese, chives, and an optional dollop of sour cream! 

More Soup Recipes

• Taco Soup
• Cheeseburger Soup
• Broccoli Cheese Soup
• Chicken Gnocchi Soup
• Chicken Tortilla Soup

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Baked Potato Soup

It's basically what the title says it is, a baked potato, but served as a soup with a little help from chicken broth, milk, and heavy cream to thicken it up and some onions, garlic, and cheddar cheese for loads of flavor. 

5 from 16 votes

IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8 servings

45 minutes mins

Calories: 537

Author: Amanda Davis

Ingredients

• ▢ ½ pound bacon cooked and crumbled. reserve 1 tablespoon bacon fat, if desired
• ▢ 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ ½ yellow onion finely chopped
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic finely minced
• ▢ 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes peeled and diced into 1/2 inch pieces
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 cups chicken broth
• ▢ 2 cups whole milk
• ▢ 8 ounces grated cheddar cheese medium or sharp, plus more for garnish
• ▢ 1 cup heavy cream
• ▢ ½ cup chives finely chopped

Things You’ll Need

• ▢
  Large stockpot
• ▢
  Potato Masher

Before You Begin

• Bacon grease in the soup is optional, but it does add another dimension of flavor and is recommended.
• Keep the vegetables cooking over medium-low heat. If the heat is too high, or if you do not stir, you’ll get some sticking to the bottom of the pot. If there is some browning on the bottom of the pot, don’t worry – it will incorporate into the soup once the liquids are added (the broth will deglaze the pan). Browned bits will add flavor to the soup, but the soup’s appearance will not be as light and creamy. Burned bits on the bottom of the pan will make the soup bitter. If you have burned bits in your pan, I recommend transferring the cooked vegetables to another container, washing the pot, and then proceeding to add the chicken broth, milk, etc.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Do not freeze this soup, the dairy products in the soup will not thaw well.
• Substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth and omit the bacon for a vegetarian soup.
• You can use reduced fat milk and/or omit the heavy cream for a lighter soup.
• I highly recommend grating your own cheese from the block, it really does make a difference. Pre shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents which prevent the cheese from melting well and can cause the soup to be grainy in texture.

Instructions

• In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. You can add 1 tablespoon of reserved bacon grease, if desired, to add flavor.
• Add onions and garlic to the melted butter and saute for 2-3 minutes, until onions soften.
• Add the diced potatoes to the pot, and cook, stirring frequently, over medium low heat. Cook for about 10 minutes, until potatoes are softened.
• Sprinkle flour, pepper, and salt over the vegetables and cook 2-minutes more, stirring to cook the flour and distribute it evenly throughout the pot.
• Slowly add the chicken broth and the milk to the pot, adding just a little at a time and stirring to combine the liquid with the flour, which will thicken the soup.
• Simmer over medium low for 5-10 minutes more, until the potatoes are cooked through and are soft.
• Use a potato masher to break apart the potato chunks – you can mash them quite a bit or just a little, depending on how chunky you want your soup.
• Stir in the heavy cream and the cheddar cheese, cooking over low until the cheese is melted and the soup is thick.
• Stir in ½ of the bacon pieces, reserving the rest for topping the soup.
• Serve soup with reserved bacon, extra cheese, and chives.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 537cal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 921mg | Potassium: 715mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1119IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 321mg | Iron: 1mg

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