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This easy and delicious Loaded Potato Soup is packed with classic baked potato toppings like bacon, sour cream, and cheddar cheese. Ready in about an hour, i’s thick, cozy, and ultra-creamy – no heavy cream required!
Your Favorite Fully Loaded Baked Potato, in Soup Form
I have a handful of dinner recipes that are so simple, so delicious, and so universally loved that they hold a permanent spot in my weeknight rotation. This loaded potato soup is one of them. Filling, cozy, and super easy to make, it’s perfect on a chilly day. Unlike my ultra-chunky potato soup with ham, this fully loaded potto soup is blended until silky smooth and ULTRA creamy. Even if you only kinda like buttery, cheesy, bacon-packed baked potatoes or twice-baked potatoes, you’ll love this soup.
Table of Contents
Ingredients and Substitutions
This easy potato soup recipe is made with simple, everyday ingredients (plus a few “loaded potato soup” favorites). Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- Bacon – Salty, smoky bacon bits are key to fully loaded baked potatoes, so why should this soup be any different? To infuse this soup with delicious flavor of bacon, we’re cooking the bacon first, then using the reserved bacon grease to soften the vegetables. Feel free to use your favorite bacon. I love smoky thick-cut bacon, but anything will work. Vegetarian alternative: You can make this potato soup recipe without bacon. Add 1-2 teaspoons of smoked paprika for smokiness.
- Onions, carrots, celery, and garlic – This simple aromatic base (also known as the mirepoix) offers rich and savory flavor. The key is cooking them slowly over medium-low heat until they are starting to soften before moving onto the next step. Pro tip: If you’re not cooking with bacon, swap the reserved bacon grease for olive oil.
- Potatoes, of course! This recipe calls for between 3 to 3½ pounds of potatoes, which equals approximately 10 cups of peeled and diced potatoes.
the best potatoes for potato soup
Having made this potato soup recipe (and variations of it) dozens of times now, it is my personal opinion that Yukon Gold potatoes make the best soup. Unlike mashed potatoes and baked potatoes, which love to be made with the oh-so-popular, and thick-skinned russet potato, potato soup prefers a more all-purpose potato. This good-for-everything type of potato isn’t exactly super starchy (like the russet) but isn’t super waxy either (like red bliss or new potatoes). If the grocery store is sold out of Yukon golds, feel free to use a mix of different types of potatoes.
Pro Tip: If you’re using Russets, peel them first. Their skins are thicker and can feel a little tough in a creamy potato soup.
- Broth – This recipe calls for 6 to 8 cups of broth (low-sodium veggie or chicken broth are great). If you have homemade chicken stock, this is a great place to use it! For best results, start with 6 cups and add more toward the end of cooking if the soup is too thick.
- Butter + all-purpose flour – This combo creates a quick roux that thickens the soup without heavy cream. It’s one of my favorite tricks for making potato soup feel rich and satisfying. Substitute: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, or thicken with a cornstarch slurry added at the end of cooking (1 tablespoon cornstarch whisked with 2 tablespoons water).
- Milk – Whole milk gives this soup a delicious creamy texture without the heaviness of heavy cream. Substitute: 2% milk works, or use half-and-half for an even richer finish.
Pro Tip: Warm the milk slightly before adding it to the pot. It helps the soup stay silky and smooth.
How to Make Potato Soup
- Cook the Bacon. Add the chopped bacon to a large skillet and set over medium-high heat. Once the bacon is hot and sizzling, reduce heat to medium-low, and cover with a lid. Cook the bacon until golden and crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate lined with paper towels. Reserve the bacon grease.
- Cook the vegetables. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of reserved bacon grease (or olive oil, if preferred) to a large stockpot or Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook until softened, about 10 minutes, then stir in the garlic, salt, and black pepper.
- Simmer the potatoes. Add the chopped potatoes and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, cover, and cook until the potatoes are very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Make the roux. In the same pan used to cook the bacon, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, slowly add the flour, whisking continuously until fully incorporated. It should look like a thick golden colored paste.
- Add the milk. Still whisking, slowly add the milk, stirring constantly until fully combined and starting to thicken and bubble. Remove from heat.
- Blend. Stir the roux into the pot filled with softened veggies and potatoes. Blend until creamy (in a blender or with an immersion blender). Add additional broth or milk (or a splash of half-and-half) as needed to reach the desired consistency. Season with additional salt and black pepper, to taste.
Pro tip: Before blending, stir in half of the cooked bacon bits. Blending the bacon with the vegetables is an easy way to add rich, bacon-y flavor to every bite.
Favorite Potato Soup Toppings
This rich and comforting potato soup recipe is a fantastic base for all of your favorite toppings. Some of my favorite topping combos include:
- Classic: sharp cheddar + bacon + green onions + sour cream
- Extra cheesy: sharp cheddar + pepper jack + bacon + chives + cracked black pepper.
- Creamy and mild: shredded cheddar + sour cream + chives + a pat of butter stirred in right before serving (bacon optional)
- Spicy loaded: pepper jack + bacon + green onions + sour cream + a drizzle of Tabasco sauce
- Buffalo twist: shredded cheddar + bacon + green onions + sour cream + buffalo sauce. If you love this, try my creamy buffalo chicken soup next.
- Tex-Mex loaded: queso fresco + bacon + green onions + sour cream + pickled jalapeños + a pinch of homemade taco seasoning
Veggie-Packed Variation
Easy Potato soup with Cauliflower
Want to add more veggies without changing the flavor too much? This variation swaps some of the potatoes for cauliflower, which blends up extra creamy and helps lighten the soup while still keeping it thick and satisfying. To make it, use the same recipe, with these changes:
- Swap the potatoes: Replace 1 pound of the chopped potatoes with 1 large head of cauliflower chopped into small florets.
- Add the cauliflower with the potatoes: Stir the cauliflower into the pot at the same time you add the potatoes and broth.
- Simmer until very tender: Cauliflower softens quickly, but you still want everything fork-tender before blending.
Storage Tips
- Refrigerator: Let the soup cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring often. If it’s too thick, add a splash of broth or milk until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Freezing: Potato soup can be frozen, but the texture will change slightly after thawing (potatoes can become a little grainy). If you plan to freeze it, let it cool completely, transfer to freezer-safe containers, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before gently reheating on the stovetop.
Pro Tip: If you know you’ll have leftovers, store toppings like bacon, cheese, and green onions separately so they stay fresh and crisp when serving.
More Favorite Potato Recipes
Looking for a different style of potato soup? My Potato Leek Soup is smooth, blended, and full of leek flavor, while my Broccoli Potato Soup is a great pick when you want a more veggie-forward bowl. And if you need a non-dairy option, try my Dairy-Free Cauliflower, Leek, and Potato Soup for a creamy feel without using any milk or cream.
If you try making this easy potato soup recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a comment and a star rating below, your feedback helps other readers discover (and enjoy) this recipe too. Thank you so much! 💛
Potato Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 2 large yellow onions, diced
- 4 large carrots, diced
- 4 stalks celery, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt , plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper, plus more to taste
- 3-3½ pounds potatoes, about 8-10 cups, peeled (optional) and chopped into ½-inch cubes
- 6 cups vegetable broth, plus more as needed (or chicken broth/stock)
- ⅓ cup butter
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2½ cups whole milk, at room temperature
- shredded sharp cheddar cheese, chopped green onions, chives, bacon bits, sour cream, Tabasco sauce, For serving (optional but recommended)
Instructions
- Cook the bacon: Add the chopped bacon to a large skillet and cook until crisp. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease (or use olive oil).
- Cook the vegetables: In a large pot or Dutch oven, warm the reserved bacon grease over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the carrots and celery and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Mix to combine and cook for 1 minute.
- Simmer the potatoes: Add the potatoes and 6 cups of broth. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are very tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Make the roux: As the potatoes simmer, melt ⅓ cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in ⅓ cup of flour until smooth. Slowly whisk 2 cups of milk into the roux, whisking continuously, until slightly thickened (it should look like a thin gravy). Remove from heat.
- Blend and finish: Stir the roux into the soup. Blend until creamy using an immersion blender, or carefully blend in batches in a blender. Season with additional salt and black pepper, to taste.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls and top with bacon, cheese, green onions, sour cream, and hot sauce if desired.
Notes
- Best potatoes: I made this recipe with a combination of Yukon gold and red potatoes. Feel free to use your favorite variety.
- Peeling: Not required, but if you use Russet potatoes, peeling helps the soup blend smoother.
- Chunky vs creamy: Blend the whole soup for a smooth texture, or blend only part of it if you want more potato chunks in each bowl.
- Gluten-free option: Substitute regular flour with your favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour or thicken with a cornstarch slurry (mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2–3 tablespoons cold water, then stir into the simmering soup).
- Too thick? Add a splash of broth or milk when reheating to loosen it up.
- Storage: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheat gently over medium-low heat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What a fantastic recipe! The soup is incredibly rich and creamy.
Thank you the fantastic feedback and rating, Em 😀