If you love a bowl of creamy comfort that’s ready in under an hour, this loaded potato soup is going to become a fixture in your kitchen.
It’s a baked potato in soup form — tender potato chunks in a velvety cheddar broth, topped with crisp bacon, sharp cheddar, and fresh chives. And it could not be easier to make something this good.
If you’re a baked potato person like me, this is the recipe you keep coming back to.
I’ll tell you the thing that happens to me every time. I make this intending to have a small bowl alongside something else, and then I end up with a big bowl of it as the whole meal. It’s that kind of soup.
A side of baguette for dipping is all it needs, and even then the bread is mostly an excuse to get more soup.
The technique that makes it work is the mashed potatoes. About half of them get mashed right in the pot after they’ve simmered, which releases their starch and thickens the broth into something velvety without a roux or a slurry.
Russets are the right potato for this because they break down more than Yukon Golds.
And the cheddar goes in off the heat, a handful at a time, which is what keeps it smooth instead of grainy.
Why This Recipe Works
Cooking the onion in the bacon fat is where the flavor starts. The rendered bacon fat carries smoke and salt, and the onion picks both up as it softens. It’s a small step that makes the soup taste like more than potatoes and broth.
Mashing half the potatoes is what thickens the soup naturally. Russets release starch as they cook, and mashing about half of them right in the pot turns that starch into body. The other half stays chunky, so you get a thick soup with texture instead of a purée.
The cheddar goes in off the heat, a handful at a time. Cheddar added to a hot pot seizes into clumps and turns grainy. Off the heat with a gradual addition is what gives you a smooth, velvety base.
The sour cream goes in off the heat too, and it’s optional. A half cup stirred in at the end adds tang and richness, but it curdles if the pot is still hot. If you’re skipping it, the soup is still creamy from the half-and-half and the cheddar.
The toppings are the point. Bacon, extra cheddar, chives, and a dollop of sour cream are what make this “loaded” rather than just a potato soup. Set them out and let everyone build their own bowl.
Ingredients That Matter
Russet potatoes, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes. Russets break down and release starch, which is what thickens the soup. Yukon Golds work but produce a thinner result, and waxy potatoes don’t break down at all.
Sharp cheddar, freshly grated from a block. Sharp cheddar brings more flavor per ounce, and grating it yourself is what keeps the soup smooth. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in starch and turns grainy.
Half-and-half, at room temperature. Cold half-and-half into a hot pot can curdle. Let it sit out for fifteen minutes while the potatoes cook, or warm it gently before it goes in.
How to Make It
- Cook the chopped bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel. Leave 2 tablespoons of fat in the pot.
- Add the diced onion and cook in the bacon fat 4 to 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the diced potatoes, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender and break apart when pressed.
- Mash about half the potatoes right in the pot with a potato masher, leaving the rest chunky. This is what thickens the soup.
- Stir in the half-and-half and heat through, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat completely.
- Add the grated cheddar in small handfuls, stirring after each addition until melted and smooth. Stir in the sour cream if using. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Ladle into bowls and top with the reserved bacon, extra cheddar, chives, and a dollop of sour cream.
Tips and Troubleshooting
The soup turned grainy. The cheddar went in over heat. Turn the pot off completely and add it a handful at a time.
The soup is too thin. The potatoes weren’t starchy enough, or they weren’t mashed enough. Mash another handful and simmer 5 more minutes.
The soup is too thick. It thickens as it cools. Loosen it with a splash of broth or milk.
The sour cream curdled. It went into a hot pot. Stir it in off the heat.
It tastes too salty. Bacon, broth, and cheddar all carry salt. Use low-sodium broth, taste before adding any salt, and adjust at the end.
The potatoes didn’t soften. They were cut too large or the heat was too low. Dice them into ½-inch cubes and keep the pot at a steady simmer.
The leftovers turned gluey. Potato soups thicken in the fridge. Reheat gently with a splash of broth and don’t boil.
Substitutions and Swaps
The potatoes: Russets are the best choice. Yukon Golds work but produce a thinner soup. Don’t use waxy potatoes.
The bacon: Thick-cut bacon works and gives you more crumble. Turkey bacon works and is leaner. Skip it for a vegetarian version and use butter instead of bacon fat.
The dairy: Half-and-half is the default. Whole milk works for a lighter soup. Heavy cream makes it richer.
The cheese: Sharp cheddar is the classic. Monterey Jack melts well, and a cheddar-Monterey blend is a good middle ground.
Loaded baked potato soup: Serve the soup in bread bowls, or top with extra sour cream, chives, and a drizzle of melted butter for a fuller baked-potato treatment.
Make it dairy-free: Use a dairy-free half-and-half and a dairy-free cheddar. The texture is different but the flavor holds.
Storage and Reheat
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
The soup thickens as it chills and can turn gluey, so reheat gently covered with a splash of broth for 90 seconds and don’t let it boil.
This doesn’t freeze well — the dairy separates on thawing and the texture turns grainy.
Classic Loaded Potato Soup
Tender potato chunks in a velvety cream-and-cheddar broth, topped with crisp bacon, sharp cheddar, and fresh chives — a 40-minute stovetop soup that tastes like a loaded baked potato in a bowl.
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 8 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Cream & Cheese Finish
- 1 cup half-and-half, at room temperature
- 2 cups sharp cheddar, freshly grated from a block
- ½ cup sour cream, optional
Toppings
- Reserved crumbled bacon
- Extra shredded sharp cheddar
- Sliced chives or green onions
- A dollop of sour cream
Instructions
- Cook the chopped bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel. Leave 2 tablespoons of fat in the pot.
- Add the diced onion and cook in the bacon fat 4 to 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the diced potatoes, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender and break apart when pressed.
- Mash about half the potatoes right in the pot with a potato masher, leaving the rest chunky. This is what thickens the soup.
- Stir in the half-and-half and heat through, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat completely.
- Add the grated cheddar in small handfuls, stirring after each addition until melted and smooth. Stir in the sour cream if using. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Ladle into bowls and top with the reserved bacon, extra cheddar, chives, and a dollop of sour cream.
Notes
Notes: Refrigerate up to 4 days; the soup thickens cold and can turn gluey, so reheat gently covered with a splash of broth and don't let it boil. Doesn't freeze well — the dairy separates. Nutrition is an estimate.
Nutrition (per serving, estimated): ~530 calories, 15g protein, 34g carbs, 36g fat, 2g fiber, 880mg sodium.
FAQ
Can I use Yukon Gold potatoes instead of russets? Yes, but the soup will be thinner. Russets break down and release starch, which is what thickens the soup. Yukon Golds hold their shape and produce a creamier but looser result.
Can I use milk instead of half-and-half? Yes. Whole milk works for a lighter soup. It won’t be quite as rich, but the cheddar and sour cream carry the flavor.
Why did my soup turn grainy? The cheddar went in over heat. Turn the pot off completely and add it a handful at a time, stirring until each addition melts.
Can I make this in a slow cooker? Yes, and there’s a crockpot version on the site. The stovetop version is faster — about 40 minutes total instead of seven hours.
Can I freeze this soup? Not recommended. The dairy separates on thawing and the potatoes turn grainy. It’s best eaten within four days.
Can I add other vegetables? Yes. Corn, peas, or cauliflower all work. Add cauliflower with the potatoes since it needs the same time.
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Closing
The mashed potatoes and the off-heat cheddar are the two things that make this soup work — everything else is bacon and broth.
It’s the one I’d hand you first when you want baked potato comfort without baking a potato.
Make it once, and tell me whether you ate a small bowl or a big one.
