Loaded Baked Potato Soup
There's nothing better than enjoying a warm bowl of creamy loaded baked potato soup on a cold night – comfort food at its best! This recipe takes a classic soup to the next level. It's made with simple ingredients, packed with flavor, comes together easily in one pan and is done in just 35 minutes!
Servings: 4 -5 servings
Calories: 585kcal
Ingredients
- 8 strips bacon cut into small pieces
- ¾ cup sweet onion diced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 heaping cups russet potatoes about 4 large, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- ½ cup cheddar cheese shredded
- optional toppings: bacon pieces scallions, shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Cook the bacon: Prior to starting, make sure the bacon is cut into small pieces (pictured above) with kitchen shears. In a large pot over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp, about 8-10 minutes. Remove the bacon, placing on a paper towel lined plate, leaving the bacon grease in the pot.
- Add the onion, salt, black pepper, white pepper, dried parsley, and fresh thyme to the pot. Sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Make the roux: Sprinkle in the flour and stir until the flour is combined, about 1 minute. It will be a thicker mixture.
- Slowly stir in the chicken broth, scrapping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot – that's flavor! Then, add the milk, heavy cream and potatoes. Give it a stir and increase the heat to high until a simmer. Reduce to medium and cover with a lid. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes break apart with a fork easily. Remove from the heat.
- Add the soup to a blender and blend until desired consistency. Add back into the pot and stir in the cheese. See recipe notes for instructions for different texture options.
- Serve with bacon pieces, scallions and shredded cheese on top. Leftovers stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat over the stovetop or microwave.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: This soup freezes wonderfully! Allow the soup to come to room temperature before placing in a freezer-safe container or Souper Cubes. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or warm over the stovetop to thaw.
- Texture: If you prefer the soup chunky, use a potato masher to break apart potatoes in the pot until desired texture. Using a blender will provide the creamiest texture for the soup.
- Chicken Broth: I prefer to use low-sodium chicken broth. If you're using regular, reduce salt slightly and taste at the end.
- Milk: For the creamiest soup, use whole milk. This recipe has been made with 1% and 2% milk. This has not been tested with a dairy-free milk.
- Heavy Cream: You can substitute the heavy cream milk, if desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 585kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 1637mg | Potassium: 485mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1245IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 310mg | Iron: 1mg
