Loaded Potato Soup
Hearty and comforting, this Loaded Potato Soup is about to become your new best friend. It’s thick, creamy, and packed with everything you love. It’s the kind of soup that feels like a hug in a bowl, perfect for chilly evenings or lazy weekends.
There’s nothing better than a big pot of bacon and potato soup simmering on the stove on a chilly day. Serve it with a slice of cornbread, and you’ve got yourself a good Southern meal.
If you love soup season recipes, be sure to try my Simple Broccoli Cheese Soup, my Recipe for Chicken Enchilada Soup, and my Sausage Chili Recipe.
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❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Comforting: Warm, rich, filling, and perfect for chilly evenings. If you love Panera’s baked potato soup, you’ll love this one even more.
- Bacon: Need I say more? Bacon makes everything better and adds a smoky flavor to this soup.
- Feeds a Crowd: This recipe makes a huge pot of soup. This is great for meal prepping, feeding a crowd, and freezing for later.
- Simple Ingredients: Make this cheddar bacon potato soup with simple ingredients.
🛒 Ingredients Needed
The ingredients for this creamy soup are simple. This makes a very large pot of soup and is enough to feed a hungry crowd.
- Bacon: Adds a smoky flavor and a crunchy topping to each bowl.
- Butter: Combine with the bacon drippings to make a rich base.
- Onion and Garlic: Add a sweet, warm flavor to the soup.
- Flour: Thickens the soup by creating a smooth roux.
- Chicken Broth, Water, and Milk: Provide the soup with a flavorful liquid and creaminess.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup: Adds a creaminess to the soup. You can also use cream of chicken if desired.
- Salt and Pepper: Season to your liking.
- Potatoes: I use Russet potatoes for this soup, but Yukon Gold or Red potatoes will also work.
📖 Recipe Variations
- Ham and Potato Soup: Use ham instead of bacon.
- Loaded Potato Soup: Serve shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions, and bacon on top of each bowl.
- Creamier Soup: Add heavy cream or half-and-half to the soup to make it creamier, or thin it out.
🔪 How To Make Creamy Potato Soup Recipe
Step 1: Cook the Bacon. Start with a very large pot. Add the bacon and cook until crisp and browned. Remove the bacon from the pot and set it aside, leaving the drippings in the pan.
Step 2: Add Butter. Add butter to the bacon grease and let it melt.
Step 3: Saute Onion and Garlic. Then add onion and garlic. Cook for a few minutes until onions are soft and fragrant. This should take about 5 minutes.
Step 4: Time to make the roux. This is what will thicken your soup. Sprinkle flour over the onion and garlic. Stir well and let it cook for a few minutes.
Step 5: Add the Liquids. Whisk in the milk slowly until smooth, then pour in the chicken broth and water. Stir well to combine.
Step 6: Add cream of mushroom soup and seasonings. Mix until combined.
Step 7: Add potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes, or until you can pierce them with a fork. Stir constantly to avoid sticking.
Step 8: Serve. Ladle into bowls and top with crispy bacon and shredded cheese. Pair with warm cornbread or crusty bread for a delicious meal.
🧺 How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Cool completely and freeze in containers for up to 3 months. Freeze in portions in separate containers.
- Reheat: Warm on the stovetop, adding a splash of milk or water to thin a bit if it’s too thick.
💭 Pro Tips
- Use Yukon Gold, Red, or Russet potatoes for this baked potato soup.
- Don’t skip the roux. This is key to making the soup creamy and thick.
- Serve the bacon on top of each bowl, or mix it into the soup before serving.
❔ Recipe FAQs
Yes. Cool completely and then store in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Is your soup too thick? Potatoes are very starchy, and when they cook, they release a lot of starch. If your soup is too thick, add more milk or broth to thin it to your desired consistency.
Yes. Diced ham works great if you are out of bacon, need to use some leftover holiday ham, or want a different flavor.
More Easy Comfort Food Recipes
If you tried this Loaded Potato Soup recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please consider leaving a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Loaded Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound bacon cut into small pieces
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion
- 3 tablespoons garlic minced
- ½ cup flour
- 32 ounces chicken broth
- 4 cups milk
- 2 cups water
- 2 10 ounce cans Condedsed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
- 6 pounds potatoes diced
Instructions
- Cook the Bacon. Start with a very large pot. Add the bacon and cook until crisp and browned. Remove the bacon from the pot and set it aside, leaving the drippings in the pan.
- Add Butter. Add butter to the bacon grease and let it melt.
- Saute Onion and Garlic. Then add onion and garlic. Cook for a few minutes until onions are soft and fragrant. This should take about 5 minutes.
- Time to make the roux. This is what will thicken your soup. Sprinkle flour over the onion and garlic. Stir well and let it cook for a few minutes.
- Add the Liquids. Whisk in the milk slowly until smooth, then pour in the chicken broth and water. Stir well to combine.
- Add cream of mushroom soup and seasonings. Mix until combined.
- Add potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes, or until you can pierce them with a fork. Stir constantly to avoid sticking.
- Serve. Ladle into bowls and top with crispy bacon and shredded cheese. Pair with warm cornbread or crusty bread for a delicious meal.
Notes
- Use Yukon Gold, Red, or Russet potatoes for this baked potato soup.
- Don’t skip the roux. This is key to making the soup creamy and thick.
- Serve the bacon on top of each bowl, or mix it into the soup before serving.
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Cool completely and freeze in containers for up to 3 months. Freeze in portions in separate containers.
- Reheat: Warm on the stovetop, adding a splash of milk or water to thin a bit if it’s too thick.
A one-pot soup that warms the soul during those cold months!
What a great recipe to make for my family this New Years Eve and so pocket friendly as well.
I always crave soup in the winter! Thanks for sharing this easy recipe! YUM! Can’t wait to try.
You are welcome! This is sooooo good!
II LOVE POTATO . Thank you so much mist try
You are so welcome!
This looks delicious! Pinning so I can cook it up later. Thanks for sharing!
This is a big bowl of tasty soup! Hope you enjoy!
Looks delicious, thanks for sharing! I think I’ll make this today.
Thanks! Enjoy!
This ultimate loaded potato soup is going on my must-try list! I’m literally salivating just reading this post, lol! YUMMMMM!
Thank you so much! It really is a good soup recipe and my family loves to see this on our dinner rotation.
You had me at bacon! Looks amazing and can’t wait to try it.
Thank you! I know–anything with bacon has got to be good! Let me know what you think about it!
It’s chilly in Florida. Can you believe it? This soup is perfect for the weather here. My kids will love it.
My family loves this soup. It is an easy dish to make. Thanks for stopping by! Let me know if you try it.