Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Bowl of Loaded Baked Potato Cheese Soup with bacon, green onion, and cheese on table.

5 from 3 votes

Comfort food in a bowl, this loaded baked potato soup is full of flavor and easy to make. Rich and creamy in taste, this soup is topped with cheese, green onions, and bacon. Done and ready to eat in 30 minutes!

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 359kcal

Author: Amanda Mason

Ingredients

5 red potatoes
1 Tablespoon butter, salted
1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
1.5 cups milk, whole or 2%
¾ cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Peel and cut potatoes into 2-inch cubes. Expert Tip: II leave some of the skin on the potatoes because it helps add depth and texture.
In a colander, rinse the cubed potatoes and place them in a large pot. Fill the pot with just enough water so it covers the potatoes.
Cook the potatoes over medium-high heat until they are ready to fall apart, about 15 to 20 minutes.
When done, drain and then place the potatoes back in the empty pot.
Now it's time to start the cream sauce. In a separate medium saucepan, turn the burner to medium heat.
Add the butter, flour, salt and milk to the saucepan and mix with a whisk until well combined.
Increase the heat to medium-high and stir constantly until it the sauce starts to thicken and bubble, about 2-3 minutes.
Once the cream sauce is thick, add the sauce to the pot of cooked potatoes.
Turn the heat down to medium and add in the shredded cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. If the sauce is too thick for your liking, add in additional milk. Add any additional salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately, topping each bowl with bacon, shredded cheese, chives, and sour cream.

Notes

How to Cube Potatoes - After the potatoes have been halfway peeled, use a sharp knife to cut each raw potatoes into 2-inch cubes.
Flour - For this soup recipe, I use an all purpose flour. If you use a self rising flour, the soup will become thicker so you may need to add more milk if the consistency becomes too thick. If you're making gluten free potato soup, use an all purpose gluten free flour.
Cheese - Sharp cheddar cheese is my go to for this recipe, but sometimes I'll use Velveeta cheese. I also like using a mild or medium cheddar cheese. This recipe is super versatile so adding in different types of cheese, like ghee or goat cheese, really adds some fun flavors and textures. I highly recommend using a block of cheese and shredding it yourself instead of using a bag of pre-shredded cheese. HUGE taste difference.
Milk - My preference is to use whole milk because it adds a richer taste and a thicker texture. I've also had great success with 2% milk.
Bacon - If you chose to add bacon as a topping, both turkey or pork bacon works well.
Broth vs. Milk - You'll find some versions of potato soup made with chicken broth. This one is made with milk. If you choose to use a chicken or vegetable broth with this recipe, I have no idea how it will turn out. The milk adds to the creaminess and thickness of this soup and that's my favorite version.
Storage - Any leftovers can be store in an airtight container with a lid for up to 3-4 days.
Reheating - The soup will thicken when stored in the refrigerator so adding ½ cup of milk helps to liquify the soup again to get it back to its original consistency.
Can you freeze potato soup? The technical answer is yes. But I personally don't like to freeze and thaw soups with a milk base. If you do, let it completely cool and then store it in a freezer safe gallon size Ziplock baggie or container. When it's time to thaw, place it in the refrigerator and let it slowly liquify. You can warm the soup up in the microwave or back on the stove in a pot.

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