Loaded Baked Potato Soup (Printer-friendly)

Rich and creamy soup featuring baked potato chunks, crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, and savory broth.

# What You'll Need:

→ Potatoes

01 - 4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed

→ Dairy

02 - 1 cup sour cream
03 - 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
04 - 1 cup whole milk
05 - 1 cup heavy cream
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Meats

07 - 6 slices bacon

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

08 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Broth & Seasonings

10 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
11 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - Salt, to taste
13 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

14 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
15 - Additional shredded sharp cheddar cheese, for serving
16 - Additional sour cream, for serving

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Pierce potatoes with a fork, place on a baking sheet, and bake for 45 to 60 minutes until tender. Allow to cool slightly, then peel and dice into ½-inch chunks.
02 - In a large pot over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy. Remove, crumble, and set aside. Retain 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pot and discard the rest.
03 - Add butter and diced onion to the pot. Sauté until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 additional minute.
04 - Pour in chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Add potato chunks, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, gently breaking some potatoes with a spoon to thicken the broth.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in whole milk, heavy cream, and 1 cup shredded cheddar until fully melted and incorporated. Add sour cream and half of the crumbled bacon, mixing gently. Heat without boiling.
06 - Adjust seasoning to taste. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with remaining cheddar, bacon, green onions, and a dollop of sour cream.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like pure comfort but comes together in under an hour once the potatoes are ready.
  • The bacon-and-cheese combination feels indulgent without being overly fussy to pull off.
  • It's the kind of soup that gets better when people gather around the pot to add their own toppings.
02 -
  • Don't skip baking the potatoes properly; boiling them makes them waterlogged and the soup turns grainy instead of smooth.
  • Keep the heat low once the sour cream goes in, because high heat breaks it and ruins the entire texture.
  • Taste constantly in the final steps, because salt is the difference between 'nice soup' and 'why does everyone keep asking for this recipe.'
03 -
  • Make the soup up to the point where you add the dairy, then refrigerate it. This lets you finish it fresh the morning you want to serve it, and the kitchen won't be overwhelmed with steam.
  • If the soup breaks or separates, don't panic; just lower the heat to the absolute minimum and whisk gently until it comes back together.
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