Loaded Potato Soup

This easy loaded potato soup recipe turns everything you love about a loaded baked potato—creamy potatoes, crispy bacon, Cheddar cheese and scallions—into one cozy bowl of soup!

I am an enthusiastic member of the Mashed Potato Lovers Club. I will happily eat them in any form, at any time of year, with or without gravy.

And this creamy loaded potato soup is basically a bowlful of mashed potato heaven. Yukon Gold potatoes are simmered until tender, blended with milk, chicken broth and sour cream, and then topped with all the best baked potato fixings: crispy bacon, shredded Cheddar and fresh scallions.

It’s thick, creamy, wonderfully cozy and ready in about 45 minutes. In other words, it’s everything you want from a loaded baked potato—only now you get to eat it with a spoon. Let’s make it!

Jump to:

• 🔎 A quick look at this recipe
• ⭐️ Why this recipe works
• 🥔 Ingredients you need
• 📝 Ingredient notes
• 💡 Ingredient substitution ideas
• 🤔 Recipe FAQs
• 🍽️ What to serve with this recipe
• Loaded Potato Soup
• 👩🏻‍🍳 Variations on this recipe
• 😍 Other cozy soup recipes we love!
• ⭐️ We want to know what you think!
• 🥣 Come on into our kitchen!

🔎 A quick look at this recipe

⭐️ Why this recipe works

• 🥔 It’s comfort food in a bowl. Thick, creamy and cozy, this soup has all the appeal of mashed potatoes and a loaded baked potato rolled into one.
• 🥓 The toppings make it extra delicious. Crispy bacon, sharp Cheddar and fresh scallions add smoky, cheesy flavor and a little texture to every spoonful.
• 🥣 It uses simple ingredients. Potatoes, milk, broth and sour cream come together to make a rich-tasting soup without anything complicated.
• ⏰ It’s ready in 45 minutes. This easy stovetop soup is quick enough for a weeknight supper but cozy enough for a lazy weekend lunch.✨
• You can make it your own. Blend it completely smooth or leave it slightly chunky—and pile on as many toppings as your potato-loving heart desires.

🥔 Ingredients you need

📝 Ingredient notes

• Yukon Gold potatoes: These naturally buttery potatoes make the soup extra creamy and don’t need to be peeled—their thin skins blend right into the soup. Russet potatoes will also work, but peel them first.
• Chicken broth: Regular or low-sodium chicken broth is fine. You can use vegetable broth to make the soup vegetarian, along with a meat-free topping in place of the bacon.
• Milk: Whole milk makes the creamiest soup, but 2% milk will also work. I don’t recommend skim milk, which can make the soup taste a little thin.
• Flour: This thickens the milk and broth mixture. For a gluten-free version, use an equal amount of your favorite cup-for-cup gluten-free flour.
• Sour cream: This adds richness and a gentle tang. Plain full-fat Greek yogurt is a good substitute.
• Bacon: Thick-cut bacon is especially wonderful here, but any cooked and crumbled bacon will do. You can also use leftover cooked ham.
• Cheddar cheese: Sharp Cheddar gives the soup the most flavor. Shredding it yourself will give you the smoothest melt.
• Scallions: These add a fresh onion flavor and a pop of color. Chopped fresh chives are also perfect.

💡 Ingredient substitution ideas

Missing something or want to swap in something different? Check out the links below to find more ingredient substitution ideas. 👇🏻

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.

STEP 1: Put the potatoes in a medium pot and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

STEP 2: Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Mash them roughly with a potato masher, then transfer them to a bowl and set them aside.

STEP 3: Add the chicken broth, milk and flour to the same pot. Whisk until smooth, then bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, whisking occasionally, until it begins to thicken.

STEP 4: Take the pot off the heat and add the mashed potatoes and sour cream. Purée the soup with an immersion blender until it is as smooth or chunky as you like. You can also carefully purée it in a regular blender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

STEP 5: Ladle the soup into bowls and top it with crumbled bacon, shredded Cheddar cheese and sliced scallions. Serve immediately!

🤔 Recipe FAQs

🍽️ What to serve with this recipe

This creamy loaded potato soup is hearty enough to be a meal all by itself, but a warm slice of bread or a crisp vegetable side dish makes it even better!

Let’s turn everything we love about a loaded baked potato into one warm, creamy and wonderfully cozy bowl of soup!

👩🏻‍🍳 Variations on this recipe

• Make it chunky: Blend only half of the soup, leaving plenty of tender potato pieces in every spoonful.
• Add some veggies: Stir in cooked broccoli florets, corn or peas after blending the soup.
• Give it a kick: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the soup and top each serving with sliced jalapeños.
• Swap the bacon: Use chopped cooked ham, crumbled sausage or shredded cooked chicken instead.
• Make it vegetarian: Use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth and leave off the bacon or replace it with crispy fried onions.
• Set up a topping bar: Let everyone add their own bacon, Cheddar, scallions, sour cream, chives and hot sauce.

😍 Other cozy soup recipes we love!

⭐️ We want to know what you think!

If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section below.

Looking for more soup inspiration? We’ve got you covered! 🥳 Here is our complete collection of soup recipes.

🥣 Come on into our kitchen!

Did someone forward you this recipe?  Come join our kitchen crew by subscribing to our newsletter…just click here!  We’d love to have you.  👩🏻‍🍳