Print

Crowd-Pleasing Loaded Baked Potato Soup with Crispy Bacon

loaded baked potato soup with crispy bacon - featured image
Print Recipe

This loaded baked potato soup is thick, velvety, and packed with chunks of potato, crispy bacon, and sharp cheddar cheese. Ready in under an hour, it’s the perfect comfort food for dinner parties, potlucks, or cozy nights in.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 strips thick-cut bacon
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes (about 5–6 medium potatoes)
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 4 green onions, thinly sliced
  • Extra crispy bacon crumbles

Instructions

  1. Cook the bacon: Place the bacon strips in a cold large skillet. Turn the heat to medium and cook, flipping occasionally, until the bacon is deeply browned and crispy—about 8-10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Once cool enough to handle, crumble or chop it into small pieces. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat in a small bowl; discard the rest or save it for another use.
  2. Sauté the aromatics: In your large Dutch oven or pot, melt the butter over medium heat along with the 2 tablespoons of reserved bacon fat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent—about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute, just until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown.
  3. Make the roux: Sprinkle the flour over the onion and garlic mixture. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 2-3 minutes. The mixture will look pasty and slightly golden. This step is crucial—cooking the flour removes that raw, pasty taste and ensures your soup thickens properly.
  4. Whisk in the liquids: Slowly pour in the chicken broth while whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Once the broth is fully incorporated, whisk in the milk and heavy cream. Keep whisking until the mixture is smooth and starts to thicken slightly—about 3-4 minutes.
  5. Add the potatoes and seasonings: Stir in the diced potatoes, smoked paprika, dried thyme, garlic powder, and a generous pinch of black pepper. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer—not a rolling boil, just a steady bubble around the edges. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and let it cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The potatoes should be tender enough to pierce easily with a fork but not falling apart completely.
  6. Blend the soup (partially): Remove the pot from the heat. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup for about 10-15 seconds—just enough to break down about half of the potatoes. You want a creamy base with plenty of potato chunks remaining for texture. If using a regular blender, carefully transfer about 3 cups of the soup (mostly the liquid part) to the blender, blend until smooth, and stir it back into the pot. Be very careful with hot liquid in a blender—work in batches and hold the lid down…
  7. Finish with cheese and adjust seasoning: Return the pot to low heat. Add 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese and stir until completely melted and smooth. Taste the soup and add salt as needed—remember, the bacon and cheese add salt, so go slowly. You’ll likely need about ½ to 1 teaspoon of salt, depending on your broth and cheese. Add the cayenne pepper now if you’re using it.
  8. Prepare the toppings: While the soup finishes, arrange your toppings in small bowls. You’ll want the remaining ½ cup of shredded cheddar, the crumbled bacon, the sliced green onions, and the sour cream.
  9. Serve immediately: Ladle the soup into bowls. Top each bowl with a generous sprinkle of cheddar cheese, a pile of crispy bacon crumbles, a swirl of sour cream, and a shower of green onions. Serve hot with crusty bread or buttery crackers on the side.

Notes

For a gluten-free version, swap the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free all-purpose blend that contains xanthan gum, or use cornstarch (mix 3 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cold water to make a slurry, and stir it in at the end). For a dairy-free version, use unsweetened oat milk instead of whole milk, full-fat canned coconut milk instead of heavy cream, and a good dairy-free butter substitute. The soup actually tastes better the next day—make it ahead for best results. Reserve some toppings for serving to maintain texture contrast.

Nutrition

Keywords: loaded baked potato soup, potato soup with bacon, creamy potato soup, comfort food, easy potato soup, dinner party soup, potluck soup

Find it online: https://oracooks.com/crowd-pleasing-loaded-baked-potato-soup-with-crispy-bacon/