Loaded baked potato soup turns fluffy oven-baked russets into a thick, comforting soup with crisp bacon, sharp cheddar, sour cream and chives. Baking instead of boiling concentrates the potato flavour and prevents waterlogged pieces. The improved method renders the bacon slowly, cooks the flour before adding liquid, keeps the dairy at a gentle simmer and melts the cheese off the heat for a smooth—not grainy—finish. The step photographs are AI-generated instructional illustrations and are labelled as such by the site.
SEARCHED FOR, MADE RELIABLE
Why this recipe works
Baked russet potatoes provide fluffy flesh and deeper potato flavour without diluting the soup.
Starting bacon in a cold pot renders more fat before the pieces become crisp.
Warm liquid added gradually to the roux prevents flour lumps.
Cheddar and sour cream are stirred in off the heat so the soup stays glossy and creamy.
Ingredient notes
Russet potatoes
Their high starch content thickens the soup naturally. Bake until a knife meets no resistance in the centre.
Bacon
Cut cold slices into even pieces and begin in a cold pot for steady rendering and crisp results.
Cheddar
Grate a block of sharp cheddar finely. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can make soup grainy.
Milk and sour cream
Whole milk gives body without overwhelming the potato. Avoid hard boiling after either dairy ingredient is added.
Practical substitutions
These are conservative alternatives based on standard kitchen practice; results may vary from the original recipe.
Vegetable broth may replace chicken broth, but omit bacon or use a vegetarian alternative if serving the soup as vegetarian.
Plain full-fat Greek yogurt may replace sour cream; stir it in off the heat to reduce the chance of curdling.
Monterey Jack can replace up to half of the cheddar for a milder, very smooth melt.
Troubleshooting
The soup is grainy
Remove the pot from the heat before adding freshly grated cheese, and never allow the finished soup to boil.
The soup is too thick
Stir in warm broth a few tablespoons at a time until it reaches a spoonable consistency.
The soup tastes floury
Cook the flour with the onion and fat for one full minute before gradually whisking in liquid.
The potatoes disappeared
Mash only a few times and stir gently so some fluffy chunks remain intact.
Storage and freezing
Divide leftovers among shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. Use within 3 to 4 days.
Reheat over low to medium-low heat, stirring often, until steaming hot; add a splash of broth if the soup has thickened.
Freezing is not recommended because potatoes can become grainy and the dairy base may separate after thawing.
THE BUTTER & BLOOM RECIPE
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Print-friendly layout
Preparation time
25 min
Cooking time
1 hr 20 min
Total time
1 hr 45 min
Yield
6 bowls
Cuisine
North American
Updated
Ingredients
3 pounds (1.36 kg) russet potatoes, about 6 medium, scrubbed and dried
8 slices thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Pierce each scrubbed potato 6 to 8 times with a fork and set the potatoes directly on the centre oven rack with a sheet pan on the rack below. Bake for 50 to 65 minutes, until the skins feel crisp and a paring knife slides through the centre without resistance. Let them cool for 10 minutes, then split them lengthwise, scoop the flesh into a bowl and break it into rough bite-size pieces. Reserve the skins for another use or discard them.Loaded Baked Potato Soup · Bake until a knife slides through the centre without resistance, then cool briefly and scoop the fluffy flesh.
While the potatoes cool, place the bacon pieces in a cold Dutch oven. Set it over medium heat and cook for 8 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until the bacon is crisp and the fat has rendered. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon. Carefully leave 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pot and discard or save the rest.Loaded Baked Potato Soup · Start the bacon in a cold pot and cook until crisp, leaving two tablespoons of rendered fat behind.
Add the diced onion and butter to the pot. Cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is translucent and soft but not browned. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1 full minute, stirring constantly, until the mixture looks pale and sandy with no dry flour remaining.Loaded Baked Potato Soup · Soften the onion without browning, then cook the flour for one full minute until no dry patches remain.
Whisk in the warm broth about 1/2 cup at a time, smoothing each addition before adding more. Slowly whisk in the warm milk, salt and pepper. Bring the soup only to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring and scraping the bottom often; do not let the dairy boil hard. Simmer for 4 to 6 minutes, until the base lightly coats the back of a spoon.Loaded Baked Potato Soup · Whisk in warm liquid gradually and keep the base at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil.
Add the baked potato flesh. Use a potato masher for 4 to 6 presses, leaving plenty of visible chunks. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring gently, until the potato is hot and the soup is creamy. If it becomes thicker than you like, add warm broth a few tablespoons at a time.Loaded Baked Potato Soup · Mash only a few times so released starch thickens the soup while visible potato pieces remain.
Remove the pot completely from the heat. Stir in 1 cup of the grated cheddar in three additions, letting each handful melt before adding the next, then stir in the sour cream and half the chives. The soup should look glossy and creamy; return it only to low heat if it needs warming, because boiling can make the cheese grainy.Loaded Baked Potato Soup · Add the cheese in small handfuls off the heat, then stir in sour cream for a smooth finish.
Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Ladle into warm bowls and top with the crisp bacon, remaining 1/2 cup cheddar, remaining chives and an extra spoonful of sour cream. Serve immediately. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours.Loaded Baked Potato Soup · Top each hot bowl just before serving and refrigerate leftovers within two hours.
