The Cozy Cookbook is here! This Baked Potato Soup has a thick and creamy broth that’s loaded with bacon and chives, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and smooth potatoes. It’s the ultimate comfort food and so easy to make!
Be sure to try my Cream of Broccoli and Potato Leek Soup recipes next!
Baked Potato Soup
Welp, this should have been the first recipe that I ever made on the blog. It’s the ultimate comfort food, and quite possibly my new all-time favorite soup recipe. (And I’m critical when it comes to my soups.)
I love that it encompasses everything that I love about a loaded baked potato. Bacon, chives, cheese, butter, the works.
I have some handy PRO Tips that you’ll want to check out too, but first take a look at how easy it is to make:
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Cut the bacon into squares and cook low and slow until crisp. Meanwhile, submerge diced russet potatoes in 1 inch of water. Add salt and boil gently for about 20 minutes or until fork tender.
Drain the potatoes. Gently mash and set aside.
Leave 1 tablespoons of bacon drippings in the pot. Add the onions and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the butter and garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
Stir in flour, mix and cook for 1 full minute to cook off the raw flour taste.
Add the chicken broth, then the half and half. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Add the potatoes. Mix in the sour cream and some pepper.
Remove from heat. If desired, blend with an immersion blender or transfer it to a blender in batches. (I prefer to do this for a creamier and smoother consistency.)
Gradually sprinkle in the shredded cheese. Stir until combined. Add the bacon and chives and serve! Note that the soup will continue to thicken as it stands.
Pro Tips
- Avoid using extra sharp or aged cheese, stick to mild or sharp orange cheddar if possible. Cracker Barrel Sharp Yellow Cheese is my brand of choice as it has great flavor and melts smoothly.
- Avoid using bagged shredded cheese, as it contains cellulose which prevents the cheese from melting smoothly.
- Milk may be used instead of half and half, just note that the broth won’t be quite as thick. Microwave the milk for 45 seconds prior to adding it to avoid curdling.
- Plain Greek Yogurt can be used instead of sour cream.
- Unsalted butter and reduced sodium chicken broth may be used for lower sodium content.
- Cook the potatoes separately in water instead of in the soup. It’s not only a time saver as they can cook while the bacon cooks, but it also removes a bit of excess starch which prevents the soup from becoming gluey.
- If preferred, you can use an immersion blender to further blend the soup. It will appear thinner at first, but will continue to thicken upon standing. (Get one on Amazon here.)
- This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 36!
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Try These Next
-
- Chicken and Rice Soup
-
- Smothered Chicken
-
- Creamy Lemon Chicken
-
- Taco Soup
-
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
-
- Broccoli Cheese Soup
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Tried This Recipe?
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Baked Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 4 large russet potatoes, equal to 2 lbs.
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 6 slices thick cut bacon
- 1 large yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoon butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 3 ½ cups Chicken broth
- 2 cups half and half
- ¾ cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/8 cup chives, finely diced
Instructions
Prep Work
- Shred the cheese from a block, measure out the sour cream and half and half. Let them all sit out at room temperature.
Cooking Instructions
- Cut the bacon into 1-inch squares with kitchen shears. Cook in a large pot over low heat, rotating occasionally. They’ll overlap at first but will shrink down as they cook. Remove and set aside once crisp. Leave 2 Tablespoons of drippings in the pot.
- While the bacon cooks, peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Add to a stock pot and cover the potatoes with 1 inch of water. Add the salt and boil gently for 20 minutes or until very fork tender. Drain, then gently mash. Set aside.
- Add the diced onion to the pot with the bacon drippings and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and butter and cook 1 more minute.
- Whisk in flour, use a silicone spatula to stir as the flour cooks for 1 full minute to remove the raw flour taste.
- Add the chicken broth. Use a silicone spatula to loosen any bacon remnants from the bottom of the pot, this will add flavor.
- Slowly add the half and half. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Stir in the potatoes, then mix in the sour cream, and pepper.
- Remove from heat. If desired, blend with an immersion blender or transfer it to a blender in batches. (I prefer to do this for a creamier and smoother consistency.)
- Gradually sprinkle with shredded cheese and stir until combined. Make sure the base of the soup isn’t too hot or the cheese won’t melt creamy and smooth. The soup will continue to thicken as it sits.
- Garnish with chives and bacon, serve!
Notes
- Avoid using extra sharp or aged cheese, stick to mild or sharp orange cheddar if possible. Cracker Barrel Sharp Yellow Cheese is my brand of choice as it has great flavor and melts smoothly.
- Milk may be used instead of half and half, just note that the broth won’t be quite as thick. Microwave the milk for 45 seconds prior to adding it to avoid curdling.
- Unsalted butter and reduced sodium chicken broth may be used for lower sodium content.
- This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 36!
Storage:
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
This recipe makes about 2.5 quarts of soup, or 10 cups. Each serving is just over a cup.
The best baked potato soup I’ve ever had!!! It was a hit with my family as well! Easy directions, and it didn’t take all day, love it♥️
wahooo! That makes me so happy Latasha, thanks so much for the great comments!💖
My family loved it, thank you so much 😘
My pleasure, I’m so happy they loved it! Thanks so much for the great comments and review!💜
Tasted amazing! Definitely make it again!
I’m so happy to hear that Heiko, thanks so much for the great review!💖
I made this soup for dinner to go with grilled roast beef,Jack cheese, long green Chiles sandwiches. I literally could eat the whole pot it is that amazing.
The only thing I changed is baked 3 big potatoes and I used heavy cream because that’s what we like
Fantastic recipe thank you
Sounds like such a yummy dinner Cathy, nice work! I’m so happy you liked the Baked Potato Soup so much, thanks for the great comments💖
This is a keeper! Made it last night and on the first bite my wife said, “This is really good!” I typically follow a recipe exactly the first time I do it, but I did make some changes.. used plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream (I didn’t have sour cream on hand), heavy cream instead of half-and-half (we like it thicker), and didn’t add any salt (the bouillon I use has enough salt in it). Excellent, excellent soup! Better than what I’ve gotten at any restaurant.
Thanks so much for the great comments and review Joe! I’m so happy your wife enjoyed it so much! It’s such a comforting one, one of my favorites. Thanks again!💖