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 Sausage Potato 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
- Cheese: Cracker Barrel Sharp Yellow Cheese is my brand of choice as it has great flavor and melts smoothly. Aged/crystalized cheese won’t melt well, aim for a soft consistency!
- 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..
- 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.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- 4-Quart Dutch Oven– This is the perfect size for this soup. This one is high quality and you’ll have it forever. (I use one almost every time I cook!)
- Box cheese grater – I always shred cheese from a block in my recipes. It melts and tastes better than packaged shredded cheese.
- Garlic Twister– it’s much more flavorful to mince fresh garlic. This twister does it in seconds and is easy to clean and store.
- Soup Bowls –(I love these!)
- 16 oz. storage containers – I use these to store/freeze my soups. They have 8 oz. sizes as well. They’re stackable, leak proof, and dishwasher/microwave safe.
Try These Next
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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
- Cheese: Cracker Barrel Sharp Yellow Cheese is my brand of choice as it has great flavor and melts smoothly. Aged/crystalized cheese won't melt well, aim for a soft consistency!
- 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.
- 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.
This was a huge hit with the family – even with a couple tweaks!
My daughter is living with us right now and has celiac disease and is a vegetarian which makes finding recipes that we can all enjoy a challenge. I used gluten free 1-1 flour which worked just fine. I also used 1 cup half and half (that’s all I had) and 1 cup of oat milk and cooked up the bacon on the side for those of us who wanted to sprinkle it on top.
It was a huge hit and I will definitely make this again!
Hi Nikki! I’m so happy you were able to customize this and make it gluten free! Thanks so much for the feedback and review!😃
This is the 2nd soup recipe I made of yours. They are delicious!! This potato soup and your Italian wedding soup (I do use ground chicken instead of the beef/pork combo) have become a staple in our house. Thank you!!
Thanks so much Heather, I’m so happy you’re enjoying the soup recipes!😃❤️ I’ve been in serious soup mode over here. I’m actually cooking creamy tomato soup right now! Thanks for the review!!!
Looks like a nice recipe and some great pro tips however I would call this a Potato Soup not Baked Potato Soup. I do have a Baked Potato Soup recipe I use regularly but it actually uses the insides of the potato as well as some boiled potatoes. Using true baked potatoes does effectively change the texture and flavor of the soup. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Tammy! I totally get where you’re saying, I decided to boil the potatoes instead of baking them in order to rid the potatoes of excess starch, which can create a ‘gluey’ consistency, especially if an immersion blender is used. (Potato Soup would work as a title but since this has the elements of a baked potato with the sour cream and bacon, I stuck with Baked Potato Soup.) ❤️
So good, we loved it. I did modify it to our tastes a bit, but I will be making this often!
Hey Tennille! I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed it! This is definitely one of my favorite soups. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I really appreciate it! -Stephanie
This soup was so simple to prepare. It was absolutely delicious! Note: I didn’t mash the potatoes, I simply left them chunky.
I’m so happy to hear you liked this one Norma!😃 Thanks so much for the review!
Followed the recipe to a T and it came out great. Very good!
Wooooooo!!!! So happy to hear that Erin! Thank you so much!
I’m a hudge potato soup fan, I made this soup for a quick dinner meal, It was amazing good. Its a must try recipe. Won’t be disappointed. Thanks for posting your recipe, love,love,love.
Hey Rose!! I’m SO happy to hear that, thank you so much! This is definitely one of my favorites! You’re the best! -Stephanie
Delicious! I’m happy with any recipe by husband likes, and this is one of them. I did need to make extra bacon though for garnish. Too yummy to not have lots!
😂 You sound like me! I’m also happy with any recipe my husband likes! Thanks so much for the review!
Delicious!! I read the reviews and baked my potatoes instead of boiling them. I also used the skins for potato skins as a side.
I highly recommend this recipe because the flavor of the soup is spot on…not too cheesy and not too bland.
Thanks so much for the awesome review Ashlee!😀 I’ve been eating a lot of this lately!
Easy fast no fail recipe. Fantastic flavor. I add the cheese to the bowls with chives bacon chips and a little sour cream. Loaded potato soup yummy.
Loaded baked potato soup, so great!!!😋 I’m happy to hear you liked it!