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.
Delicious! Very impressed!
It has more steps to make than I usually like, but we’ll worth the effort on our first cold night.
Will make again, just giving myself more time.
I’m so happy you were impressed with this soup Susan! Can’t beat a cozy soup on a cold night. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!💗
Can gluten free flour be used?
Yes! 🙂
Would it work to use leftover mashed potatoes for the potatoes? If so, how much would I use, and should I warm them up first? Thanks for your help!
Hi Makenzie! 3 heaping cups of leftover mashed potatoes would be perfect in this!
Stephanie, Thank you for always answering my questions! It’s so nice that you’re are so responsive. I made it with my leftover mashed potatoes that I didn’t want to go to waste (your recipe of course haha), and it was delicious as ever!! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Hi Makenzie!! You get bonus points for using my mashed potato recipe, hahaha! 🙂 I am so happy that this worked out for you with using leftovers!!! 🙂 -Stephanie
I used leeks instead of regular onion, it turned out amazing! Great recipe, thanks for sharing!
You’re very welcome Shelly, I’m so happy you liked it, thanks so much for the great review!❤️
Excellent! thank you!
I’ve made this recipe a handful of times and it’s always perfect! It’s easy to make and everyone always asks for more.
I’m so happy this has been a hit for you Stephanie! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!❤️
This soup is the best potato soup that I have made, its an absolute keeper. I plan on freezing what is left, this make a nice big pot . Thank you for this wonderful recipe, it will be my go to for potato soup.
You’re very welcome, it makes me so happy that you enjoyed it! I love that this will be your new go to for potato soup! Thanks so much for the great review!❤️
Delicious!! My husband says the best potato soup he’s ever had!
Awesome! That makes me so happy, I really appreciate you taking the time to leave a review Lynne!❤️
Your recipe was absolutely delicious! My husband loves potato soup so he absolutely went gaga over your baked potato soup! He had 3 bowls! Lol Thank you for making dinner a hit tonight! I’ll be making this again.
Wahooo! Nice work Shelly, thanks so much for the great comments, I’m so happy it was a hit!❤️
This was such a comforting meal. Do you simmer for any given time before adding potatoes?
Hi Alexi, no additional simmering required before adding the potatoes 🙂 So happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe!