Loaded Baked Potato Soup (Printable Version)

Creamy comfort in a bowl with baked potatoes, bacon, cheddar, and sour cream. Ready in 50 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Potatoes

01 - 4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed

→ Dairy

02 - 1 cup sour cream
03 - 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
04 - 1 cup whole milk
05 - 1 cup heavy cream

→ Meats

06 - 6 slices bacon

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

07 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Broth & Seasonings

09 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
11 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

13 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
14 - Additional shredded cheddar, for serving
15 - Additional sour cream, for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Pierce potatoes with a fork, place on a baking sheet, and bake for 45–60 minutes until tender. Cool slightly, then peel and cut into ½-inch chunks.
02 - Cook bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon, crumble, and set aside. Discard all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat.
03 - In the same pot, add butter and diced onion. Sauté until onion is translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
04 - Stir in chicken broth, bring to a simmer. Add potato chunks, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, gently breaking up some potatoes with a spoon for a thicker texture.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in milk, heavy cream, and 1 cup cheddar cheese until melted and smooth. Add sour cream and half the crumbled bacon, stirring to combine. Heat gently (do not boil).
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Top with remaining cheddar, bacon, green onions, and a dollop of sour cream.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like a loaded baked potato had a beautiful collision with creamy comfort food, and somehow nobody told you this combination was missing from your life.
  • The whole thing comes together in under an hour, which means you can have something this indulgent on a regular Tuesday without it feeling like a project.
  • Crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, and sour cream do the heavy lifting of flavor while the soup itself stays silky and approachable.
02 -
  • Never let the cream boil after you add it, because dairy breaks when it gets too hot and you'll end up with a grainy, separated soup instead of the silky thing you're aiming for.
  • If you have time, peeling the potatoes while they're warm is easier than waiting until they cool completely, and the warm potato chunks actually absorb the broth flavor better.
03 -
  • Save some of the bacon fat to drizzle into soups all week because it's liquid gold and makes everything taste intentional and warm.
  • If you want to make this slightly lighter, substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream and reduce the heavy cream to half a cup, though you'll lose a tiny bit of that tanginess that makes this version sing.
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