Loaded Potato Soup with Bacon & Cheese

In this post, we’re making Loaded Potato Soup. I’m talking about a bowl that brings all the beloved flavors of a fully loaded baked potato right to your spoon. It’s creamy, it’s cheesy, and it’s packed with flavor. If you’ve been looking for the ultimate comfort food to keep you warm, I have just the recipe for you.

Why You’ll Love This

• The Texture is Money: Mash about half the potatoes in the pot. This gives you that thick, creamy base while still keeping those nice potato chunks for texture.
• One-Pot Wonder: Cook the potatoes directly in the creamy broth. That means the starch releases into the soup to thicken it naturally. It don’t get better than that.

what you need

Special Equipment/Instruments

• Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot
• Potato Peeler
• Hand Potato Masher
• Whisk

Ingredients

• Potatoes: 2 to 2.5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled and diced into ¾-inch cubes)
• Bacon: 6-8 strips of bacon, diced (thick-cut works best)
• Aromatics:
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1-2 tbsp minced garlic (approx. 3-4 cloves)
• The Roux:
  • Reserved bacon grease (supplement with butter if needed to make approx. 3 tbsp total fat)
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• Liquids:
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
• Flavor Boosters:
  • 1-2 tsp Chicken Bouillon powder (or Better Than Bouillon base)
  • 1 tsp All-Purpose Seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder blend)
  • 1 tsp Garlic Pepper blend
  • ½ tsp Smoked Paprika
  • ¼ tsp Chili Powder
• The Finishers:
  • 2 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded (plus extra for topping)
  • Sour cream (for topping)
  • Fresh chives, chopped (for garnish)

First Things First: The Potatoes

Potato soup begins with the potatoes, and Yukon Golds are an excellent choice. They have a naturally buttery flavor, hold their shape well while cooking, and add a rich taste to the soup. If Yukon Gold potatoes aren’t available, Russets can also be used, but Yukon Golds remain a favorite for their texture and flavor.

Peel the potatoes and give them a good rinse (potatoes are root vegetables, guys, get that dirt off!). Cut them into cubes. It doesn’t have to be perfect because we are going to mash a lot of them later, but keep them roughly the same size so they cook evenly. Remember: The smaller you chop them, the faster they cook.

Building That Flavor Foundation

Here is the secret: Bacon Grease.

Cook your bacon first and remove it, but leave all “liquid gold” behind in the pot. That’s where the onions are sautéed. Once those onions are tender, we add garlic and a little chicken base. This creates a solid foundation of flavor that you just can’t get from store-bought soup.

We’re also going to make a quick roux right in the pot by dusting flour over the sautéed veggies. This cooks out the raw flour taste and creates a paste that ensures our soup ends up thick and hearty, not watery.

The Simmer & The Mash

Once the base is ready, add the chicken broth, heavy cream, and whole milk. Bring that to a boil, season it up with All-Purpose and Buttery Garlic Pepper (or your favorite seasoning blend), and drop the raw potatoes right in.

Let them cook for about 15 minutes until they are fork-tender. Mash about 50-60% of the potatoes. You want it creamy, but you still want those chunks!

The Finish

Finally, stir in some sharp cheddar cheese until it’s melted through. When you’re ready to serve, top it with that crispy bacon we saved, some sour cream, and fresh chives.

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Ultimate Loaded Potato Sou

Recipe by Sana ReiCourse: SoupsCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

450

kcal

Total time

50

minutes

This creamy Loaded Potato Soup features tender Yukon Gold potatoes simmered in a rich broth with bacon, cheddar, and heavy cream. It’s the ultimate comfort food “palate bomb” perfect for cold weather.

Ingredients

• Equipment Needed:

• Dutch Oven

• Potato Masher

• Peeler

• Ingredients:

• 2.5 lbs (1.1 kg) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced

• 8 oz (225g) Bacon, diced

• 1 medium Yellow onion, diced

• 4 cloves Garlic, minced

• ¼ cup (30g) All-purpose flour

• 1-2 tsp Chicken Bouillon (powder or paste)

• 3 cups (720ml) Chicken broth

• 2 cups (480ml) Whole milk

• 1 cup (240ml) Heavy cream

• 2 cups (225g) Sharp cheddar cheese, grated (freshly grated melts best)

• 1 tsp All-Purpose Seasoning (or salt/pepper/garlic powder blend)

• ½ tsp Smoked paprika

• ¼ tsp Chili powder

• For Garnish: Sour cream, chopped chives, extra cheese, crispy bacon bits

Directions

• Prep: Peel and dice potatoes into ¾-inch chunks. Rinse well. Dice onion and garlic.
• Render Bacon: In a large soup pot over medium heat, cook diced bacon until crispy. Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the fat in the pot.
• Sauté: Add onions to the bacon fat. Cook 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and chicken bouillon; cook 1 minute.
• Roux: Sprinkle flour over the vegetables. Stir well and cook for 1-2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
• Liquids: Pour in chicken broth, milk, and heavy cream. Whisk until combined and bring to a low boil.
• Simmer: Add seasonings and the raw potatoes. Simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender.
• Thicken: Use a potato masher to mash about 50% of the potatoes directly in the pot to thicken the soup.
• Cheese: Remove from heat (or turn to very low). Stir in the cheddar cheese until melted. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Serve: Serve hot, topped with sour cream, chives, reserved bacon, and extra cheese.

Notes

• Potato Choice: I prefer Yukon Gold for that buttery texture, but Russets work great too—they just break down a little faster.
• Bacon Swap: If you don’t eat pork, beef bacon works perfectly. If using turkey bacon (which has less fat), you will need to add 3-4 tablespoons of butter to sauté the onions and make the roux.
• Texture: The consistency is up to you. Mash more for a thicker chowder, or use an immersion blender for a completely smooth soup
• Seasoning: If you don’t have my specific seasoning blends, a mix of salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder will get you there.