Description
This creamy loaded potato soup is the ultimate comfort food! Rich and velvety with tender potato chunks, crispy bacon, melted cheddar cheese, and all your favorite toppings. Better than restaurant quality and ready in just 50 minutes—perfect for cozy dinners!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Soup:
- 8–10 slices bacon, chopped into ½-inch pieces
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 pounds (6-7 medium) russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
- 4 cups (960ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups (480ml) water
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme (optional but recommended)
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (120g) sour cream
- 2 cups (200g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
For Toppings:
- Remaining shredded cheddar cheese
- Extra crispy bacon bits
- Sour cream
- Chopped fresh chives or green onions
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the Bacon: In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crispy, stirring occasionally, about 8-10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the bacon fat in the pot. Set aside most of the bacon for topping, reserving about ¼ cup to add back to the soup later.
- Sauté Aromatics: If there’s more than 2-3 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pot, drain excess (save it for another use!). Add the butter to the pot with remaining bacon fat. Add diced onion and sauté over medium heat until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Add Potatoes and Liquid: Add the cubed potatoes to the pot, stirring to coat with the bacon fat and aromatics. Pour in the chicken broth and water. Add salt, pepper, and dried thyme if using. Stir well to combine.
- Simmer Until Tender: Increase heat to bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are fork-tender and starting to fall apart. The exact time depends on how small you cut your potato cubes—smaller pieces cook faster.
- Thicken the Soup: Once potatoes are tender, use a potato masher or large fork to mash about half of the potatoes directly in the pot, pressing them against the side and bottom. This releases starch and creates a thicker, creamier consistency while leaving plenty of chunky potato pieces. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to partially blend if you prefer smoother soup—blend about ⅓ of the soup for a creamy base with chunks.
- Add Cream and Cheese: Reduce heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream, sour cream, and 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Stir continuously until cheese melts completely and soup is smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the reserved ¼ cup of crumbled bacon back to the soup.
- Season to Taste: Taste the soup and adjust seasoning generously with additional salt and pepper as needed. Potatoes need quite a bit of salt to taste their best—don’t be shy! The soup should be well-seasoned and flavorful.
- Serve: Ladle hot soup into bowls. Top generously with remaining shredded cheddar cheese, crispy bacon bits, a dollop of sour cream, chopped fresh chives or green onions, and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Potato Consistency: Adjust how chunky or smooth you like your soup by mashing more or fewer potatoes. For completely smooth soup, use an immersion blender to puree fully.
- Don’t Boil After Adding Cream: Once cream and cheese are added, keep heat at low and don’t let soup boil vigorously or it may curdle. Gentle heating is key.
- Make It Thicker: If soup is too thin, simmer uncovered to reduce and thicken, or mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water and stir into simmering soup.
- Make It Thinner: If too thick, add more chicken broth or milk a little at a time until desired consistency.
- Vegetarian Version: Omit bacon, use vegetable broth, and add 1 teaspoon smoked paprika for depth of flavor.
- Storage: Soup thickens as it sits and when refrigerated. Thin with broth or milk when reheating.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (⅛ of recipe, about 1½ cups)
- Calories: 425
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 16g
- Cholesterol: 75mg