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Creamy Loaded Baked Potato Soup with Bacon (Easy 30-Min Recipe)

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This creamy loaded baked potato soup with bacon is a quick and easy 30-minute recipe that tastes like the inside of a fully loaded baked potato. It’s rich, velvety, and packed with crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, and all the classic toppings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 slices bacon, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 pounds russet potatoes (about 4 medium), diced into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 4 green onions, sliced (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Cook the bacon (5-7 minutes): Place chopped bacon in a cold Dutch oven. Turn heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon. Leave rendered fat in the pot.
  2. Sauté the aromatics (3-4 minutes): Add butter to the bacon fat. Once melted, add diced onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Make the roux (2 minutes): Sprinkle flour over the onion mixture. Stir constantly for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is pasty and smells slightly nutty.
  4. Add the liquids (5 minutes): Slowly pour in chicken broth while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Add milk and heavy cream, whisking until smooth and slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
  5. Cook the potatoes (12-15 minutes): Add diced potatoes. Stir, bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are fork-tender.
  6. Partially blend the soup (2 minutes): Remove pot from heat. Use an immersion blender to pulse 5-6 times, breaking up some potatoes while leaving chunks. Alternatively, transfer 2 cups of soup to a blender, blend until smooth, and stir back into the pot.
  7. Add the cheese and sour cream (2 minutes): Stir in shredded cheddar cheese one handful at a time, ensuring each addition melts fully. Then stir in sour cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Serve and garnish (1 minute): Ladle soup into bowls. Top with reserved crispy bacon, sliced green onions, an extra dollop of sour cream, and more shredded cheese if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend or a cornstarch slurry (2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup cold water, added at the end). For a vegetarian version, skip the bacon, use 2 tbsp olive oil or butter instead of bacon fat, add 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, and use vegetable broth. For a dairy-free option, use unsweetened oat milk or cashew milk, dairy-free cream substitute, vegan cheddar shreds, and dairy-free sour cream. The soup thickens as it sits; thin with a splash of milk or broth when reheating.

Nutrition

Keywords: loaded baked potato soup, creamy potato soup, bacon potato soup, easy potato soup, 30-minute soup, comfort food, weeknight dinner

Find it online: https://grubella.com/creamy-loaded-baked-potato-soup-with-bacon-easy-30-min-recipe/