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If you love a hearty bowl of comfort food, this Baked Potato Soup is for you! It’s rich, creamy, and loaded with all the best baked potato toppings — crispy bacon, melty cheese, and fresh green onions.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
Family Favorite. This recipe was given to me by my niece Emily. She assured me it was a keeper and she was right. It had all the delicious flavors of a loaded baked potatoe, but in soup form.
Comfort food. This Baked Potato Soup is going to hit all the right notes. It’s rich, creamy, and loaded with all your favorite baked potato fixings — crispy bacon, melted cheese, and green onions — all in one cozy bowl.
Pantry Friendly. It tastes indulgent but comes together easily with simple, pantry-friendly ingredients. And it only takes 30 minutes to make.
Ingredients Needed
- Russet Potatoes
- Chicken Broth or chicken stock
- Butter, salted
- All Purpose Flour
- Milk Use whole milk, half and half or whipping cream
- Salt and Pepper
- Green Onions
- Cheddar Cheese
- Sour Cream
- Cooked Bacon
- salt and black pepper to taste
How to Make Baked Potato Soup
- Bake potatoes at 425 degrees F for until potato is fork tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Allow potatoes to cool until cool enough to handle.
- Cut potato in half and scoop out the potato from the peel and set aside.
- Melt butter in a large pot and add flour to make a roux. Stir and cook over low heat until smooth.
- Add broth and milk to roux slowly while stirring. Cook over medium heat until mixture is thick and bubbly.
- Add potatoes and seasonings and stir to combine.
- Add in cheese and green onions, reserving some to garnish with before serving, and cook until warmed through.
- Stir in sour cream.
- Add extra broth or milk if necessary for desired consistency.
- Garnish with remaining green onions or fresh chives, cheese and crispy bacon bits.
Tips from leigh Anne
- Before adding the cooked potatoes, mash them or blend them to your desired consistency. I like my soup to be smooth, but if you prefer larger pieces, do not mash the potatoes before adding.
- As the soup cools, it will thicken. If you would like to thin it out, just add more milk or chicken broth until you get the desired consistency. You can also use an immersion blender to make it creamier.
- Don’t skip the bacon. Cook it first, then use a little of the bacon grease to sauté your onions and garlic. It adds amazing depth of flavor to the soup base.
- Add cream at the end. Stir in the milk, cream, or half-and-half after the soup has thickened — adding it too early can cause curdling.
- Make it ahead. This soup reheats beautifully! Just warm it gently over low heat and add a splash of milk or broth to bring it back to the perfect consistency.
- Don’t forget the toppings! Load it up just like a baked potato — with shredded cheese, sour cream, crumbled bacon, and green onions. It’s all about the toppings!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make baked potato soup ahead of time?
Absolutely! This soup reheats beautifully. Store it in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheat gently on the stove over low heat. Add a splash of milk or broth if it thickens too much.
Can I freeze potato soup?
You can, but for best texture, freeze it before adding the dairy. When ready to serve, reheat and stir in the milk or cream at the end — this helps prevent separation.
Can I make the soup gluten free?
Yes! Just skip the flour or thicken with cornstarch or a gluten-free flour blend. The soup will still turn out thick, creamy, and delicious.
Can I make potato soup in the Instant Pot or slow cooker?
Yes! For the Instant Pot, cook on high pressure for 10 minutes, then quick release. Mash some of the potatoes and stir in the cream at the end. For a slow cooker, cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4, then finish with your dairy and toppings.
This Baked Potato Soup is everything you love about a loaded baked potato — creamy, cheesy, and full of cozy comfort — all in one easy bowl. It’s hearty enough for dinner but simple enough for a quick weeknight meal, and it always hits the spot on a chilly day. Serve it with crusty bread or a simple green salad, pile on your favorite toppings, and enjoy a bowl of pure comfort. It’s the kind of recipe you’ll come back to again and again — warm, familiar, and always delicious.
Check out more of my favorite potato recipes:
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Baked Potato Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 4-6 russet potatoes want about 4 cups of mashed potatoes
- 1/2 cup butter salted
- 2/3 cup flour
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups milk
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 4 green onions chopped
- 1 1/4 cups cheddar cheese, medium or sharp grated
- 1 cup sour cream
- 12 slices bacon cooked crisp and crumbled.
Instructions
- Bake potatoes at 425 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes or until potato is fork tender. Allow potatoes to cool partially.
- When cool enough to handle, cut potato in half and scoop out the potato meat and set it aside. (Make some potato skins out of the remaining skins.)
- Melt butter in a medium large pan and add flour, stir and cook over low heat until smooth.
- Gradually add broth and milk, cook over medium heat until mixture is thick and bubbly; stir often. Add potatoes, seasonings, half of the green onions and cheese. Heat thoroughly.
- Stir in sour cream.
- Add extra broth or milk if necessary for desired consistency.
- Garnish with remaining green onion, cheese and crisp bacon.
Tips & Notes:
- Before adding the cooked potatoes, mash them to your desired consistency. I like my soup to be smooth, but if you prefer larger pieces, do not mash the potatoes before adding.
- As the soup cools, it will thicken. If you would like to thin it out, just add more milk or chicken broth until you get the desired consistency.
- Don’t skip the bacon. Cook it first, then use a little of the bacon grease to sauté your onions and garlic. It adds amazing depth of flavor to the soup base.
- Add cream at the end. Stir in the milk, cream, or half-and-half after the soup has thickened — adding it too early can cause curdling.
- Make it ahead. This soup reheats beautifully! Just warm it gently over low heat and add a splash of milk or broth to bring it back to the perfect consistency.
- Don’t forget the toppings! Load it up just like a baked potato — with shredded cheese, sour cream, crumbled bacon, and green onions. It’s all about the toppings!
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Nutrition Facts:
Jan Eisner says
Rich! I diced some leftover ham and I put the potatoes in the food processor with skins on. a little parmesean ( no cheddar in the house) and voila! Added more milk for a less dense result. Relly good. You don’t really need the salt with ham.
Lynnet says
This has been one of our favorite soup recipes since 2012. Made it up quickly tonight and it never fails to fill us up with the yummy flavor. My husband HATES sour cream, but has no clue I ever put any in this. Awesome Recipe!
Jaime says
Definitely trying this recipe this week! But was wondering, can I freeze some of it for later?
Leigh Anne says
I haven’t frozen it but you should be able to The potatoes might be a bit mushier after freezing
Jaime says
But if they are pureed, or at least not a lumpy soup, it shouldn’t be an issue, right? Thanks!
Leigh Anne says
Yes – you are right. Forgot the potatoes weren’t chunks in this soup!