Loaded Potato Soup (Printable Version)

Velvety smooth soup with tender potatoes, cheddar, bacon, and green onions for ultimate comfort.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
02 - 1 medium onion, chopped
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 green onions, sliced

→ Base and Dairy

05 - 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
06 - 1 cup whole milk or 2% milk
07 - 0.5 cup sour cream
08 - 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese, plus extra for garnish

→ Proteins

09 - 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

→ Oils and Seasonings

10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1 teaspoon salt
12 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 0.5 teaspoon paprika

# How To Make:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent, approximately 5 minutes.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring frequently.
03 - Stir in diced potatoes and pour in broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender.
04 - Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth, or blend half the soup and leave the remainder chunky for textured consistency.
05 - Stir in milk, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, salt, black pepper, and paprika. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the cheese melts and the soup reaches creamy consistency, approximately 5 minutes.
06 - Taste and adjust seasonings as needed to achieve desired flavor balance.
07 - Pour soup into serving bowls and top with crumbled bacon, extra cheddar cheese, sliced green onions, and desired optional toppings.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • It tastes like the soup from fancy restaurants but takes less than an hour and uses ingredients you probably already have.
  • The texture is creamy without feeling heavy, and you can adjust it from silky to chunky depending on your mood.
  • Bacon and cheddar do most of the work, so even if you're tired, this dish comes together effortlessly.
02 -
  • Never skip the step of tempering the sour cream by stirring it in slowly over low heat—I learned this by accidentally creating a curdled mess that looked like something from a science experiment.
  • The soup thickens as it cools, so if it seems a little loose when hot, it's actually perfect and will set up nicely once it rests.
03 -
  • Always save some of the cooked potato pieces before you blend, then stir them back in so you get that satisfying texture even if you make the base silky.
  • Crisp your bacon in the oven on a sheet pan instead of the stovetop—it's less splashing, more even cooking, and you can do it while you prep everything else.
Return