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This Loaded Baked Potato Soup has everything you’d pile onto a baked potato, bacon, cheddar, sour cream and green onions, stirred into a thick, creamy soup.
It also happens to be built on one of the cheapest things in the produce aisle. A bag of russets does most of the work here, which is welcome when the receipt at checkout keeps getting longer.
There’s no heavy cream. The soup gets its body from a little flour and from mashing some of the potatoes right in the pot. Everything cooks in one large pot or Dutch oven.
Serve it with a green salad or soft dinner rolls. If you have leftover ham, try our Creamy Ham and Potato Soup next.
Ingredients and Swaps
- Potatoes: Russets break down and thicken the soup. Yukon Golds stay chunkier. Leftover baked potatoes work too.
- Bacon: Cooked first, so the soup starts in its drippings. Turkey bacon works with a tablespoon of butter added.
- Milk and sour cream: Whole milk for the body and sour cream for the baked-potato tang.
- Cheddar: Sharp, shredded from a block.
- Broth: Chicken broth, or vegetable broth with the bacon left out for a meatless soup.
Tips for a Thick, Creamy Potato Soup
- Cut the potatoes evenly. Half-inch cubes cook through in about 15 minutes.
- Cook the flour. Stir it into the onions for a full minute so the soup doesn’t taste floury.
- Mash some of the potatoes. Mashing about half of them in the pot thickens the soup and leaves some chunks.
- Add the dairy over low heat. Don’t boil after the milk and sour cream go in.
- Stir in the cheese off the heat. It melts smoothly.
Prices are from Walmart’s and ALDI’s websites for stores in Columbus, Ohio, checked in October 2026. Ohio’s grocery prices are within about 1% of the national average, so you may pay more or less depending on where you live, and prices change often. Here’s how we price our recipes.
Cost: Ingredients – $8.47 from Walmart, $7.47 from ALDI · Per Serving – $1.24 to $1.41
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat for 6–8 minutes, until crisp. Move it to a paper towel-lined plate. Leave about 2 tablespoons of the drippings in the pot and pour off the rest.
- Add the onion and cook for 4–5 minutes, until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute.
- Slowly pour in the broth, stirring as you go so no lumps form. Add the potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15–18 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender.
- Mash about half of the potatoes right in the pot with a potato masher. Leave the rest in chunks.
- Stir in the milk and heat for 3–4 minutes, until hot. Don’t let it boil.
- Take the pot off the heat. Stir in 1 cup of the cheddar and the sour cream until melted and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
- Ladle into bowls and top with the remaining cheddar, the bacon and the green onions.
Notes
- Russet potatoes break down and make the thickest soup. Yukon Golds give you a chunkier one.
- Have leftover baked potatoes? Scoop out the insides, add them after the broth and simmer for just 5 minutes.
- Shred the cheese from a block. It melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese.
- For a vegetarian version, skip the bacon, cook the onion in 2 tablespoons of butter and use vegetable broth.
Storage & Freezing Tips
- Refrigerate for up to 4 days. The soup thickens as it sits, so stir in a splash of milk or broth when reheating.
- Reheat gently over low heat. Don’t let it boil, or the dairy can separate.
- Store the bacon, extra cheese and green onions separately so the toppings stay fresh.
- Potato soups made with milk can turn grainy in the freezer, so this one is best eaten within a few days.
Potato Soup Questions
Can I make it in a slow cooker?
Yes. Cook the potatoes, onion, garlic and broth on low for 6–8 hours, mash, then stir in the milk, sour cream and cheese. Cook the bacon separately.
What should I serve with it?
Soft Dinner Rolls, a green salad or Cornbread.
