This creamy Loaded Baked Potato Soup is easy, delicious and made in one pot! Serve topped with traditional loaded baked potato toppings like sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, bacon and green onions or chives. Yields 6 to 8 servings.

Meet My Family’s Favorite Soup.

This loaded Baked Potato Soup is a recipe I’ve been testing over the past year. With so many potato soups in the world, I really wanted a simple, yet comforting soup that anyone could make. Last week I shot the final recipe to share with you here on SS. We reheated it for dinner that evening (serving it along side ham and cheese paninis) and everyone agreed that soup is up there with their other favorites like my simple broccoli and cheddar, creamy chicken and gnocchi and chicken lemon rice soup.

This recipe is made in a single pot – a necessity for me when I want a quick and easy soup. However, I first tested this recipe by baking the potatoes in the oven and then peeling and adding the in later. What a hassle, not to mention time consuming. So I simplified it and the results were (you guessed it!) perfection.

What is Loaded Baked Potato Soup?

Everything you love about twice-baked potatoes but in lusciously creamy soup form. My family likes lumps of potatoes in our soup, but you could puree it with an immersion blender or add to a regular blender for a smoother consistency. Either way, serve this soup with a dollop of sour cream, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, green onion and crispy bacon pieces. SO GOOD!

To Make This Loaded Baked Potato Soup You Will Need:

• bacon – I like to use center cut bacon. Your will need to reserve some of the bacon fat.
• unsalted butter – Lends fat, flavor and aides in thickening the soup when combined with flour.
• yellow onion –Adds a subtle sweet onion flavor.
• garlic – Adds distinct punchy flavor.
• kosher salt – Used to draw out flavor and season the dish.
• unbleached all-purpose flour – Will help thicken the soup.
• garlic powder – Adds flavor that’s sweeter yet milder than fresh garlic.
• onion powder – Lends additional bold oniony flavor.
• low-sodium chicken broth – Lends subtle flavor and plays its part as the base for the soup. Have extra on hand for thinning the soup out if needed.
• half & half – Which is essentially 1 part whole milk and 1 part heavy cream.
• freshly ground black pepper – This will add some subtle bite and flavor.
• sharp cheddar cheese – Adds delicious sharp cheese flavor
• sour cream – Lends creaminess and delicious tangy flavor.
• green onions – Adds a pop of bright color and mild onion flavor.

To a dutch oven, add 8 ounces chopped bacon. Cook over medium to medium-low heat until the bacon is crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon, transferring to a paper towel lined plate. Remove and discard all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat.

To the bacon fat, add 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 medium diced yellow onion with a pinch of salt.

Stir and cook the onion until soft and translucent. Then add in 3 large cloves of minced garlic. Stir and cook 1 minute.

To the onion and garlic mixture, add 1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour and 1/2 teaspoon each garlic and onion powder.

Stir and cook 2 minutes.

Continue stirring as you pour in 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth.

And 2 cups half & half.

What is Half & Half?

Half & half is commonly found in the dairy section of most American grocery stores. It is equal parts whole milk and heavy cream.

Carefully add in 1 pound each peeled and chopped yellow and russet potatoes.

Cover with the lid askew and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low to medium-low.

Stir often (to avoid anything sticking and burning on the bottom of the pot) and cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.

For a chunkier potato soup, use a potato masher to smash and break up the potatoes. However, if you want a smoother consistency, use an immersion blender or ladle the soup into a high-speed blender and puree – just be sure to remove the plug from the lid and cover the hole with a clean kitchen towel.

Season the soup with salt and pepper. I use 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper.

Next, reserve 1/4 cup of the crispy bacon bits and add the rest to the soup along with 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup sour cream.

Stir well to combine and the cheese has melted.

If the soup seems too thick and you want to thin the soup out a bit, add more broth until you’ve reached a desired consistency.

Ladle hot soup into bowls and top with sour cream, the reserved cheddar, bacon pieces and a sprinkle of green onion.

What To Serve With Loaded Baked Potato Soup:

• grilled cheese sandwich (try my double decker grilled cheese!)
• ham and cheese panini
• bread and butter (try my no-knead rustic loaf!)

Enjoy! And if you give this Loaded Baked Potato Soup recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!