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Loaded Potato Soup
Thick, creamy, and loaded with bacon, ham, sharp Cheddar, sour cream, and green onions — the ultimate comfort soup.
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Yield: 6–8 servings
Introduction
This Loaded Potato Soup captures the flavors of a loaded baked potato in a rich, spoonable bowl. Crisp bacon, tender ham, sharp Cheddar and tangy sour cream combine with a creamy potato base to create a satisfying meal that’s ideal for chilly nights or casual family dinners. The recipe is straightforward and forgiving — great for batch cooking and leftovers.
Ingredients
- 1 (12 oz) package bacon
- 1 ½ cups chopped onion
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 lb baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2/3 cup butter
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup diced cooked ham
- 1 (8 oz) container sour cream
- 2 ½ cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (divided)
- 3/4 cup sliced green onions (divided)
Instructions
- Cook bacon & onion: In a 12-inch skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp (6–7 minutes). Drain and crumble bacon, reserving 2 tbsp drippings in the skillet. Add chopped onion to the drippings and cook until softened, about 5–6 minutes. Transfer onion to a large pot.
- Cook potatoes: Add chicken broth and cubed potatoes to the pot with the onion. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are very tender, about 10 minutes.
- Make the roux: In the skillet used for bacon/onion, melt butter over low heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in 2 cups of milk until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Finish the soup base: Pour the milk mixture into the potato pot. Add the remaining 2 cups milk, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the soup thickens and becomes bubbly.
- Add fillings: Stir in diced ham, half the crumbled bacon, sour cream, 2 cups of shredded Cheddar, and 1/2 cup sliced green onions. Heat gently until the cheese melts and the soup is warmed through.
- Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and top with remaining bacon, remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar, and remaining sliced green onions. Serve warm with crusty bread or crackers.
Tips & Variations
- For a thinner soup, add extra chicken broth until you reach desired consistency.
- Make it vegetarian by substituting vegetable broth and omitting bacon/ham; add smoked paprika for depth.
- To make the soup richer, use half-and-half in place of part of the milk.
- Leftovers thicken as they cool; reheat gently and thin with broth or milk as needed.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat over low heat on the stove, stirring occasionally. Soup can be frozen for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.