Description
Craving a bowl of comfort that tastes just like a loaded baked potato? This creamy loaded potato soup delivers rich, cheesy flavor with crispy bacon and tender potatoes in under 30 minutes on the stovetop. Make it in the crockpot or Instant Pot for easy meal prep that feeds a crowd all week.
Ingredients
6–8 strips thick-cut bacon, diced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
2 cups chicken broth (low-sodium preferred)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
Sliced green onions or chives, for serving
Sour cream, for serving
Extra crumbled bacon, for serving
Extra shredded cheese, for serving
Instructions
1. Cook bacon: In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook diced bacon until crispy, 6-8 minutes. Remove to paper towel-lined plate, leaving 2 tablespoons drippings.
2. Sauté aromatics: Add butter, onion, and garlic. Cook until softened, 4-5 minutes.
3. Make roux: Sprinkle flour over onions and whisk 1-2 minutes until golden. Slowly pour in milk and broth while whisking. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Simmer potatoes: Add potatoes. Bring to boil, then simmer 12-15 minutes until fork-tender.
5. Blend and finish: Mash lightly for chunky or use immersion blender for creamy. Off heat, stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese and half the bacon.
6. Serve: Garnish with remaining cheese, bacon, sour cream, and chives.
Notes
Stovetop: 25-30 minutes total
Crockpot: 4-6 hours low
Instant Pot: 25 minutes total
Texture Tips:
– Chunky: Mash 1/3 of potatoes
– Creamy: Blend 70% smooth
Storage: Fridge 5 days, freezer 3 months
Dairy-free: Use oat milk + vegan cheese
Vegetarian: Omit bacon, use olive oil + veggie broth
Nutrition (per 1 cup serving): 380 calories, 15g protein, 32g carbs, 22g fat
- Prep Time: PT15M
- Cook Time: PT15M
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 55mg