The Ultimate Easy Baked Potato Soup Loaded Comfort in a Bowl

The Ultimate Easy Baked Potato Soup Loaded Comfo

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Preparation time:20 Mins

Cooking time:45 Mins

Servings:6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• large Russet Potatoes (approx. 2.5 lbs / 1.1 kg), scrubbed clean
• ounces (170g) Bacon, diced
• tablespoons (56g) Unsalted Butter
• medium Yellow Onion, finely chopped
• medium Celery Stalks, finely chopped
• /4 cup (30g) All-Purpose Flour
• cups (950 ml) low sodium Chicken or Vegetable Broth
• cups (475 ml) Whole Milk
• teaspoon Salt (or to taste)
• /2 teaspoon Black Pepper (freshly ground)
• 1/2 cups (170g) Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded (reserve some for topping)
• /2 cup (120g) full fat Sour Cream (plus extra for garnish)
• /4 cup (60ml) Fresh Chives, finely snipped

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Prick potatoes several times with a fork. Bake directly on the rack until easily pierced with a fork (approx. 45 55 minutes). Let cool slightly.
• While potatoes bake, cook the diced bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside on paper towels, leaving 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pot.
• Add the butter to the bacon fat. Once melted, add the chopped onion and celery. Sauté gently until soft and translucent (about 5-7 minutes).
• Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables. Stir constantly for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste, forming a roux.
• Gradually whisk in the chicken broth until smooth. Then, whisk in the milk. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently until it begins to lightly thicken.
• Scoop the soft flesh from the baked potatoes (discard the skins) and add the potato flesh to the simmering soup mixture.
• Use an immersion blender for a silky smooth texture, or mash gently with a potato masher for a more rustic, chunky soup. Aim for mostly smooth.
• Reduce heat to low. Stir in the salt and pepper. Remove the pot from the heat before adding cheese and sour cream to prevent splitting. Stir until fully melted and incorporated.
• Ladle the Easy Baked Potato Soup into bowls. Garnish generously with reserved crispy bacon, extra shredded cheddar, and fresh chives.

Nutrition Facts

Calories	523 kcal
Protein	14.8 g
Fat	28.9 g
Carbs	32.9 g
Fiber	6.6 g
Sodium	559 mg

Recipe Info

Category	Soup
Cuisine	American

Right then, settle in! There’s nothing quite like a proper bowl of baked potato soup to chase away the chill, is there? It’s the culinary equivalent of pulling on a favourite woolly jumper.

As a chef, I believe comfort food should be accessible, which is why this recipe for Easy Baked Potato Soup is a real winner for cooks of all abilities. We’re taking all the smoky, creamy goodness of a loaded jacket potato and transforming it into a luxurious, velvety soup without needing a trip to a fussy restaurant kitchen.

Here is the blueprint for a truly cracking batch of soup.

The Ultimate Easy Baked Potato Soup: Loaded Comfort in a Bowl

Brief Description

This soup captures the soul of a perfectly baked potato smoky, rich, and wonderfully indulgent. By baking the potatoes first, we concentrate their flavour, giving the soup a depth that simmering alone can’t achieve.

It’s a hearty, classic American style creamy soup, thick enough to stand a spoon up in, packed with bacon, cheddar, and chives. Simple, satisfying, and guaranteed to earn you plenty of nods of approval.

Difficulty Level: Easy

This recipe relies on straightforward techniques: baking, sautéing, simmering, and mashing. There’s very little room for error, making it perfect for beginners. If you can bake a potato, you can nail this soup.

Forget complicated steps; we are making the Easiest Baked Potato Soup possible.

Time Estimates

Prep time takes about 20 minutes of active chopping. Cooking, including the necessary baking time for the spuds, clocks in around 45 minutes. So, you're looking at just over an hour total for a massive flavour payoff.

Why This Recipe Cracks the Code

I see loads of recipes online promising quick results but delivering blandness. People always ask: how do I get that deep, smoky flavour without it tasting watery? And is it really worth skipping the sour cream if I'm trying to keep it lighter? This version solves those problems.

We bake the potatoes properly, and I’ll show you my trick for getting maximum creaminess, even if you want a Baked Potato Soup Without Sour Cream .

What You’ll Need to Make Easy Baked Potato Soup

First things first, you need the right gear. A good sturdy Dutch oven is your best mate here, as it handles the sautéing and simmering beautifully. You will also need a baking sheet for the spuds. Simple equipment for what tastes incredibly complex.

Now for the stars of the show: you need four large Russet potatoes. Scrub them well! We want the flavour from that baked skin to make our Loaded Baked Potato Soup sing. You’ll also need bacon, butter, onion, celery, flour, broth, milk, sharp cheddar, and sour cream.

Don’t skimp on the cheddar; sharp is non-negotiable for that proper bite.

Pro Tip for the Best Potato Base

Here’s a top tip learned after many disastrous batches: Always bake the potatoes, never boil them first. Baking concentrates the starch and sugars. When you scoop that fluffy interior out later, it melts into the roux beautifully, giving you a luxurious base for your Easy Baked Potato Soup with Cream without needing tons of thickeners.

My personal goal is always that perfect, velvety texture, and baking is the key to that lovely mouthfeel.

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Right then, settle in! There’s nothing quite like a proper bowl of baked potato soup to chase away the chill, is there? It’s the culinary equivalent of pulling on a favourite woolly jumper.

As a chef, I believe comfort food should be accessible, which is why this recipe for Easy Baked Potato Soup is a real winner for cooks of all abilities. We’re taking all the smoky, creamy goodness of a loaded jacket potato and transforming it into a luxurious, velvety soup without needing a trip to a fussy restaurant kitchen.

This soup captures the soul of a perfectly baked potato smoky, rich, and wonderfully indulgent. By baking the potatoes first, we concentrate their flavour, giving the soup a depth that simmering alone can’t achieve. It’s hearty, creamy, and packed with bacon and cheddar.

Simple, satisfying, and guaranteed to earn you plenty of nods of approval. Honestly, this Baked Potato Chowder is the definition of easy comfort food.

Ingredient Notes and FAQs

Getting the right bits is half the battle. For this Loaded Baked Potato Soup , quality matters, especially with the potatoes. You need those fluffy, floury types.

Core Shopping List

We need Russets, my friends. They mash up beautifully. Grab 4 large Russet Potatoes (about 1.1 kg / 2.5 lbs ). Make sure they feel firm but yield slightly when squeezed gently no soft spots, mind you.

For the dairy, if you can stretch to it, use whole milk ; it makes a massive difference to the final texture of this Easy Baked Potato Soup with Cream . If you're looking to skip the cream entirely, see the variation notes below, but this version is decidedly rich!

We need 6 ounces (170g) of decent streaky bacon, diced small. Don't get the super lean stuff; we need that fat to flavour the base. For the cheese, aim for sharp, strong cheddar about 1 1/2 cups (170g) , shredded yourself if you can.

Pre-shredded cheese is often coated in starch to stop it clumping, and we want smooth melting here.

Flavour Architecture

This is where we build the 'loaded' flavour profile without relying just on toppings. The bacon fat is the foundation, obviously. Then we have onion and celery the classic mirepoix .

The key flavour booster here, besides the bacon, is making a proper little roux with the flour and butter ( 4 tablespoons / 56g butter ). That minute you cook the flour is essential to get rid of any raw taste.

For a smoky kick, if you’re avoiding bacon, I sometimes add 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika when I sauté the veg it mimics that lovely charred flavour you get from an oven baked skin.

If you want a sharper flavour profile, try whisking in 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard right when you add the milk. It cuts through the richness brilliantly and adds a subtle tang, making it closer to a Loaded Cheddar Potato Soup .

Equipment & Mise en Place

You don't need fancy gadgets for this, thankfully. A sturdy large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed stockpot is your best mate here. It holds heat evenly, which prevents scorching when we simmer.

If you hate lumps, an immersion blender is handy, but honestly, a good old-fashioned potato masher works just fine.

Pro Tip: Get all your chopping done before you even look at the stove. Once the bacon hits the pan, things move fast! Chop your onion, celery, and herbs first.

Baking the potatoes takes the longest, so get those pricked and in the oven (400° F / 200° C ) before you start any stovetop action.

Having everything ready means you can go straight from sautéing the veg to whisking in the flour without burning anything. That's how you make an Easy Potato Soup Crock Pot version later on stress free, too!

Right then, settle in! There’s nothing quite like a proper bowl of baked potato soup to chase away the chill, is there? It’s the culinary equivalent of pulling on a favourite woolly jumper.

As a chef, I believe comfort food should be accessible, which is why this recipe for Easy Baked Potato Soup is a real winner for cooks of all abilities. We’re taking all the smoky, creamy goodness of a loaded jacket potato and transforming it into a luxurious, velvety soup without needing a trip to a fussy restaurant kitchen.

If you’re after the Easiest Baked Potato Soup you’ve ever made, you’ve landed in the right spot.

Here is the blueprint for a truly cracking batch of soup.

The Ultimate Easy Baked Potato Soup: Loaded Comfort in a Bowl

This soup captures the soul of a perfectly baked potato smoky, rich, and wonderfully indulgent. By baking the potatoes first, we concentrate their flavour, giving the soup a depth that simmering alone can’t achieve.

It’s a hearty, classic American style creamy soup, thick enough to stand a spoon up in, packed with bacon, cheddar, and chives. Simple, satisfying, and guaranteed to earn you plenty of nods of approval.

Difficulty Level? A doddle. If you can bake a potato, you can nail this.

Before You Cook

We need to get our ducks in a row before we start heating the hob. First things first: the potatoes. Unlike some recipes that boil them straight away, we need them baked. Set your oven to 400° F ( 200° C) and let those four large Russets bake for about 45 to 55 minutes.

Don't rush this bit; the baking is what develops that rich, deep flavour we want in our Loaded Baked Potato Soup . If you try to take a shortcut here, your soup will taste watery, trust me.

While they’re getting happy in the oven, prep your veg and dice up your bacon. Also, get your cheddar shredded and ready. A common pitfall in making a Baked Potato Chowder creamy is adding the cheese when it’s too hot, which makes it split.

We'll deal with that later, but have your cheese grated and waiting on the side.

Guided Cooking Sequence

Now for the serious (but easy!) business. Get your big stockpot or Dutch oven ready.

1. Cook your diced bacon over medium heat until it’s properly crisp you want those lovely crunchy bits! Scoop them out and set them aside, leaving about two tablespoons of the glorious bacon fat behind. That fat is flavour gold!
2. Toss in the butter, then the onion and celery. Let them soften gently until they look translucent about five to seven minutes. Don't let them burn, or the whole batch tastes bitter.
3. Time for the thickening agent. Sprinkle in your flour and stir it constantly for one minute. This cooks out the raw flour taste.
4. Slowly whisk in the broth, then the milk. Bring this gently up to a low simmer. It should start coating the back of a spoon.
5. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop out all that lovely fluffy flesh and drop it into your simmering liquid.
6. For the ultimate smooth finish, use an immersion blender. If you prefer a chunkier texture, just use a good old masher. I like mine mostly smooth, with just a few lumps left it reminds me I’m eating a real potato! This method ensures you get that lovely Easy Baked Potato Soup with Cream texture.
7. Crucially: Take the pot off the direct heat . Stir in your cheddar and sour cream until everything melts together into a beautiful, velvety sauce. This prevents a grainy texture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Save-It Section

This Easy Potato Soup Crock Pot friendly recipe freezes brilliantly, though you might want to hold off on adding all the cheese or sour cream until reheating if you plan on freezing large batches.

If it looks a bit thin after thawing, simply reheat gently and stir in a tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with a splash of cold water (a slurry) until it thickens up. Too salty? Add a dash of unseasoned milk or cream to balance it out. Enjoy making this absolute classic!

Right then, settle in! There’s nothing quite like a proper bowl of baked potato soup to chase away the chill, is there? It’s the culinary equivalent of pulling on a favourite woolly jumper.

As a chef, I believe comfort food should be accessible, which is why this recipe for Easy Baked Potato Soup is a real winner for cooks of all abilities. We’re taking all the smoky, creamy goodness of a loaded jacket potato and transforming it into a luxurious, velvety soup without needing a trip to a fussy restaurant kitchen.

Here is the blueprint for a truly cracking batch of soup.

The Ultimate Easy Baked Potato Soup: Loaded Comfort in a Bowl

Taste & Texture Upgrades

We’re aiming for that 'wow' factor here. Forget watery soup; we want thickness. For chef level garnish, don’t just throw cheese on top. I like to crisp up some finely diced potato skin (if you saved them!) until they resemble tiny bacon bits they add an incredible salty crunch.

Plating wise, swirl a teaspoon of crème fraîche or sour cream right on top before sprinkling with paprika dusted chives.

My secret weapon? Instead of just using bacon fat, I sometimes fry off some minced garlic with the bacon right at the start. This takes our flavour profile up a notch compared to some basic recipes out there.

We are building a Loaded Baked Potato Soup that truly sings, not one that just whispers.

Nutrition & Dietary Paths

For those keeping an eye on macros, a generous bowl (using whole milk and full fat sour cream, remember) sits around 400 calories, packing a decent punch of protein about 18g thanks to the cheese and bacon. It’s satisfying fuel!

If you need to lighten things up, use skim milk or even unsweetened almond milk, though you lose some of that classic silkiness. For a Baked Potato Soup Without Sour Cream , just swap it out entirely for thick Greek yogurt. You get the tang, but with fewer calories.

This recipe is naturally gluten free, provided you use a gluten free flour substitute for the roux, or skip the flour entirely and just use an immersion blender to break down more potato for thickness a great trick for an Easiest Baked Potato Soup version.

Serving & Pairing Ideas

Honestly, this soup needs nothing more than a big spoon and perhaps some thick, crusty bread for mopping up the leftovers in the bowl. If you are serving it as part of a bigger spread, a sharp, vinegary green salad is the perfect counterpoint to the richness.

If you make a huge batch (and you should!), it stores brilliantly. It keeps well in the fridge for four days just make sure it’s cooled quickly. Reheating is best done slowly on the hob, stirring often. Avoid the microwave if you can; it can sometimes make the texture a bit uneven.

When you finally sit down with your first proper bowl of this Easy Baked Potato Soup , I promise you’ll feel like you’ve earned a medal. It’s proper comfort food made easy.

Get stuck in, and let me know how you get on with your own version of the Loaded Cheddar Potato Soup !

If you're craving more ideas, explore Easy Chewy Snickerdoodles Bake Memories The OldFashioned Classic Recipe , My Secret Best Broccoli Salad Perfect for BBQs Tangy Creamy Easy and Sunshine Broccoli Salad Recipe An Easy CrowdPleaser .