This old fashioned, comforting potato soup is seriously hearty. Loaded up with bits of crisp salty bacon, rich cream, and sharp cheese. One bowl of this gloriously filling soup will warm you up on the coldest of days! 

Bowl of potato soup topped with melted cheddar cheese, sour cream, diced bacon and green onion.

All About this Loaded Potato Soup Recipe: 

  • Simple ingredients: this recipe has all the classic ingredients, just punched up a bit! 
  • Make it as creamy as you want: control your consistency based on the ingredients you use (cream/milk, flour) and how much you want to blend the soup at the end. 
  • Perfect for family dinners: this is one of those recipes that everyone loves. How could they not? It’s loaded up with all the toppings you would find on a baked potato.

Ingredients Needed:

Ingredients needed for potato soup laid on the counter.

Notes on some ingredients:

  • Milk & Cream: you can use any milk of your preference, I would recommend using a 2% since we are adding cream. You can of course use whole milk and not use the cream. Or use any combination.
  • Onion: this can always be swapped out for leeks for a sweet, earthy flavoring to the soup. 
  • Flour: we are using this in combination with the sour cream and the potatoes themselves to make the broth thicker. 
  • Potatoes: Gold Potatoes are the best option due to their low starch, they hold their shape well when boiled. 
  • Cheese: for more flavoring use an Extra Sharp Cheddar, for a more mild flavoring use a Sharp Cheddar.

How to make (step-by-step)

Step by step how to make potato soup, bacon being cooked in a dutch oven, then onion and garlic sautéed in the grease and flour being added.
  • Step 1: Cook the bacon, dice and saute the bacon in a large dutch oven until it reaches your desired level of crispiness. Then remove the bacon and set aside. Keep at least 2 tablespoons of the grease for using to sauté the onion. 
  • Step 2: Add Flour, stir the flour into the vegetables, this creates a roux and helps thicken our soup. 
How to make potato soup, showing adding milk to the broth mixture, then soup after being blended.
  • Step 3: Pour in broth and milks. Add seasonings. The seasonings can always be adjusted at the end to taste. Add the potatoes in and let this simmer until the potatoes are softened and easily mashed with a fork.
  • Step 4: Blend, to desired consistency. Then add in the sour cream and cheese, stir into the soup until combined. Stir the bacon back into the soup while leaving some set aside as an extra topping.

Expert Tips:

  • Dice the potatoes fairly small. This helps them to cook up quicker. The quicker they cook, the quicker you can get dinner on the table.
  • Lighten this soup up: omit the bacon or use a turkey bacon. Add some extra veggies, cauliflower is a great option. And sub out the cream for milk, or sour cream for greek yogurt. Make sure you check out my recipe for Secretly Healthy Potato Soup for more ideas! 
  • Extra Seasonings: this soup is simple and can easily be adjusted to your tastes, add a sprinkle of your favorite seasoning mix (taco seasoning, cajun seasoning, Italian seasoning) for more flavoring. Or just add in a pinch of chili powder or paprika for a touch of heat.
  • Sneak in more veggies: since this is a great family dinner recipe, feel free to sneak in some extra vegetables, peas and carrots are a great option.
Up close view of blended potato soup with sour cream, bacon and cheese being added.

FAQ’s: 

What potatoes are best for this soup?

Use a low starch or waxy potato. They have thin skins and are high in moisture, low in starch. They hold up well and keep their shape when boiled. Yukon Gold potatoes are my favorite choice for this particular recipe.

Can I make this without the flour?

Yes! This soup is made to be ultra creamy, you can leave out the flour if desired, the soup will still be creamy, just blend the soup to get your desired consistency.

My soup is too thick? How can I thin it? 

Be careful not to overblend, this is going to be the main cause of making a soup that is too thick. To thin it out, gradually add more liquid (heated broth) until the soup reaches your desired consistency. 

What to Serve on the side: 

Up close view of potato soup in a bowl showing chunks of potato in a creamy broth, topped with bacon, cheese and green onion.

More Soup Recipes to Make:

If you tried this recipe please leave a comment and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below! Thank you so much!

Bowl of potato soup topped with melted cheddar cheese, sour cream, diced bacon and green onion.

Creamy Potato Soup

Servings: 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Author: Serene
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
This simple potato soup is ultra creamy and comforting! With only a few ingredients this soup comes together quickly on the stovetop. Load it up with all your favorite toppings for the ultimate in comfort food!
5 from 29 votes
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Ingredients

  • 6 slices bacon , chopped
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic , minced
  • 3 tbsp all purpose flour
  • 4 cups chicken broth, unsalted
  • 1½ cup milk
  • ½ cup cream
  • 3 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • ⅓ cup sour cream
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Optional Toppings:

  • green onion, diced
  • bacon, cooked and diced
  • cheese, shredded
  • sour cream

Equipment

Instructions

  • Cook Bacon: Add the bacon to a large dutch oven or pot and cook over medium high heat until the bacon is crispy. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel and set aside, leave the grease in the pot.
  • Saute Onion: Add the diced onion and cook until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds or until fragrant.
  • Add Flour: Stir in the flour and allow this to cook for about 2-3. This cooks the flour.
  • Create Broth: Pour in the chicken stock, milk and cream. Add in the diced potatoes, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
  • Simmer: Bring the pot to a simmer and cook stirring occasionally until the potatoes are softened and easily mashed.
  • Blend: Turn heat off and using an immersion blender, blend the soup until some of the potatoes are blended, be careful not to overblend, leave chunks of potato in the soup. IF you don't have an immersion blender then carefully pour portions of the soup into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return soup to the pot after blending.
  • Add Final Ingredients: With the heat still off, stir in the sour cream and shredded cheese. Return the bacon to the soup. Stir to combine.
  • Serve warm with any additional toppings of your choice.

Video

Notes

  • Milk & Cream: you can use any milk of your preference, I would recommend using a 2% since we are adding cream. You can of course use whole milk and not use the cream. Or use any combination.
  • Onion: this can always be swapped out for leeks for a sweet, earthy flavoring to the soup. 
  • Flour: we are using this in combination with the sour cream and the potatoes themselves to make the broth thicker. 
  • Potatoes: Gold Potatoes are the best option due to their low starch, they hold their shape well when boiled. Dice them fairly small for quicker cook time.
  • Cheese: for more flavoring use an Extra Sharp Cheddar, for a more mild flavoring use a Sharp Cheddar.
  • Thickness: to create a thick, creamy soup blend more of the potato. If your soup becomes too thick, heat up extra chicken broth and pour into the soup until desired consistency is achieved.
  • Leftovers can be stored sealed in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat on stovetop, while stirring.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 195kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 39mg, Sodium: 638mg, Sugar: 2g
Did you make this recipe?Tag @HouseofYumm on Instagram and hashtag #houseofyumm!

Recipe first published October 17, 2018. Updated August 20, 2021 with new images and information, recipe remains unchanged.

Photography done by the talented @KJandCompany.co