Loaded Baked Potato Soup (Printable Version)

Creamy soup featuring tender baked potatoes, crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, and tangy sour cream in a savory broth.

# The Ingredients You'll Need:

→ Potatoes

01 - 4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed

→ Dairy

02 - 1 cup sour cream
03 - 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
04 - 1 cup whole milk
05 - 1 cup heavy cream
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Meats

07 - 6 slices bacon

→ Vegetables and Aromatics

08 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced (for garnish)

→ Broth and Seasonings

11 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
12 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

14 - Additional shredded sharp cheddar cheese, for serving
15 - Additional sour cream, for serving

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Pierce potatoes with a fork, place on a baking sheet, and bake for 45 to 60 minutes until tender. Cool slightly, peel, and cut into ½-inch chunks.
02 - In a large pot over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy. Remove, crumble, and set aside. Retain 2 tablespoons bacon fat in the pot; discard the rest.
03 - Add butter and diced onion to the pot and sauté until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute.
04 - Pour in chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Add potato chunks, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, gently breaking up some potatoes with a spoon to thicken.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in milk, heavy cream, and 1 cup shredded cheddar until melted and smooth. Fold in sour cream and half the crumbled bacon. Heat gently without boiling.
06 - Adjust seasoning to taste. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with remaining cheddar, bacon, green onions, and a dollop of sour cream.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It's the kind of soup that tastes like a hug, ready in under an hour, no fancy techniques required.
  • The crispy bacon and sharp cheddar turn something simple into something that feels special enough for guests.
02 -
  • Never add sour cream or cream when the soup is at a rolling boil—it breaks and looks curdled, so patience with low heat at the end saves the whole thing.
  • Don't feel like you have to bake the potatoes in the exact time the recipe says; every oven is different, so use a knife to test—they should give zero resistance when pierced.
03 -
  • Make the soup up to the point where you'd add cream and sour cream, then finish it the next day—it actually saves you time and tastes fresher.
  • If your soup breaks or looks curdled, blend it smooth with an immersion blender and it'll come back together; heat does things to dairy, but blending aerates it back into submission.
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