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Creamy Loaded Baked Potato Soup with Bacon – Easy Homemade Recipe

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This creamy loaded baked potato soup with bacon is the ultimate comfort food, featuring velvety potatoes, sharp cheddar, smoky bacon, and fresh chives. Ready in about 45 minutes, it’s a crowd-pleaser that tastes like it simmered all day.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 slices thick-cut bacon
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 4 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 pounds)
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
  • 1/2 cup sour cream (full-fat)
  • 1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
  • Extra shredded cheddar cheese for topping
  • Sour cream for dolloping

Instructions

  1. Cook the bacon: Place bacon strips in a cold Dutch oven. Turn heat to medium and cook until crispy, about 6-8 minutes, flipping once. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Let cool, then crumble. Reserve bacon fat in pot.
  2. Sauté the aromatics: In the same pot with bacon fat (about 2 tablespoons), add diced onion. Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Make the roux: Sprinkle flour over onions and garlic. Stir constantly for 1-2 minutes until mixture looks pasty and clumpy. Cook until light golden, but do not burn.
  4. Add the liquids: Slowly pour in chicken broth while whisking constantly. Add milk and heavy cream, continuing to whisk. Bring to a gentle simmer (small bubbles around edges, not boiling) for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened.
  5. Add potatoes and seasonings: Stir in diced potatoes, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Bring back to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are fork-tender.
  6. Mash and thicken: Using a potato masher, gently mash some potatoes in the pot (about 6-8 mashes) to break up about one-third of them, leaving chunky pieces.
  7. Add cheese and sour cream: Remove pot from heat. Let sit for 1 minute. Gradually sprinkle in shredded cheddar cheese, stirring constantly until melted. Stir in sour cream until fully incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  8. Finish and serve: Ladle soup into bowls. Top with crumbled bacon, extra shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and fresh chives. Serve immediately.

Notes

For gluten-free, substitute flour with cornstarch slurry (2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 3 tbsp cold water). For best results, grate cheese from a block; pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting. Soup thickens as it sits; thin with warm milk or broth when reheating. To freeze, prepare through step 5, cool, and freeze without dairy; add cheese and sour cream after thawing and reheating.

Nutrition

Keywords: creamy loaded baked potato soup, bacon potato soup, easy potato soup, comfort food, winter soup, loaded potato soup

Find it online: https://yumbelle.com/creamy-loaded-baked-potato-soup-with-bacon-easy-homemade-recipe/