Imagine a bowl of creamy, comforting soup that's bursting with all the flavors of a classic baked potato topped with all the fixings you love—bacon, cheddar, green onions, and a touch of sour cream. This Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe is exactly that, and it’s a total game-changer on chilly days when you want something hearty and satisfying without fuss.

Two white bowls filled with creamy white soup are placed on dark gray plates with a silver spoon beside one bowl. The soup has three main layers of toppings: small, crispy, brown cubed pieces on the surface; bright orange shredded cheese spread across the top; and small green sliced scallions sprinkled evenly. There are also small red bits mixed in with the toppings. The bowls sit on a dark red cloth over a wooden board, all against a white marbled surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients & Why They Work
Make It Your Way
Step-by-Step: How I Make Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe
Top Tip
How to Serve Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe
Make Ahead and Storage
Frequently Asked Questions:
Final Thoughts
Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

This soup hits all the right notes with a rich, creamy texture and flavorful bites of bacon and cheese in every spoonful. I’ve made this recipe over and over, especially when friends come over because it’s such a crowd-pleaser—and it’s surprisingly easy to put together once you get the hang of it.

Full-flavored and comforting: This soup captures every element of a loaded baked potato in a bowl, perfect for cold evenings.
Uses real baked potatoes: Baking the potatoes adds natural sweetness and depth to the soup’s base, unbeatable flavor!
Customizable toppings: Crisp bacon, cheddar, green onions, and even crispy potato skins—it’s fun to add what you love.
Great for leftovers: This soup reheats beautifully and even freezes well, making it ideal for meal prep.

A close-up of a thick, creamy white soup in a black pot, topped with small pieces of crispy reddish-brown bacon, thin rings of bright green onions, and shredded orange cheddar cheese scattered throughout the surface. A metal ladle lifts a portion of the soup showing its creamy texture mixed with the bacon, cheese, and onions. The pot sits on a white marbled surface with a deep red cloth partially visible underneath, enhancing the warm and inviting feel of the scene. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Ingredients & Why They Work

This Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe relies on simple, classic ingredients that come together to build layers of flavor and texture. Each one plays a specific role to give you that rich and cozy result you’ll crave again and again.

Flat lay of a group of five large russet potatoes with rough brown skins, a small pile of chopped crispy bacon pieces, a small white ceramic bowl filled with pale all-purpose flour, a bunch of thick green onions with both white and green parts separated neatly side by side, three whole uncracked brown garlic cloves, a small white bowl of clear low-sodium chicken broth, a small white bowl of creamy milk, a small white bowl of smooth sour cream, a small white bowl overflowing with shredded sharp cheddar cheese, a small white bowl with finely grated pale parmesan cheese, and a small white bowl with golden olive oil, all arranged symmetrically on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

Russet potatoes: Ideal for baking and mashing, they absorb flavors well and provide that fluffy texture.
Bacon: Adds smoky, salty crunch—you want it just crisp for that perfect contrast.
All-purpose flour: Helps thicken the soup, giving it a velvety consistency without heaviness.
Green onions (light and green portions separated): The light parts create a savory base while the green tops bring a fresh pop at the end.
Garlic: Just enough to add warmth and complexity.
Low-sodium chicken broth: Forms the flavorful broth foundation without overpowering the potato taste.
Milk (2% or whole): Adds creaminess and smooths out the soup.
Sour cream: Brings a gentle tang and extra richness.
Sharp cheddar cheese: Melts into the soup for cheesy goodness, but you can adjust the amount to taste.
Parmesan cheese: Adds depth and a subtle umami boost.
Olive oil (for fried potato skins): A great way to use those potato skins, turning them into crispy, flavorful bites.

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Note: You'll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make It Your Way

One of the best things about this Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe is how easily it adapts to your tastes and what you have on hand. I love mixing things up based on the season or what toppings I’m craving.

Variation: I sometimes swap out the sharp cheddar for smoked gouda, which gives the soup a lovely smoky twist that’s fantastic with the bacon.
Vegetarian option: Skip the bacon and use vegetable broth instead. Adding roasted mushrooms or caramelized onions boosts the savory punch.
Extra hearty: Stir in some cooked diced ham or cooked chicken to turn this into a full meal.
Make it spicy: A pinch of cayenne or some diced jalapeños take it up a notch if you like your soup with a little kick.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe

Step 1: Bake Those Potatoes to Perfection

Start by scrubbing your potatoes really well—they’ll be baked whole with their skins on, so you want them clean. Pierce them a few times with a fork so steam can escape, then bake at 400°F for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when they’re tender all the way through and a knife slides easily in. This baking step is key—it gives the soup a natural sweetness and robust flavor you just don’t get with boiled potatoes.

Step 2: Crisp Up the Bacon and Build Your Base

While the potatoes bake, cook your chopped bacon in a large pot over medium heat until just crisp. Remove the bacon and leave the fat behind—it’s flavor gold! Add the light parts of the green onions and sauté for a minute to soften. Then stir in the flour and cook it for about 30 seconds to get rid of the raw taste. Toss in garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Slowly pour in your chicken broth then milk, stirring all the while so it thickens smoothly.

Step 3: Add Potato Flesh and Simmer

Scoop the fluffy potato flesh out of your cooled baked potatoes, leaving the skins behind (don’t toss them—you’ll use those for crispy garnish!). Stir the potato into the soup pot. Season with salt and pepper to your liking, then bring it to a gentle simmer. Cover and let it cook a few minutes so all those flavors get cozy together. Then mash up the potatoes a bit with a potato masher right in the pot—some chunks are great, but you want it mostly creamy.

Step 4: Cheese It Up and Fry the Potato Skins

Off the heat, stir in sour cream, sharp cheddar, and parmesan cheese. This is where your soup transforms into something wonderfully rich and cheesy. Meanwhile, dice the reserved potato skins into small pieces and sauté them in olive oil over medium-high heat until golden and crisp—these add fantastic texture and a fun way to use every part of the potato.

Step 5: Serve With All the Toppings

Ladle the soup into bowls and pile on more cheddar, crispy bacon, those crunchy fried potato skin pieces, and fresh green onion tops. It’s absolutely irresistible!

Top Tip

From my experience making this soup multiple times, I’ve learned a few tricks that make all the difference in turning out a creamy, truly loaded baked potato soup that your family will ask for again and again.

Perfect Potato Texture: Make sure to bake the potatoes thoroughly; underbaked potatoes don’t mash well and leave lumps in your soup.
Don’t Skip the Bacon Fat: Use the rendered bacon fat to sauté onions and garlic—it adds a deep smoky flavor that stores bought bacon bits just can’t mimic.
Cheese Variety: Sharp cheddar is great, but mixing in a bit of parmesan lifts the overall flavor, giving it a subtle, savory complexity.
Crispy Potato Skins: Don’t toss those skins! Frying them up adds a fantastic crunch, turning a humble garnish into a highlight.

How to Serve Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe

Loaded Baked Potato Soup - Serving Suggestion

Garnishes

I love topping this soup with crispy bacon pieces, extra shredded sharp cheddar, fried potato skin croutons, and fresh sliced green onions. These garnishes add color, texture, and an extra pop of flavor—trust me, don’t skip them!

Side Dishes

Pair your soup with a simple green salad or a crusty bread like a baguette or sourdough. I’ve also enjoyed it alongside roasted Brussels sprouts or a light coleslaw to balance the richness.

Creative Ways to Present

For a cozy dinner party, I like serving this soup in mini carved out potato bowls—just scoop the insides from baked potatoes and ladle the soup right inside. It’s charming, delicious, and really makes an impression.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When reheating, add a splash of milk or broth to loosen it back up and stir gently over low heat so the cheese doesn’t separate.

Freezing

This soup freezes nicely, too. Just cool it completely before portioning into freezer-safe containers. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently. Keep in mind the texture might be a tad different but still tasty.

Reheating

Reheat on the stove over low to medium heat, stirring often to keep it creamy. If it’s too thick, add a little more milk or broth. Avoid microwaving it at high heat, which can cause the cheese to clump.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use different potatoes for the Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe?

Russets are preferred because they’re fluffy when baked and mash easily, which creates a creamy soup base. Waxy potatoes like red or new potatoes won’t give you that same creamy texture, so I recommend sticking with russets here.

Is this Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe gluten-free?

This recipe uses all-purpose flour to thicken the soup, which contains gluten. You can make it gluten-free by substituting with a gluten-free flour blend or cornstarch slurry. Just add the thickener slowly to avoid lumps.

Can I make the soup in advance?

Absolutely! The soup keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and also freezes nicely. I recommend adding fresh toppings like bacon and green onions right before serving for the best texture and flavor.

What’s the best way to reheat Loaded Baked Potato Soup?

The best way is on the stovetop over low heat, stirring gently and adding a splash of milk or broth if needed. This helps maintain the creamy texture and prevents cheese from clumping, unlike microwaving at high power.

Final Thoughts

This Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe quickly became one of my go-to comfort foods. There’s something so satisfying about taking the humble baked potato and turning it into a luscious, hearty soup that’s loaded with flavor and texture. I hope you give it a try and find it just as warming and delicious as I do—I think it’ll become a favorite in your kitchen, too!