Description

This loaded potato soup is creamy, cheesy, and topped with crispy bacon, chives, and sour cream. It’s the ultimate comfort food for cozy nights and comes together quickly with simple pantry staples.

Ingredients

Scale

2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2–3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh chives or scallions
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (extra sharp recommended)
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Extra sour cream (for topping)
Extra chives or scallions (for garnish)

Instructions

Peel and dice potatoes into 3/4-inch cubes. Finely chop onion and mince garlic. Shred cheddar cheese and chop chives or scallions. Cook bacon until crispy, drain, and crumble.
In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
Sprinkle flour over the onion mixture and stir constantly for 2 minutes until pale and foamy.
Pour in chicken broth and add diced potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender.
Remove lid and mash about half the potatoes in the pot with a potato masher, or pulse briefly with an immersion blender for a creamier texture.
Stir in milk and sour cream until fully incorporated and soup looks velvety. Adjust consistency with more milk if needed.
Reduce heat to low and stir in 1 cup shredded cheddar until melted.
Ladle soup into bowls and top with remaining cheddar, crumbled bacon, chives/scallions, and extra sour cream. Serve hot.

Notes

For vegetarian, skip bacon and use vegetable broth. For gluten-free, substitute flour with gluten-free blend or cornstarch. Use starchy potatoes like russets for creaminess. Let milk and sour cream come to room temperature before adding to prevent curdling. Soup thickens as it sits; thin with extra milk if needed. Store leftovers in airtight containers for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Soup
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: About 1 1/2 cups per serving
Calories: 400
Sugar: 6
Sodium: 900
Fat: 24
Saturated Fat: 12
Carbohydrates: 38
Fiber: 3
Protein: 18

Keywords: loaded potato soup, comfort food, easy soup, bacon, cheddar, creamy potato soup, weeknight dinner, cozy recipes