Homemade Loaded Potato Soup

There is something especially comforting about a pot of homemade potato soup simmering on the stove. This Homemade Loaded Potato Soup is thick, creamy, and filled with the familiar flavors of a loaded baked potato: fluffy russet potatoes, sharp cheddar cheese, crisp bacon, green onions, and a cool spoonful of sour cream.

This version is made completely from scratch, but it still uses simple grocery-store ingredients and practical steps. Baking the potatoes gives the soup a deeper baked-potato flavor, while using both gently mashed and chunky potatoes creates a creamy texture without turning the soup gummy.

Another homemade potato favorite: If you want potatoes as a side instead of the main dish, try Dad's Potatoes for a simple buttery foil-baked family recipe.

Homemade Loaded Potato Soup at a Glance
Prep: 20 minutes   |   Cook: About 1 hour   |   Serves: 8
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Why You Will Love This Soup

• It tastes like a loaded baked potato. Sharp cheddar, bacon, sour cream, green onions, and chives give every bowl that familiar flavor.
• It is creamy without relying on canned soup. A simple homemade roux, milk, half-and-half, and potatoes create the rich base.
• It has the right balance of creamy and chunky. Half of the potatoes are gently mashed while the rest stay in tender bite-size pieces.
• It is easy to customize. Each person can add as much cheese, bacon, sour cream, and green onion as they like.
• It is cozy, practical comfort food. Serve it with bread and a simple salad for an easy family supper.

What Makes This Loaded Potato Soup So Good?

The best potato soup is more than potatoes stirred into a creamy broth. Small details make a noticeable difference. Russet potatoes are baked rather than boiled, so they keep their fluffy texture and concentrated potato flavor. The onion and celery cook in a little reserved bacon drippings, adding a savory foundation without making the soup taste overly smoky.

Freshly grated extra-sharp cheddar gives the soup a fuller cheese flavor and melts more smoothly than packaged shredded cheese. Sour cream is tempered with a little hot soup before being added, which helps it blend into the soup instead of separating.

Ingredient Notes

Russet potatoes

Russets are ideal because their fluffy, starchy texture helps naturally thicken the soup. Baking them also prevents them from absorbing extra water.

Thick-cut bacon

The bacon adds both flavor and a crisp topping. Keep most of it out of the soup until serving so it does not become soft.

Extra-sharp cheddar

A strongly flavored cheddar stands up well to the mild potatoes and creamy broth. Grate it from a block for the smoothest melt.

Milk and half-and-half

This combination makes the soup rich without being as heavy as a soup made entirely with cream. Additional whole milk may be used in place of the half-and-half for a lighter version.

Sour cream

Sour cream adds the slight tang that makes the finished soup taste like a loaded baked potato. Bring it close to room temperature and temper it before stirring it into the pot.

How to Make Homemade Loaded Potato Soup

1. Bake the potatoes. Scrub and pierce the russet potatoes, then bake them at 425°F until completely tender.
2. Prepare two potato textures. Scoop out the fluffy centers. Gently mash or rice about half, then break the remaining potato into bite-size chunks.
3. Cook the bacon. Cook the chopped bacon until crisp, then transfer it to a paper-towel-lined plate. Leave about 2 tablespoons of drippings in the pot.
4. Cook the vegetables. Soften the onion, celery, and white parts of the green onions in the bacon drippings. Stir in the garlic for the final 30 seconds.
5. Make the creamy base. Add enough butter to make about 4 tablespoons of total fat. Stir in the flour, then slowly whisk in the broth, milk, and half-and-half.
6. Add the potatoes. Once the base begins to thicken, add both the mashed and chunky potatoes. Simmer gently until the soup reaches a creamy consistency.
7. Finish the soup. Temper the sour cream with a cup of hot soup. Remove the pot from the heat, then stir in the tempered sour cream, cheddar, and half of the bacon.
8. Load the bowls. Add more cheddar, crisp bacon, green onions, chives, sour cream, and black pepper to each serving.

The most important texture tip

Do not purée the potatoes in a food processor or vigorously blend the finished soup. Overworking cooked potatoes releases too much starch and can make the soup stretchy or gluey. A potato ricer or gentle hand-mashing gives a much better result.

Easy Substitutions

• For a lighter soup: Replace the half-and-half with additional whole milk.
• For a thicker soup: Mash a larger portion of the potatoes rather than adding extra flour.
• For a thinner soup: Stir in additional chicken broth or milk, 1/4 cup at a time.
• For a meatless version: Omit the bacon, sauté the vegetables in butter, and use vegetable broth.
• For a milder onion flavor: Use chives for serving and reduce the green onions to two.
• For extra crunch: Top the bowls with crisp potato skins or crushed salt-and-vinegar potato chips.

What to Serve With Loaded Potato Soup

This rich soup pairs best with simple sides. Try it with warm homemade bread, soft dinner rolls, a green salad with a tangy vinaigrette, roasted broccoli, or sliced apples. The soup is filling enough to be the main dish, so there is no need to make the rest of the meal complicated.

For another easy dinner night, try Buttery Skillet Chicken with Dad's Potatoes, or make pasta with Homemade Alfredo Sauce.

Looking for another cozy skillet dinner? Homemade Marry Me Chicken is another creamy comfort-food dinner with a completely different flavor.

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating

To make it ahead: Bake the potatoes and cook the bacon up to two days in advance. Refrigerate them separately, then prepare the soup when you are ready to serve it.

To store leftovers: Let the soup cool, then refrigerate it in a covered container for up to four days. Store extra toppings separately so the bacon and green onions stay fresh.

To reheat: Warm the soup slowly over low heat, stirring often. Add a splash of milk or broth if it has thickened in the refrigerator. Avoid boiling it, which may cause the dairy to separate.

To freeze: Potato soups made with dairy do not freeze especially well. The potatoes may become grainy and the creamy base may separate after thawing, so this recipe is best enjoyed fresh or refrigerated.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use leftover baked potatoes?

Yes. This is a wonderful way to use leftover plain baked potatoes. You will need about 2 1/2 pounds before baking, or approximately 5 to 6 cups of loosely packed baked potato flesh.

Can I use Yukon Gold potatoes?

You can, but the texture will be slightly denser and less fluffy. Russets create the most traditional loaded baked potato flavor and help thicken the soup naturally.

Why should the cheese be added off the heat?

Very high heat can make cheese tighten, separate, or become grainy. Removing the pot from the heat before stirring in the cheddar helps it melt smoothly.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

The stovetop method gives better control over the roux and dairy. For the most reliable creamy texture, prepare the soup on the stovetop as written.

More Homemade Dinner Ideas

Buttery Skillet Chicken — a simple one-skillet chicken dinner.

Homemade Alfredo Sauce — a quick from-scratch sauce for an easy pasta night.

Dad's Potatoes — a family potato side when you want potatoes without soup.

Homemade Marry Me Chicken — a richer creamy skillet chicken dinner.

A Bit More Homemade

The Best Homemade Loaded Potato Soup

A thick and cozy from-scratch potato soup with sharp cheddar, crisp bacon, green onions, and sour cream.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time About 1 hour

Total Time About 1 hour 20 minutes

Yield 8 servings

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, approximately 4 or 5 large potatoes
• 10 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 celery ribs, finely diced
• 4 green onions, sliced, with the white and green portions separated
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, as needed
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, optional
• 3/4 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups freshly shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided

For serving

Reserved crispy bacon, reserved green onion tops, additional cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped fresh chives, freshly ground black pepper, and optional crushed salt-and-vinegar potato chips.

Instructions

1. Bake the potatoes. Heat the oven to 425°F. Scrub the potatoes, pierce them several times with a fork, and place them directly on the oven rack or on a baking sheet. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until completely tender.
2. Prepare the potatoes. Allow the potatoes to cool until they can be handled. Scoop the flesh into a bowl. Gently mash or rice approximately half of the potato flesh. Break the remaining potato into bite-size chunks. Do not use a food processor or overmix.
3. Cook the bacon. While the potatoes bake, cook the chopped bacon in a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned and crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in the pot.
4. Cook the vegetables. Add the onion, celery, and white portions of the green onions to the bacon drippings. Cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 8 minutes, until tender. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
5. Make the roux. Add enough butter to give you approximately 4 tablespoons of total fat in the pot. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Do not brown the flour.
6. Add the liquids. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pot. Gradually whisk in the milk and half-and-half. Add the celery seed, white pepper, black pepper, and salt.
7. Thicken the soup. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the mashed potatoes and potato chunks. Simmer gently for another 5 to 8 minutes. Do not allow the soup to boil rapidly.
8. Add the sour cream and cheese. Place the sour cream in a bowl and whisk about 1 cup of hot soup into it. Slowly stir the mixture back into the pot. Remove the pot from the heat, then stir in 1 cup of cheddar cheese, half of the cooked bacon, and the optional hot sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
9. Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the remaining cheddar, bacon, green onion tops, chives, sour cream, and black pepper. Add crushed salt-and-vinegar potato chips for extra crunch, if desired.

Recipe notes: The soup thickens as it rests. Add milk or broth a little at a time if you prefer a thinner consistency. For the best texture, mash the potatoes gently rather than blending them.

A Cozy Supper Made a Little More Homemade

This soup is a good reminder that homemade food does not have to be complicated to feel special. A few familiar ingredients, one sturdy soup pot, and a little time in the kitchen can turn an ordinary evening into the kind of comforting meal everyone is happy to gather around. It also fits naturally into a week of simple homemade dinners alongside skillet chicken, pasta, and family-style potato dishes.

I hope this loaded potato soup brings a little warmth to your table. If you make it, leave a comment and share which toppings your family enjoyed most.