Description
Loaded Potato Soup is a creamy, comforting dish combining tender russet potatoes, smoky bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, and fresh herbs. Perfect for cozy evenings, this hearty soup offers rich flavors, a satisfying texture, and simple preparation using everyday ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 4 large russet potatoes, diced into bite-sized chunks
- 6 slices bacon, cooked until crispy, with some reserved for garnish
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups milk or cream
- ¼ cup chopped chives or green onions
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Your Ingredients: Dice the russet potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Finely chop the onions and garlic. Cook bacon slices in a skillet until crispy, reserving some bacon pieces for garnish and saving the rendered bacon fat for cooking.
- Sauté Aromatics: In a large pot, use the reserved bacon fat to cook the chopped onions and garlic until they become translucent and fragrant, forming the flavor base of the soup.
- Cook the Potatoes: Add the diced potatoes and chicken broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let it simmer until the potatoes are tender enough to mash easily, about 15-20 minutes.
- Blend and Add Cream: Partially mash the potatoes in the pot to create a creamy yet chunky texture. Stir in the milk or cream, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and most of the cooked bacon pieces until everything is melted and well combined.
- Season and Serve: Taste and season the soup with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the reserved crispy bacon pieces, chopped chives or green onions, and extra cheese if desired.
Notes
- Use russet potatoes for a naturally creamy texture without needing an additional blender.
- Cook bacon separately to render fat for sautéing aromatics and keep crispy bits for garnish.
- Adjust the amount of milk or broth to control the soup’s thickness to your liking.
- Add cheese gradually off the heat to prevent clumping or curdling.
- Do not over-mash the potatoes to preserve some chunkiness for appealing texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: Loaded Potato Soup, creamy potato soup, bacon cheddar soup, comfort food, easy potato soup, gluten free soup
