Loaded Baked Potato Soup – Cozy Midwest Comfort You’ll Want on Repeat (No Matter the Forecast)

Cold day, tight budget, zero time? This soup laughs at all three. It tastes like a steakhouse baked potato collided with a hug, and it’s the exact kind of cozy that turns a Tuesday into a mini holiday.

We’re talking creamy, smoky, cheesy, crunchy—every spoonful is loaded with texture and comfort. Serve it once and watch it become a household ritual. Bonus: it reheats like a dream, so future-you will send past-you a thank-you note.

What Makes This Special

This soup nails the sweet spot between indulgence and practicality.

It’s hearty enough for dinner yet simple enough for a busy weeknight. The potatoes are baked first for deep, roasty flavor, then folded into a creamy base with bacon, cheddar, and a hit of tangy sour cream.

We layer flavor like a pro: bacon drippings for the roux, sharp cheddar for punch, and scallions for freshness. It’s classic Midwest comfort without the bland.

If you can stir, you can win.

What Goes Into This Recipe – Ingredients

• Russet potatoes – 3 pounds (about 6 medium), scrubbed
• Thick-cut bacon – 6 slices, chopped
• Unsalted butter – 4 tablespoons
• All-purpose flour – 1/4 cup
• Yellow onion – 1 medium, finely diced
• Garlic – 3 cloves, minced
• Chicken broth – 4 cups (or vegetable broth)
• Whole milk – 2 cups
• Heavy cream – 1 cup (or half-and-half)
• Cheddar cheese – 2 cups, freshly shredded
• Sour cream – 3/4 cup
• Scallions – 4, thinly sliced (green and white parts)
• Smoked paprika – 1/2 teaspoon
• Black pepper – 1 teaspoon, freshly ground
• Kosher salt – to taste
• Optional toppers – extra cheddar, extra bacon, chives, hot sauce

Instructions

1. Bake the potatoes. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Prick the potatoes with a fork, rub with a little oil and salt, and bake on a sheet pan for 50–60 minutes until tender. Cool until you can handle, then scoop out the flesh and roughly mash.

   Reserve some skins if you like extra texture.

2. Crisp the bacon. In a large Dutch oven, cook chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove to a paper towel–lined plate. Leave 2 tablespoons of drippings in the pot; discard the rest (or keep for future greatness).
3. Sweat the aromatics. Add butter to the pot with the drippings.

   Stir in the onion and cook 4–5 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Try not to burn it—garlic has feelings.

4. Make the roux. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk for 1–2 minutes to form a paste.

   This is your thickener and your secret to silky soup.

5. Add liquids gradually. Whisk in the chicken broth slowly, smoothing out lumps. Stir in milk and bring to a gentle simmer. Keep it low—boiling milk is a drama we don’t need.
6. Potatoes in. Fold in the mashed potato flesh.

   For a chunkier soup, leave some pieces big; for smoother, mash more aggressively. Simmer 10 minutes to marry flavors.

7. Season and enrich. Stir in heavy cream, smoked paprika, pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt to start. Taste and adjust.

   Remember: cheddar and bacon will add saltiness too.

8. Cheese and tang. Off heat, add shredded cheddar by handfuls, stirring until melted. Whisk in sour cream. The sour cream adds that “baked potato” vibe and a touch of tang.
9. Finish with texture. Stir in half the bacon and half the scallions.

   If the soup is too thick, loosen with a splash of milk. Too thin? Simmer a few minutes more.

10. Serve like you mean it. Ladle into bowls and top with remaining bacon, scallions, extra cheddar, and a few dashes of hot sauce if you’re living right.

Storage Instructions

• Fridge: Cool completely and store in airtight containers for 3–4 days.

  It will thicken; thin with milk when reheating.

• Freezer: Not ideal due to dairy separation, but doable. Freeze up to 2 months in freezer-safe containers, leaving headspace. Reheat gently and whisk to re-emulsify.

  Add fresh cheese at the end for best texture.

• Reheat: Low and slow on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring often. Avoid boiling. Microwave in short bursts with stirring between.

Why This is Good for You

Comfort food doesn’t have to be a villain.

Potatoes deliver potassium and fiber (especially if you mix in some skins), while dairy brings protein and calcium. The soup is satisfying, which helps prevent the late-night snack raid—consider it nutritional self-defense.

Plus, you control the inputs: quality broth, real cheese, and as much or as little bacon as your goals allow. Want to lean lighter?

Use milk and Greek yogurt to keep the flavor big and the richness moderate. It’s flexible fuel.

What Not to Do

• Don’t boil after adding dairy. Boiling can cause curdling and grainy texture. Gentle heat is your friend.
• Don’t use pre-shredded cheese exclusively. It’s coated in anti-caking agents that don’t melt as smoothly.

  Freshly shredded melts like a pro.

• Don’t skip baking the potatoes. Microwaving is fast, but baking develops that roasty, sweet depth the soup needs.
• Don’t under-season. Potatoes are flavor sponges. Taste as you go and adjust salt and pepper.
• Don’t toss all the bacon in early. Save some for topping to keep it crispy. Soggy bacon is a tragedy.

Variations You Can Try

• Lighter Lean-In: Swap heavy cream for half-and-half, use 2% milk, and sub Greek yogurt for sour cream.

  Still lush, less heft.

• Veggie-Loaded: Stir in sautéed corn, diced carrots, or broccoli florets. Add them after the potatoes so they stay vibrant.
• Spicy Southwest: Add 1 diced jalapeño with the onion, 1 teaspoon chili powder, and top with pepper jack and cilantro. A lime squeeze?

  Chef’s kiss.

• Fully Loaded Skin-on: Chop some crisped potato skins and fold them in at the end for extra texture and flavor. It’s like chips in your soup—tell no one, thank us later.
• Protein Boost: Stir in shredded rotisserie chicken or turkey. It becomes a one-bowl meal with serious staying power.
• Gluten-Free: Use cornstarch slurry (2 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoons cold water) instead of flour.

  Add near the end and simmer until thickened.

• Vegetarian: Use vegetable broth and skip bacon. Add smoked paprika and a dash of liquid smoke for that savory vibe.

FAQ

Can I use red or Yukon Gold potatoes instead of russets?

Yes, but know the texture will be creamier and less fluffy. Russets bring that classic baked potato feel; Yukon Golds will be silkier and slightly sweeter.

Both work—just mash to your preferred consistency.

Is there a way to make this in a slow cooker?

Cook bacon and aromatics on the stove, whisk in flour, then transfer to the slow cooker with broth, milk, and potatoes. Cook on Low 4–6 hours, stirring occasionally. Finish with cream, cheese, and sour cream in the last 20–30 minutes.

Keep it below a simmer once dairy goes in.

How can I make it thicker without more flour?

Simmer uncovered to reduce, mash more potatoes directly in the pot, or whisk in a small cornstarch slurry. Also, adding cheese gradually off heat thickens nicely without chalkiness.

What cheeses work best besides cheddar?

Gruyère, Colby, or a sharp white cheddar are excellent. Avoid super-aged cheeses that don’t melt smoothly.

FYI, a little cream cheese whipped in creates velvety body with minimal effort.

Can I prep parts of this ahead?

Absolutely. Bake potatoes and cook bacon up to 2 days ahead. Store potatoes scooped and covered; keep bacon crisp in an airtight container.

On soup day, build the base, stir in potatoes, and finish with cheese and sour cream.

Why did my soup turn grainy?

Likely from boiling after adding dairy or using pre-shredded cheese. Keep heat gentle, add cheese off the burner, and whisk patiently. If it splits, a quick blitz with an immersion blender can smooth it out—then add a splash of milk to finish.

Can I make it dairy-free?

Use dairy-free butter, unsweetened oat milk, and a splash of full-fat coconut milk for richness.

Skip cheese or use a melt-friendly dairy-free alternative. Season assertively to keep the flavor big.

Final Thoughts

Loaded Baked Potato Soup is the kind of bowl that makes chaos feel manageable. It’s affordable, scalable, and wildly satisfying—aka weeknight gold.

Keep russets, cheddar, and bacon on standby and you’ve got a miracle-in-30 waiting in the wings.

Make it chunky or smooth, spicy or classic, light or lux. Then garnish like it’s payday and serve it to people you like. Because comfort shared is comfort doubled, IMO.