This creamy and rich Baked Potato Soup is the perfect comfort food. Loaded with bacon, sour cream, and sharp cheddar cheese, it’s a cold-weather crowd-pleaser that everyone will love!
Potato soups are one of my go-to comfort foods whenever I want something rich and hearty, and you all seem to really enjoy them too, so I’ve posted a bunch of them to the site. My Ham and Potato Soup, Cheesy Sausage Potato Soup, and Broccoli Potato Soup are all reader favorites.
But I’ve had one favorite recipe that I haven’t yet shared, and I’m really excited for you to try it. Let’s get cozy with some Baked Potato Soup!
What is Baked Potato Soup Made Of?
Baked Potato Soup basically contains all of the ingredients you love in a loaded baked potato: russet potatoes, cheddar cheese, bacon, and tangy sour cream but served up in a big creamy bowl of soup.
Ingredient Notes
- Bacon: Any bacon can be used in this recipe. Thick cut, bacon ends, or even turkey bacon work here. Go crazy and choose your favorite!
- Scallions, white and green parts divided: Scallions are playing double duty in this soup. We’re cooking the white parts like regular onions and using the tender green tops as a garnish. Make sure to divide them and keep them separated while prepping the ingredients.
- Milk (preferably whole): While you can use any (unsweetened) milk or milk substitute, the richer the dairy/dairy replacement you use, the richer your soup will be. You can also substitute for some of your milk with a bit of half and half or heavy cream for added richness.
How to Make Baked Potato Soup
1. Cook your bacon until it is just slightly crispy (although super crispy bacon is delicious, the texture doesn’t work as well in soup). Then remove it from your pot, and set it on a plate to the side. Make sure to discard your bacon grease after.
2. Add the white parts of the scallions and cook in melted butter until they have begun to soften.
3. Then, whisk in the flour, stirring continuously until the flour has begun to turn a pale golden color. (This will help cook the raw flour taste out of your soup, so don’t skip this step!)
4. Add broth and potatoes to the pot and let the soup simmer until the potatoes are able to be easily smashed. To help thicken the soup, use a potato masher or spatula to roughly smash about half of the potatoes.
5. Stir in the milk, sour cream, and bacon (saving ¼ of the bacon for topping) and add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Dish up into bowls and top with the sliced green parts of the scallions, leftover bacon, and cheese, and enjoy!
FAQ
How do you store potato soup?
Wait for your soup to cool slightly before transferring it into an airtight container. The soup can then be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
What do you eat with Baked Potato Soup?
Serve bowls of potato soup with slices of garlic bread or French bread with butter and an easy roasted veggie side like roasted broccoli or roasted carrots, that you can pop in the oven while your soup cooks.
Can you freeze Baked Potato Soup?
Yes, but potato soups do not freeze as well as things like stew or tomato soup as potatoes are likely to become slightly grainy after freezing and reheating. I’ve had plenty of readers tell me they freeze my potato soups all the time, so if you want to, go for it.
Freeze your soup for up to 3 months in freezer quart ziptop bags (for fast and easy thawing). Let your soup thaw before placing it in the microwave. Potatoes can easily lose their texture when thawed in the microwave.
What are the best potatoes for Baked Potato Soup?
Because we typically use russet potatoes for baked potatoes, russet potatoes are my go-to for baked potato soup since we’re trying to recreate that classic, familiar flavor. However, you can also use Yukon golds or red potatoes if that’s what you have available to you.
More Cozy Recipes
Baked Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 12 ounces uncooked bacon sliced into ¾-inch pieces
- 5 tablespoons (71g) butter salted or unsalted is fine
- 1 bunch scallions thinly sliced, green and white parts divided (about 6 medium)
- ¼ cup and 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (44g)
- 4 cups chicken broth 2 15-ounce cans
- 2 large russet potatoes peeled and diced medium about 4 cups
- 1 cup milk preferably whole
- 1 cup (240g) sour cream
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Salt
- Shredded cheddar cheese for topping
Instructions
- To a large pot add sliced bacon. Turn heat to medium and cook until bacon is just slightly crispy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate and set aside. Discard bacon grease.
- To the same pot, add butter and heat over medium heat until the butter has melted. Add the white parts of the scallions, and cook, stirring often and scraping any browned cooked-on bits from the bottom of the pan, for about 3 minutes, until the scallions have begun to soften.
- Whisk in flour, and whisk continuously for 2-3 minutes until the flour begins to turn a pale golden color. Whisk in broth until smooth and then carefully add potatoes to the pot.
- Bring to a simmer and then cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until potatoes can be easily smashed against the side of the pot with a fork.
- Use a potato masher or spatula to roughly smash about half of the potatoes in the pot.
- Stir in milk and sour cream, and heat soup over medium heat until warmed through. Add the pepper, and salt generously to taste.
- Stir in about ¾ of the bacon to the soup (reserve ¼ for topping).
- Divide into bowls, top with sliced green parts of the scallions, reserved bacon, and cheese. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using them. There is absolutely no additional cost to you.
Connie says
What is difference in your 2 recipes Baked potato soup and easy cheesy potato bacon soup????
Tracy says
That recipe has a cheesy base. This one uses sour cream and tastes like a baked potato made into soup rather than a cheesy soup with bacon. It really just depends on how you want your cheese and bacon delivered. lol