Loaded Baked Potato Soup
This Loaded Baked Potato Soup is the best comfort food recipe. Made with simple ingredients in less than an hour, it’s a creamy, cheesy delight perfect for busy weeknights.
I’ve been obsessed with this Loaded Baked Potato Soup. I promise, it’s the best cold-weather, comfort food ever. It’s ridiculously cheesy, topped with crispy bacon, and super easy to make ahead, so you can just heat it up and enjoy whenever the craving hits!
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My mom makes this nearly every week in the cooler weather months. It’s a budget-friendly meal made with ingredients she already has in her kitchen. It’s great to pack for lunch the next day and you can freeze it for days that are crazy busy!
Soups are really the best meal during those colder months, and after you make and love this one, definitely check out my viral Pierogi Soup and Crockpot Sausage Tortellini Soup!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Like This Recipe
- Hearty Soup Inspired by a Loaded Baked Potato: Just like the classic potato recipe, this soup is loaded with all the fixings like bacon, cheese, green onions, and sour cream.
- Quick and Easy Soup Recipe: Uses pantry staples and just a few fresh ingredients, this cozy soup is ready in under an hour. The whole family will love it!
- Customizable: Top your bowl of soup with yummy add-ins like a dollop of sour cream, green onions, or extra shredded cheeses for extra flavor.
Ingredients
Scroll Down to the Bottom of this Post for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Printable Recipe Card
- Russet Potatoes: The star ingredient, creating the hearty base with a tender, starchy texture.
- Yellow Onion: Adds sweetness and depth of flavor.
- Salted Butter: Provides richness and helps sauté the onions. Unsalted butter works as well.
- Cream Cheese: Adds thickness and a velvety texture.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup: Adds savory umami richness and creaminess. My Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup works great for this soup!
- Cream of Celery Soup: Brings subtle vegetable flavor and extra creaminess.
- Whole Milk: Loosens the soup to a smooth consistency and balances the richness.
- Garlic Powder: Enhances flavor with a subtle garlic undertone.
- Cheddar Cheese: Delivers gooey cheesiness and classic baked potato flavor.
- Bacon: Crispy bits add smoky, salty crunch and flavor.
- Garnish Options: Additional shredded cheese, crispy bacon bits, sour cream, and sliced green onions add freshness, texture, and extra flavor.
Tools You’ll Need
How to Make Loaded Baked Potato Soup
- Clean, peel, and cut potatoes in 1-inch cubes. In a large pot on the stove top, combine the potatoes, onion, and 4 cups of water. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables are soft, approximately 15-20 minutes.
- Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or immersion blender to your desired creamy soup consistency.
- Add butter and cream cheese to the pot. Don’t disturb for 3 minutes. Stir until both are fully melted and well incorporated.
- Stir in cream of mushroom soup, cream of celery soup, milk or half & half, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Mix until the ingredients are evenly combined.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Stir in cheese and cooked bacon. Ladle the soup into bowls and, serve with garnishes as desired.
Expert Tips and Substitutions
- Types of Potatoes: Russet potatoes work best for creaminess, but you can also use Yukon Gold potatoes or sweet potatoes for variation.
- Homemade condensed soup. You can use my homemade cream of mushroom soup if you prefer. You can also make cream of celery from scratch. Simply melt 1/4 cup butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté 1 finely diced celery rib for 1 minute. Stir in 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and cook until the mixture bubbles. Whisk in 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock and 1/2 cup milk until smooth. Stir periodically until the mixture thickens to a sauce consistency, Stir in 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste.
- Swap the Water for Broth: You can use vegetable broth, chicken broth or chicken stock for another level of flavor!
- Try other Cheeses: Swap with pepper jack or Monterey Jack for a different cheesy flavor.
- Replace the Bacon: For a vegetarian version, substitute with sautéed mushrooms or crispy fried onions.
- Toppings: Feel free to add chopped chives, diced tomatoes, or jalapeños for extra zing.
Slow Cooker Creamy Loaded Baked Potato Soup
To make this loaded potato soup recipe in a crockpot, combine potatoes, onion, and water in the slow cooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or until the potatoes are tender. Add butter and cream cheese and let sit for 5 minutes, then stir until melted and smooth. Mix in both cans of soups, milk, and seasonings. Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours or high 30 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cheese and cooked bacon just before serving.
Storage and Freezing
Give the hot soup time to cool slightly before storing in the refrigerator. You can ladle them in smaller storage containers for faster cooling. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of milk if needed to loosen the soup.
Freeze in individual portions for up to 2 to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat thoroughly before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can simmer it uncovered for a few extra minutes or stir in a little more cream cheese or shredded cheese until your desired thickness is reached. You could also stir in a cornstarch slurry (1-2 tablespoons equal water and cornstarch stirred together) in the mixture and simmer a few minutes.
Yes! Feel free to toss in frozen corn, peas, or sautéed green beans for extra nutrients and variety.
Use reduced-fat cream cheese, skip or reduce the bacon, and load up on fresh herbs and vegetables for a lighter version.
More Comforting Soup Recipes
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 3 pounds potatoes (about 6 medium) peeled, cleaned, and diced
- 1/4 cup diced yellow onion
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 10.5 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
- 10.5 ounce can cream of celery soup
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk or half & half
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup cooked and crumbled bacon
- Garnish Options: additional shredded cheese, cooked bacon crumbles, sour cream, sliced green onions
Instructions
- Clean, peel, and cut potatoes in 1-inch cubes. In a large pot on the stove top, combine the potatoes, onion, and 4 cups of water. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables are soft, approximately 15-20 minutes.
- Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or immersion blender to your desired creamy soup consistency.
- Add butter and cream cheese to the pot. Don't disturb for 3 minutes. Stir until both are fully melted and well incorporated.
- Stir in cream of mushroom soup, cream of celery soup, milk or half & half, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Mix until the ingredients are evenly combined.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Stir in cheese and cooked bacon. Ladle the soup into bowls and, serve with garnishes as desired.
Video
Notes
Expert Tips and Substitutions
- Types of Potatoes: Russet potatoes work best for creaminess, but you can also use Yukon Gold potatoes or sweet potatoes for variation.
- Homemade condensed soup. You can use my homemade cream of mushroom soup if you prefer. You can also make cream of celery from scratch. Simply melt 1/4 cup butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté 1 finely diced celery rib for 1 minute. Stir in 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and cook until the mixture bubbles. Whisk in 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock and 1/2 cup milk until smooth. Stir periodically until the mixture thickens to a sauce consistency, Stir in 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste.
- Swap the Water for Broth: You can use vegetable broth, chicken broth or chicken stock for another level of flavor!
- Try other Cheeses: Swap with pepper jack or Monterey Jack for a different cheesy flavor.
- Replace the Bacon: For a vegetarian version, substitute with sautéed mushrooms or crispy fried onions.
- Toppings: Feel free to add chopped chives, diced tomatoes, or jalapeños for extra zing.
Storage and Freezing
Give the hot soup time to cool slightly before storing in the refrigerator. You can ladle them in smaller storage containers for faster cooling. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of milk if needed to loosen the soup. Freeze in individual portions for up to 2-3 months. ThNutrition
About Laura
Taught by some of the best, cooking and entertaining has always been my favorite hobby. Food is my love language! The conception of Dinner in 321 came from my family talks that sharing our dinners would help others learn new skills, tasty recipes, and make cooking fun! Read more…
