American · Soups & stews

Loaded baked potato soup

Name: Loaded baked potato soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut in 1/2-inch pieces; 1 medium yellow onion, diced; 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch cubes; 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 2 cups whole milk; 4 ounces sharp cheddar, freshly grated, plus more for serving; 1/2 cup sour cream, plus more for serving; 4 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated; Hot sauce, for serving

Creamy russet potato soup topped like a loaded baked potato with crisp bacon, sharp cheddar, sour cream, and scallions.

About 55 minTotal

About 55 minActive

$$Cost

ModerateDifficulty

Makes 6 servings

Equipment

Use a hot sheet pan under an inverted oven-safe metal bowl for the covered phase.
Best value covered pot
Lodge Essential Enamel 6-Quart Dutch Oven · EC6D43
View at Amazon
Another workable path: Use a hot sheet pan under an inverted oven-safe metal bowl for the covered phase.
Paid links. As an Amazon Associate, Kwilt earns from qualifying purchases.
How we chose
Research-backed · reviewed Aug 2026
We matched capacity, lid fit, oven rating, heat retention, maneuverability, care, stable model identity, and usefulness outside bread baking. Kwilt has not baked with this pot.
Lodge Essential Enamel 6-Quart Dutch Oven · EC6D43: The six-quart capacity, heavy cast-iron body, and fitted lid create the enclosed high-heat environment used by these bread methods while remaining useful beyond baking. Trade-off: At more than thirteen pounds it is demanding to move when hot, and the enamel needs gentler utensils and hand washing.
Another workable path: Bake on a preheated heavy sheet pan under an inverted oven-safe metal bowl, keeping face and hands clear when removing the hot cover.
Sources
Lodge six-quart Essential Enamel specifications
Amazon exact product listing

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 6 servings

6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups whole milk
4 ounces sharp cheddar, freshly grated, plus more for serving
1/2 cup sour cream, plus more for serving
4 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
Hot sauce, for serving

Instructions

Cook bacon in a over medium 7 to 9 minutes until crisp. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Leave 3 tablespoons bacon fat in the pot, discarding any excess.
Add onion and scallion whites and cook 5 minutes until soft. Stir in garlic for 30 seconds, then flour for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in broth until smooth.
Add potatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, partially cover, and cook 12 to 16 minutes until the potatoes crush easily with a fork. Mash about one-third of them against the pot, leaving plenty of cubes intact.
Stir in milk and warm below a boil. Reduce heat to low and add cheddar by handfuls until smooth. Remove from heat, whisk 1 cup hot soup into the sour cream, then stir that mixture back into the pot.
Taste for salt and pepper. Serve with bacon, scallion greens, extra cheddar, sour cream, and hot sauce so each bowl gets the familiar loaded-potato contrast without every topping becoming soggy in the pot.

North AmericaContemporary North American household cooking

From the table

About this recipe

Loaded baked-potato soup is a modern American restaurant and household adaptation that translates the potato's bacon, cheddar, sour cream, scallion, and hot-sauce garnishes into a creamy soup.

Loaded baked potato soup is an American restaurant-style transformation of a baked potato and its toppings. The best versions keep actual potato texture beneath the dairy. Mashing only part of the pot thickens the soup naturally, while adding cheddar on low heat and tempering sour cream prevents the grainy, split finish common in rushed versions. This Kwilt version follows the reviewed household adaptation: Preserve the exceptionally familiar five-topping profile, use partial hand-mashing instead of a blender or cornstarch, and stage most garnishes at the bowl so the soup still tastes loaded rather than uniformly heavy.

Sources

Dinner does not stop at the recipe