Loaded Potato Soup with Bacon

My neighbor knocked on my door one October evening with a pot of loaded potato soup, steam still rising from under the lid, and suddenly I understood why people get sentimental about comfort food. She wouldn't share her recipe that night, but weeks later when the first real cold snap hit, I found myself recreating it from memory, adjusting as I went. That first bowl sitting at my kitchen counter—creamy, loaded with bacon, tasting somehow both simple and indulgent—became the moment I stopped thinking of soup as something you make when you're sick and started making it because you wanted to feel held by a bowl.

I made this for my daughter's college roommates during Thanksgiving break, tripling the batch and watching four hungry twenty-year-olds go quiet when they tasted it. One of them asked if I was a chef, which made me laugh because I'm absolutely not, but that soup somehow made me feel like one. The bacon-cheddar combination is just the right amount of decadent without being fussy, and it turns out that's exactly what people want to eat when they're far from home.

Ingredients

• Russet potatoes: Four large ones give you that perfect starchy base that breaks down beautifully and thickens the soup naturally without needing flour or cream.
• Chicken or vegetable broth: Four cups creates the canvas everything else paints on, so don't skip using real broth if you can help it.
• Whole or 2% milk: This is where the silkiness comes from, though I've learned the hard way that ultra-pasteurized cream can sometimes split if the heat's too high.
• Sour cream: Half a cup adds tang and richness that keeps the soup from feeling one-note.
• Shredded cheddar cheese: A cup and a half melts in beautifully, and yes, freshly shredded makes a difference because of the anti-caking agents in pre-shredded varieties.
• Bacon: Six slices cooked until crispy give you those textural moments that make each spoonful interesting.
• Onion and garlic: One chopped onion and three minced garlic cloves build the flavor foundation that everything else sits on.
• Olive oil, salt, black pepper, paprika: Two tablespoons oil, one teaspoon salt, half a teaspoon each of pepper and paprika—these humble seasonings are what make it taste like it took all day to make.
• Green onions: Two sliced fresh ones for garnish add a bright note right at the end.

Instructions

Build your flavor base:

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and add your chopped onion, letting it turn translucent and soft for about five minutes while the kitchen starts to smell like something good is happening. The garlic goes in next for just one minute, stirred constantly so it becomes fragrant without browning.

Cook the potatoes:

Add your diced potatoes and pour in the broth, bringing everything to a boil before reducing the heat to let it simmer gently for fifteen to twenty minutes until the potatoes are so tender a fork slides through them. This is when you can step away and do something else, just listen for it to maintain that quiet rolling simmer.

Create the texture you want:

An immersion blender is your friend here—you can go completely smooth or leave it chunky, or do that hybrid thing where you blend half and leave the other half with texture. Whatever you choose, this step takes maybe a minute or two.

Make it creamy:

Lower the heat and stir in your milk, sour cream, cheddar cheese, and seasonings, letting it all warm through until the cheese melts into something silky and cohesive, about five minutes of gentle stirring. Taste it now and adjust salt and pepper because this is your moment to make it exactly how you like it.

Serve and celebrate:

Ladle it into bowls and top with bacon, more cheese, those fresh green onions, or anything else you're in the mood for. The best part is that people will come back for more because this soup somehow tastes like care.

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This soup showed up at my house during a particularly rough winter when everything felt grey, and it became the thing I kept making over and over because it somehow matched the mood but made it better. My kitchen smelled like bacon and cheese instead of just cold air, and there was something about that shift that mattered more than I expected.

The Art of Customization

The beauty of this soup is that it's genuinely flexible without losing its soul. You can add diced carrots or celery with the potatoes for extra vegetables, swap milk for heavy cream if you want it richer, or throw in jalapeños if you like heat. I've made it with vegetable broth for vegetarian friends and it's just as satisfying, and one time I added a cup of corn because that's what I had on hand and it worked perfectly.

Why This Soup Freezes So Well

Because of all the starch from the potatoes and the richness from the cream and cheese, this soup actually maintains its texture when frozen and thawed, which is unusual for creamy soups. I've made a big batch, frozen it in portions, and had weeknight dinner solutions waiting in my freezer for those nights when I have zero energy but still want something that tastes like I tried.

Timing and Temperature Tricks

The secret to perfect loaded potato soup is keeping your eye on the temperature at the end—you want it creamy and hot but not boiling, because high heat and dairy are not friends. I learned to reheat leftovers very gently, adding a splash of broth or milk if it's thickened too much sitting in the fridge.

• Keep your heat at medium or below once you add the dairy, and stir frequently so nothing sticks to the bottom.
• If you're making this ahead, the flavors actually deepen overnight, so don't hesitate to prep it and finish the final cooking the next day.
• Taste it right before serving because potatoes absorb salt, and you might need to adjust seasoning after it sits.

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This soup is proof that the simplest dishes often become the ones people remember, the ones they ask you to make again and again. Every time you serve it, you're offering something warm and genuine, and that never gets old.

Recipe FAQs

→ Can I make this soup ahead of time?

Absolutely. Prepare the base up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add fresh garnishes just before serving for best texture and flavor.

→ How do I achieve the creamiest texture?

Use russet potatoes for their natural starch content. Blend until completely smooth with an immersion blender, then stir in cold sour cream and shredded cheddar off the heat to prevent separation. For extra richness, replace half the milk with heavy cream.

→ What toppings work best?

Crispy bacon, extra sharp cheddar, and sliced green onions are classic. Try adding diced jalapeños for heat, a dollop of sour cream, or crushed crackers for crunch. For a lighter version, fresh herbs like chives or parsley work beautifully.

→ Can I freeze leftover soup?

Yes, freeze for up to 3 months in airtight containers. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat slowly on the stovetop. The texture may thin slightly; stir in a splash of milk or cream while reheating to restore consistency.

→ How can I make this vegetarian?

Replace chicken broth with vegetable broth and omit the bacon or use plant-based bacon alternatives. The soup remains just as satisfying and flavorful with these simple substitutions.