Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe

About This Recipe

Loaded baked potato soup takes the concept of a fully loaded baked potato — cheddar, bacon, sour cream, chives — and transforms it into a warming, substantial soup. Blending half the potatoes creates body while leaving chunks gives texture. The garnishes are not optional — they're the entire point.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 kgrusset potatoes(peeled, diced 2cm)
• 150 gsmoked bacon(diced)
• 1onion(diced)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 60 gunsalted butter
• 3 tbspplain flour
• 800 mlchicken or vegetable stock
• 240 mldouble cream
• 120 gsour cream
• 150 gsharp cheddar(grated)
• 1 tspsalt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 3 tbspchives(chopped, to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Crisp the bacon

   Cook diced bacon in a large pot until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.

2. 2

   Build the base

   Add butter to the bacon fat. Soften onion for 5 minutes, then add garlic for 1 minute. Sprinkle flour and stir for 1 minute to cook the raw flour taste out.

3. 3

   Add potatoes and stock

   Pour in stock gradually, stirring. Add potatoes and bring to a boil. Simmer 15–20 minutes until potatoes are completely tender.

4. 4

   Blend and finish

   Use an immersion blender to partially blend — you want roughly half blended for a creamy-but-chunky texture. Stir in cream and sour cream. Simmer gently (don't boil after adding cream) for 5 minutes. Stir in half the cheddar until melted. Season.

5. 5

   Serve loaded

   Ladle into bowls. Top with remaining cheddar, crispy bacon, a dollop of sour cream and chives.

Variations

• •

  Lighter version: replace cream with extra stock and use low-fat sour cream.

• •

  Broccoli cheddar potato soup: add 200g steamed broccoli florets along with the potatoes.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of stock or milk as needed. Freeze without the cream and dairy for up to 2 months.

Frequently Asked Questions