Loaded Baked Potato Soup
This is the best loaded baked potato soup recipe out there! It is so easy to make – it is creamy, hearty, and one of our favorite soups!
Easily one of my family’s favorite soups EVER, this loaded baked potato soup is crazy good.
And guess what? It’s crazy easy, too. Whenever we have baked potatoes for dinner, I always bake a few extra just for this soup.
We must have a special place in our hearts for creamy, cheesy, potato soups because between this baked potato soup and this Instant Pot cheesy potato soup, my kids could be happy dinner non-complaining campers forever.
Simple to make
The soup starts with a simple roux: equal parts butter and flour.
This thickens the soup and adds a wonderful level of flavor.
The key is to cook the roux until it changes into a very lovely brown color and smells kind of nutty and caramelly.
A burning smell means you’ve taken it too far.
The milk (and remaining flour) is added gradually.
Fully whisk each addition of milk into the soup before adding more. This will ensure the soup thickens without any lumps.
Let’s talk about baked potatoes
The reason this soup isn’t just your ordinary creamy, potato soup is because the potatoes are baked prior to adding them to the soup.
Baked potatoes have a softer, creamier texture than throwing raw potatoes into a soup and letting them cook.
I usually use russet potatoes for this loaded baked potato soup. A time or two, I’ve used red potatoes (and cook them in the Instant Pot). I don’t peel them before adding them to the soup since the skins are thin. And it’s delightful.
Oven cooking: poke holes in the potato with a fork; bake at 375 degrees for about an hour until tender.
Instant Pot cooking: poke holes in the potato with a fork; add 1 cup of water and a trivet/basket to the pressure cooker; add the potatoes and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes; naturally release the pressure (or quick release after 10 minutes of natural release).
My potatoes look a little sketch – kind of wrinkly and forgotten. But don’t judge them too harshly! These baked potatoes have been hanging out in my fridge for several days.
And even though the flesh of the potatoes is a little darker and kind of spotty in places, they still work (and taste!) great!
Lesson learned: leftover baked potatoes work like a dream in this recipe.
Baked and chilled potatoes are going to be much firmer than potatoes that have just been baked and are still warm.
Either way, once you add the potatoes to the soup, get in there with a potato masher and break the potatoes into smaller pieces.
You don’t have to go crazy and mash them to baby food consistency – just break them up a bit. The more you mash them, the thicker the soup will be.
Add the cheese to the warm soup and stir until it is melted completely.
Stir in the green onions and sour cream. I suppose you could leave the green onions out and serve them as optional toppings only, but I love the flavor and color they add.
Thick and creamy
This loaded baked potato soup can stay warm (in a pot on the stove or in a slow cooker) for hours. It thickens up even more the longer it sits…and if it cools a bit.
The simple flavors combine into an amazingly delicious and comforting soup.
It is one of my favorite meals to take in to friends and neighbors during cooler months of the year, and it is always a hit!
Funny story: after posting this recipe, I was at my friend Deb’s house. Her mom was in town and had made a huge pot of soup for our large crowd.
I couldn’t believe how yummy the soup was! Ooohing and aahing over it (I’m sure you know where I’m going with this), before I left, I nicely asked Deb’s mom for the recipe. I mean, it was so good. She politely told me it was actually my recipe…but that she makes a few changes to make it even better!
I couldn’t help agreeing! Also, I really truly believe everything just always tastes better when someone else makes it. 🙂
If you haven’t made this one before, I would strongly advise you not to delay. You can pop some potatoes in your oven or Instant Pot and have this ready in no time.
And I think you are going to be very, very happy you made the choice to do so.
It also goes without saying that throwing on a healthy amount of bacon and extra cheese on top is a very tasty idea.
Final note: the leftovers are amazing.
What To Serve With This:
One Year Ago: Easy Choco-Banana Bars
Two Years Ago: Thick and Creamy Lentil Soup with Lemon {Instant Pot or Stovetop}
Three Years Ago: The Best White Sandwich Bread
Four Years Ago: Cheesy Ricotta Stuffed Shells
Five Years Ago: Fudgy Coconut Oil Brownie Bites
Six Years Ago: Thai Chicken Crunch Wraps
Seven Years Ago: Chocolate Frosted Brownies
Eight Years Ago: Easy Rustic Crusty Bread with Tutorial {No Mixer, No Kneading}
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Ingredients
Soup:
- 4 to 5 medium russet baking potatoes (see note)
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup (71 g) all-purpose flour, divided
- 6 cups milk, I use 2%
- 2 teaspoons salt, I use coarse, kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¾ cup (86 g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 3 to 4 green onions, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup light sour cream
Toppings:
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Chopped green onions
- Cooked, crumbled bacon
Instructions
- For the baked potatoes, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Pierce the potatoes all over with the tines of a fork. Place the potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 45-60 minutes, until tender. Potatoes can also be "baked" in the Instant Pot: add 1 cup water and trivet/basket, add potatoes, secure lid, cook on high pressure for 12 minutes, naturally release the pressure.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven/Instant Pot and let them sit for about 20 minutes, until they are cool enough to handle (the potatoes can be baked several days in advance and refrigerated).
- Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the insides of the potatoes. If the potatoes have been chilled, dice the flesh of the potatoes into 1/2-inch pieces.
- For the soup, in a 4-quart or larger pot, melt the butter over medium heat. When melted, add 1/4 cup of the flour and whisk to combine. Cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes.
- In a liquid measuring cup (or blender), whisk together the milk and remaining 1/4 cup flour. Gradually whisk the mixture into the pot in several additions. Whisk to combine each addition of milk fully before adding more. Cook until the soup is bubbling and slightly thickened, about 5-10 minutes, stirring often.
- Stir in the potato chunks and salt and pepper. Use a potato masher to break up the chunks of potatoes into smaller pieces.
- Whisk in the cheddar cheese and stir over medium-low heat until completely melted. Stir in the green onions and sour cream.
- Serve with additional toppings. The soup will thicken more as it cools.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe source: adapted from Annie’s Eats
Recipe originally posted Nov. 2011; updated Feb. 2020 with new pictures, recipe notes, etc.
111 Comments on “Loaded Baked Potato Soup”
I replaced some of the milk with broth and I still had to add SO MUCH sea salt to get some flavor. I also added garlic powder. In the end it was delicious and our guests loved it, but it sure was bland at first. I can’t imagine using all milk.
Oh and I used some bacon drippings in place of butter..
I love this soup just the way it reads! Thank you, Mel!
As I read through this recipe, I thought to myself, “This doesn’t have much in the way of seasoning; it’s basically just potatoes, dairy, salt and pepper.” I’m glad I checked the comments on this because it encouraged me to add more flavor to the soup, and I agree it would have been extremely bland otherwise. I added quite a bit of onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, bacon drippings, double the pepper and 1.5 times the salt, and still had to add more salt/pepper on top. Typically I use the ATK slow cooker recipe, and while this was certainly faster, I think I prefer that one for flavor. I really missed the chicken broth and onions that make up the base for that one.
Thank you though, Mel, for the instructions on how to do baked potatoes in the IP! I am super excited to try that again sometime.
Absolutely delicious and easy! I used lactose-free milk. I thought i would miss the bacon drippings being in the soup, like another recipe i used to have and couldn’t find, but nope! SO GOOD!
Not being a soup fan, myself, but having a husband and daughter who is- this seems like one I could try.
Because- bacon!! However, I do not add sour cream to my baked potatoes in any case, so I’m wondering if (hoping) I could leave it out altogether. Not sure what adaptations should be made if doing so. I would think it adds to the taste as well as the thickness. (We already utilize Greek Yogurt as a sub for sour cream so I’m wondering about omitting it altogether).
This was so yummy! We even just had it a couple days ago for probably our last cold spurt. I skip the sour cream and did not end up even using the greek yogurt. Not needed. I took someone’s awesome advice, and I cut up some of the potato skins and fry it in the bacon grease remnants and it’s a great adddition!
Now I’m just hoping I can prepare the leftovers quite as yummy. Thanks for another great recipe!
Delicious! I loved using up leftover baked potatoes. Easy to make and I loved the small chunks of potato in the soup! It will definitely become a regular at our house. Thanks for your great recipes!
Thanks, Trish!
I took the hint from Margaret that this was a little bland so I used bacon grease instead of the butter and sauteed onion and celery in it and then went ahead and just made a traditional roux and then added the milk. It was good. Think I will add shredded turkey (left over) and maybe some corn to what is left. I good basic recipe.
Hands down best potato soup!
Easy AND delicious!! Mel’s a rockstar!
Haha…thanks, Jen!
This was delicious. The taste is probably a 4 star soup but how easy it is to make definitely gives it that extra star. 🙂 The timing of this recipe was perfect too…I had baked potatoes that I needed to use! I added corn to the leftovers for my kids because they’re obsessed with corn but other than that, we followed the recipe exactly. We will be saving this one for future use!
Thanks, Ashley!
Tried this tonight, and it was a huge hit even by my husband who’s not a soup person. I added bacon to the main recipe and included a few tablespoons of bacon drippings in the roux and it was a hit!
Thanks for letting me know, Denise!
I won’t make potato soup any other way now. This was delicious. Took to a church potluck and was requested by a few people that I had to bring it again. I needed to add about 3 cups more milk the day after I first made it in order to get the desired consistency.
Glad this was a hit, Sarah!
Love this!!! Question: is it a must to add only half flour to roux? Could I add all the flour? Just wondered if I could prevent dirty up a blender. Thanks!
You could try but it might clump up quite a bit since the flour amount will be higher.
This is a delicious soup, and so easy. It is also a good excuse to make potato skins, for that is what I did with the leftover potato parts!
Great idea, Jocelyn!
Sorry to say, my husband and I both found this fairly bland. Perfectly edible but not tasty. Sigh. I make vichysoisse sometimes, and this is similar. I doubt that I’ll make it again, but if I do, I’ll use chicken stock, throw in some carrots and sauteed onions, and use a lot more sour cream.
Sorry you didn’t love this one, Margaret!
I made this tonight following the directions. My husband’s said it was, “Legendary, phone-a-friend, amazingly delicious!” Thank you for posting this again. It’s a keeper!
This looks devious and pretty easy to make too.
Delicious and easy! does anything else even matter? I think not! Thanks for another winner for the dinner lineup.
Thanks, Mel!
I can attest to everything you described. This has been a family favorite for years. I am so excited about trying it with instant pot baked potatoes!
Thank you so much, Stacie!
Hi, Mel:
Love your name (my daughters) and your site. Have used so many of your recipes, lost count. You didn’t mention what your friends mom added to soup that you didn’t recognize it was your recipe. Care to share? Thanks, Joann
Hi Joann – she added cooked chicken (I put that note in the recipe!) and corn.
For a little extra decadence, a Cook’s Country recipe has you peel the potatoes and fry the skins in bacon grease until crispy to use as a topping. It adds a remarkable amount of flavor!
Oh, wow – fantastic idea!
Made this for dinner tonight. Yum! Super easy, even with having to bake the potatoes. We had it with Bundt bread and it was the perfect, comforting meal on a cold, windy day. My current favorite way to make the Bundt bread is 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 cup all purpose white flour, and 1 cup bread flour. It’s so good.
I’m going to try your trifecta of flours in the bundt bread, Madison! Thanks for sharing!
The roux can also be done in the oven. I learned this from a restaurant clam chowder recipe and it’s amazing!! Put the butter in a 9×13 pan and let it melt in the oven. Stir in the flour completely and return to oven for 15-20 min, depending on how much you are making. I think I do this in a 325 degree oven. Then transfer to your pot on the stove and keep going. Just saves you some hands on time.
I bet it adds delicious flavor, too, Teri – do you let it brown in the oven?
My husband’s family has a turkey bowl each year before Thanksgiving, and I always make this soup. One year, a couple years ago, I wasn’t feeling great so I just made an easier appetizer instead to bring. When we got there (minus the soup), I had person after person come up to me and tell me how sad they were I didn’t bring this soup, because they look forward to it all year! Needless to say, I’ve never made that mistake again and bring it each year with your pretzel bites for dipping (such a good combo!). One change I made is that I fry up the bacon for he topping first, and then use a couple tablespoons of the bacon fat in place of the butter in the roux…it may not be very healthy but it is so good!!
That sounds like a great combo, Jill – pretzel bites and this soup. YUM! I bet the bacon flavor in the roux is super delicious!
Is “healthy amount of bacon and cheese” an oxymoron? 😉
🙂
Oh, I must try this as I always love your soups! Also going to email you the recipes to my fav soups this winter – see what you think!
Thanks, Kate!
Have you ever cooked this in a crock pot? If so, how long would you recommend?
Thanks!
I’ve kept it warm in a slow cooker with great results, but I’ve never cooked it start to finish in the slow cooker.
This is one of our favorites!
This was the most delicious soup ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was so great the only thing I would do differently was only use the green onions as garnish or just a little less. My dad dislikes soup but even he liked this one.
This was outstanding. Thank you! I baked the potatoes this afternoon during a lull in the day and let them cool. Dinner was then super quick to throw together.
I exchanged one of the six cups of milk for heavy cream, and used cornstarch instead of flour—blending that all into the cold milk and cream before adding it to the melted butter. All else as in your recipe. Y-U-M, lady. Thank you.
Hi Mel! Putting together my menu for a weekend casual holiday party and thinking that I would make your sweet ham and this soup with a bunch of different toppings for everyone to customize their bowl. Do you think this soup would be ok in a crock pot on warm for a few hours during the party? Thanks for your help! 🙂
My kids told me that this is their new favorite soup! Even my 9-year-old, who has decided that ALL soup is gross, loved this.
So easy… so delicious… your awesome Mel…
It’s been raining for days in Colorado, we had a bag of russets in the pantry, so time for a thick, hearty, soup. Loved this version, as did my boys. Just a little lighter than the old heavy cream recipes.
Thanks a bunch,
Ben
Yum! This is so delicious! My only negative is that I never seem to reach the “thick and bubbly” stage, but it seemed thick enough for the potatoes. I upped the heat to medium high for my second attempt, and it definitely got thicker, but never bubbly (after twenty minutes!). Still… Sooo good.
Just made this tonight. So simple and sooo very yummy! Thank you!
I made this tonight with golden idaho potatoes instead of baking ones, and it came out great! Love this recipe 🙂
Hi Mel!
I’m preparing some freezer meals for when my baby is due. (Pretty much all of the recipes I have ready to go are from your site 🙂 ) I’ve been CRAVING potato soup. Do you think this would freeze well? This is my first attempt at freezer meals so I’m not sure exactly what will work and what won’t. Thanks!
I’ve never frozen this, Stephanie – the dairy content is pretty high which sometimes means it can be grainy when thawed but I’m fan of trying to freeze everything at least once. 🙂
Ok. Thanks!! I made it tonight and it was delicious!
sometimes when you freeze things with Dairy, they have a weird consistency when you thaw it, but if you bring it to a boil again, it often returns to normal. you can try this.
Love this recipe! It’s so adaptable– I used red potatoes, home made yogurt (for sour cream), and added steamed broccoli and chives with excellent results. So delicious and easy!
Do you think using plain Greek yogurt for a substitute for the sour cream would work? Thanks!
Mel – Definitely worth a try!
Just had this for dinner. It was so good! I didn’t have enough milk so I actually had to use powdered milk. No one could even tell, not even me, and I hate powdered milk!
AMAZING!! Thanks Mel! Me and my sister in law LOVE your recipes!!! Thank you 🙂
I had some leftover baked potatoes in the fridge and they worked perfect to pull off this delicious soup. Even my picky kids ate it with out complaint. My husband said it was just “okay” but he is coming down with a cold so I don’t think his taste buds are working properly. I just ate the rest of this soup and it’s not even 10 a.m., enough said!
oh my gosh, we LOVED this soup. My boyfriend is notorious for answering “it’s okay” when I ask how something is. Tonight, I got a “wow this is good!” So impressed with this recipe and how easy it was. I’m a huge fan of yours already. I was referred by a friend to your site and I am soo happy to find your recipes! I will be making this recipe again!!!
I was slightly underwhelmed by this soup, which made me sad. However, I’ve still managed to eat four or five bowls in the last 24 hours, so it must be good! I think I would have liked it better if my potatoes were much better mashed – I had some larger chunks that made me feel like I was eating clam chowder. I also probably didn’t cook my potatoes long enough, since I was in a hurry. Assuming I make it again (hubby isn’t big on meatless/low meat dishes), I think I would add twice as much sour cream into the actual soup. Mmm.
Jolene – sure, it’s worth a try!
Do you think using Yukon Gold potatoes would work instead of Russet potatoes?
My husband after eating two bowls of this for lunch and lamenting that he really wanted to have another bowl but would burst, declared this “best ever”. I made is a couple weeks ago but didn’t have bacon for the topping and it was good then, but was fantastic today with the bacon. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes! You are the best!
Hi Karen – yes, this soup reheats really well!
I’m so excited to make this for my girlfriends tomorrow. Do you think I could make it tonight and reheat at noon tomorrow?!?!? With 2 young kids I appreciate the make-ahead options, but I want to make sure it’s yummy and fresh to serve! Thanks.
Krista – I haven’t tried it, but I’m guessing it would be fine for 1-2 hours.
Do you think I could put this in a crockpot and have it sit on warm for several hours?
Absolutely delish! You did it again Mel. Family loved it!
its starting to cool down, in california, so the first soup ill be making, will be this!
may i share my favorite potato soup with you? i really think you would like it!
Delish Mel, I seriously could not stop eating it! Silky and creamy, just PERFECT!! Thanks for another winner!
I made this tonight and it was my first time making soup!! It came out great 🙂 thank you for the recipe!
This soup is awesome! My kids, who can be very picky, LOVED it and actually had seconds! I hold off on adding any “toppings” to it, and let everyone add their own toppings (and how much- my husband adds lots of cheese). I also cut up the potato skins and add those as well (I LOVE potato skins). Thank you so much for this fantastic recipe!
Just tried this tonight and it was delish. Super rich and creamy. I actually hate potatoes, but loved this soup
Can’t wait to try it….. I just love potatoes! Making this for my family tonight and am glad it doesn’t take too long.
Made this tonight and man was it good! I was impatient and diced and then boiled the potatoes for 20 minutes or so instead of baking them, and it turned out just fine… some potato chunks, some mushy. So good- thanks for yet again a delicious recipe Mel!
Hey Foodies, Mel’s Soup has been selected by Knapkins to be in our Recipe Guessing Game. Can you guess the recipe? http://knapkins.com/guess_games/706?source=blog
Just made your soup, and now I am miserable. Couldn’t stop eating it! So yummy!
I prefer a really creamy and thick soup, so I thought that if I did three cups of of milk, and three cups of heavy whipping cream that would give me this thick and creamy soup…WRONG. It ended up being a little too thick, but I was able to thin it out a bit with some chicken stock, and even though it was originally too thick, it was still super delicious. This marks the fifth recipe that I have tried, and I am a bit of a novice in the kitchen, but every recipe has made me look like a rockstar each time. My I appreciate the ease of your recipes, as well as how easily adaptable they are. This is now my new “go to” for recipes, thanks again!
This soup was awesome and my kids are eating it because it’s bacon topped. I actually didn’t put much cheese on top and it was still delicious. Oh, and I used skim milk and it was really creamy and not thin at all.
Another delicious-looking recipe to add to my menu! My husband and I both love soup so I’m always looking for new ones to add to my winter menus. We really like the broccoli cheese soup too and even our 3-yr.-old cleans her bowl when I make it. 🙂 Thanks again for all the delicious recipes, it has helped get me out of a major cooking funk!
I made your lasagna soup for supper tonight – amazing. Now we’ll be trying the potato soup next. My husband loves thick creamy soup and we all love baked potatoes. Looks like another winner. PS made your mini meatloaves last night and they were so yummy – added a bit of cheddar on top and my 6 year old thought they looked like really yummy cheeseburgers without the buns!
Try using maple bacon it adds the best flavor to the sauce.
I’m going to have to hands down agree that baked potato soup is one of the best soups out there! I am going to have to whip this up on a cold day!
Perfect! I love baked potato soup, but haven’t found a recipe I love. I know you won’t let me down. Can’t wait to try it!
We just made this soup tonight. By far the best potato soup ever! Thank you for the wonderful recipe
AAAAAAND this is what we’ll be having for dinner tonight along with some Lion House rolls and those yummy looking Pumpkin Cookies you posted earlier for dessert. Thanks Mel! You are the best!
P.S. Congrats on #5! I’ll hope for a girl for your boys too, everyone needs a little sister to be protective of!
This recipe looks very similar to the one from my mom’s recipe index. It is freakin’ DELICIOUS. I’ve never met a single soul who didn’t love this soup. It’s just so TASTY. Thanks for sharing 🙂
This looks amazing! I’m wondering, do you think it would alter the taste too much if I subbed out half of the milk for chicken broth?
beetree – It will probably make the soup slightly less thick and creamy but I think it should work just fine. Let me know if you try it!
Ok, you are so dang connected to your followers, that you even know what we are searching for without us asking for it! I was about to comment on how a friend made some potato soup for us recently, and it was good, but not AMAZING. My kids actually loved it, which totally surprised me, because like yours, they totally GAG at other potatoes. So after having my friend’s, I knew I would have to search on here for one on your site because I knew it would be the AMAZING I was looking for. This was only two days ago! Of course, like the other person who commented on here, I couldn’t find a potato soup recipe on your site, so I thought, that must mean there aren’t any REALLY good ones. Then, today, you managed to read the thoughts of a few of us apparently! SO excited to try this ! If it has your stamp of approval I know it will be FAB! You NEVER let me down!
I just made this last night! It’s so yummy & comforting. 🙂
I have to say I seriously have started looking forward to the email from you. I’m a food junky right now because I’m nursing and ALWAYS hungry! This looks SO yummy and I’m thinking I’ll be making it for dinner tonight.
Just got a big box of idaho potatoes from my parents. Can’t wait to try this!
I am such a groupie. When my e-mail opened this morning and saw the link to potato soup, I was so excited. I have been having trouble finding a potato soup that we really love. When I saw this, I thought, “Yes! Mel never lets me down!” Can’t wait to make this. I might need a little excitement in my life if I am this excited over a food post… 🙂
I have a recipe very similar to this one, that we all LOVE at our house! The recipe I have also has instructions on how to make it gluten free
I have made this soup so many times since you gave me the recipe. Love Love Love it!
Yeah, this is what I have been waiting for! I love baked potato soup and Charlestons restaurant makes the best! I have been looking for a recipe that competes with theirs! Can’t wait to try it!
I’m in such a soup mood lately and this looks fantastic and loaded with wonderful flavor!
Unbelievable! I just searched your site 2 days ago to see if you had a potato soup recipe. After not finding one I thought, “Hmmm, Melanie must not like potato soup.”. Ha! I used a potato soup recipe I already had, then served it in your bread bowls. I love, love, love soup in a bread bowl & was so excited to make homemade ones!! My husband even told his co-workers about them so I know they were good. I plan to try your chicken & rice soup next, but this potato soup will make its way to our table, too.
Hi Mel!
This looks like a simple, easy, yet delicious version of this soup. I’m putting russets on my grocery list for later today 🙂
BTW, I’m using Firefox and the print link won’t work – it tries to open it as a PDF to edit. Thanks!
Jen – I can’t duplicate the problem – the print links work fine in Firefox for me (even when I’m logged out of my Google account). Is anyone else having a problem with this?
I’ve never met a potato I didn’t love, and this soup looks like it will be no exception- YUM! It’s everything yummy in a twice baked potato or potato skins whirled up into a warm, creamy soup. I can’t wait to try this recipe, Mel! 🙂