Are you looking for a super delicious and easy dinner recipe that the whole family will love? Then look no further than this loaded baked potato soup recipe! Previously, I never enjoyed baked potato soup until I tried Chili’s famous loaded potato soup. After tasting Chili’s potato soup, I decided to make my own version of it. It has everything a person could want, like bacon, potatoes, butter, and most importantly…cheese! This soup is definitely not diet friendly, but it is really tasty. My toddler will even drink it straight from the bowl!
There are several ways that you can make this recipe, such as on the stove or in the crock-pot. It can easily be adjusted to a slow weekend at home or a busy weekday. The way that I normally prepare this loaded potato soup is on the stove. I have made it in the crock-pot and it is just as tasty. On the stove top it takes roughly 1-1.5 hours to cook, but you will not have to spend all of that time tending to the soup. After the ingredients are added to the pot, all you really need to do is stir occasionally.
The Ingredients
What you will need for this delicious loaded baked potato soup is:
- 2.5 pounds of russet or golden potatoes (half a bag)
- 1 bag of shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 stick of butter
- 1/4 cup of flour
- 1-2 tablespoons of minced garlic
- 6 bacon strips
- salt and pepper as needed to taste
- onion and garlic powder to taste
- 4 cups of chicken broth
- 1/2 cup of sour cream (optional)
- 4 cups of milk or cream
- 1/4 of a yellow onion
- half a pack of instant mashed potatoes (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the bacon according to the package in the same pot you intend to cook the soup in. Once the bacon is done cooking, set it aside on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb any extra grease. Do not remove bacon grease from pan.
- Next, add your chopped onion to the pot and sauté for roughly 2 minutes. Then add in your minced garlic. Only let the garlic cook for 30 second to a minute. It is easy to burn.
- Now, add your stick of butter to the pot and let it melt. Once it is completely melted, add in you flour. Whisk the flour and butter together to form a roux for your soup. This will allow your soup to thicken. If you add in the flour later, it can become clumpy.
- Add your chicken broth and milk or cream to the pot. Once this begins to simmer, add your diced potatoes.
- Sprinkle all of your seasonings in and give everything a good stir. I sometimes like to add half a pack of instant mashed potatoes. This is completely optional, but it adds extra thickness to the soup.
- Turn the heat on medium-low and cover soup with a lid. Remember to stir occasionally.
- Once the potatoes are soft, take a potato masher and mash them to your liking. I like mine to be mashed well and not very chunky.
- With the heat on low, add in your cheese and sour cream. To prevent the sour cream from curdling, add a small amount of the soup to a bowl and combine with the sour cream. Then add that mixture to the soup. It should help the sour cream melt into the soup. Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes on low to allow all the ingredient to melt together, stirring occasionally.
- Once the soup is finished and everything is melted together, add your toppings and enjoy! I normally add more shredded cheese and bacon, but you can also add scallions.
This recipe serves about 8 people and is perfect on a chilly day. It also requires little clean up, and the entire family can enjoy it!
Bon appétit!
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