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Loaded Potato Soup

Loaded potato soup with creamy mashed potatoes, melted cheddar, and bacon drippings for big flavor in every spoon. Simmer-tender potatoes, mash part of the batch for a thick texture, then finish with sour cream and a generous cheddar topping.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Bacon
  • 8 strips bacon Dice before cooking.
Potatoes
  • 3 lb russet potatoes Peel and cube into bite-size pieces.
Aromatics & Broth Base
  • 1 onion Dice.
  • 4 garlic Minced.
  • 4 cup chicken broth Use hot or room-temperature for more even simmering.
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 0.25 salt and pepper to taste Add gradually; soup thickness benefits from proper seasoning.
Creamy & Cheesy Finish
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 8 oz cream cheese Soften before adding.
  • 2 cup shredded cheddar Reserve a portion for serving, if desired.
  • 1 cup sour cream Have ready for melting into the soup.
Toppings
  • 1 All the toppings: sour cream, cheddar, bacon, green onions, chives Use as written; include extra bacon crumbles, sliced green onions, and chives.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the bacon and aromatics
  1. Cook the bacon in a large pot until crispy, then remove and set aside, leaving the drippings behind.
  2. Sauté the onion in the bacon drippings for 4 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Simmer and mash
  1. Add the chicken broth and cubed potatoes, then simmer for 20 minutes until the potatoes are very tender.
  2. Mash about 2/3 of the potatoes in the pot, then stir in the cream cheese and heavy cream until smooth.
Melt the cheese and finish
  1. Stir in the shredded cheddar and sour cream until melted, then season generously with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
  2. Fold in most of the bacon and serve loaded with all toppings, including extra sour cream, cheddar, bacon, green onions, and chives.

Notes

For the thickest soup, mash while the potatoes are hot and keep the simmer gentle after adding dairy to avoid a grainy texture. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 4 days; reheat on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of broth if needed. Freezing is not recommended because cream-and-cheese soups can separate when thawed. Dietary swap: use half-and-half plus reduced-fat cream cheese and cheddar for a lighter version while keeping the same method.