This Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup is a rich, hearty bowl of comfort food loaded with baked potatoes, crispy applewood-smoked bacon, sharp Cheddar cheese, and sour cream. Yukon Gold potatoes are our favorite, but any good baking potato will work.
One of the best things about this soup is how easy it is to customize. Want a thinner broth? Cut back on the flour. Add some onion while cooking the bacon, or toss in peppers, mushrooms, corn, or other vegetables for your own version. Little changes can make a big difference, so don’t be afraid to experiment and make it your own.
Top each bowl with extra bacon, Cheddar, sour cream, and fresh chives for that fully loaded baked-potato experience in soup form.
Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 4 large baking potatoes I prefer Yukon golds but any will work
- 12 slices bacon thick-cut applewood smoked
- ½ cup flour all-purpose
- 6 cups 2 percent low-fat milk heated
- 5 ounces sharp Cheddar grated
- to taste Kosher salt
- to taste black pepper freshly ground if possible
- 4 ounces sour cream
- 3 tablespoons chives finely chopped fresh
- 2 to 3 cups Vegetables Optional. Onions, peppers, mushrooms, corn, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the potatoes on a baking tray and bake for about 45 minutes, or until a paring knife slides easily into the center of the potatoes.
- While the potatoes are baking, slice the bacon into thin strips. Cook the bacon in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the bacon drippings in the pot.
- Add the flour to the bacon drippings and stir to combine. Cook for about 1 minute, without allowing the flour to brown.
- Slowly pour in the heated milk while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is bubbly and thickened, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
- When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them open and scoop the pulp from the skins. Add the potato pulp to the milk mixture and mash gently with the back of a wooden spoon, leaving some small chunks of potato for texture.
- If using optional vegetables, add them to the soup and cook until heated through and tender.
- Add the cooked bacon, reserving some for garnish. Stir in 1 cup of the Cheddar cheese and season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Continue stirring until the cheese has melted, then remove from the heat.
- Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with sour cream, the reserved bacon, remaining Cheddar cheese, and fresh chives.
- Serve hot.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Art of Cooking Recipes (Paulson Pursuits} is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
