Loaded Baked Potato Soup (Printable)

Hearty creamy soup with cheese, potatoes, and crispy potato chip topping for a comforting meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and diced
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 stalks celery, diced

→ Dairy

05 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 1 cup whole milk
07 - 1 cup heavy cream
08 - 1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
09 - 1 cup sour cream
10 - 4 ounces cream cheese, softened

→ Pantry

11 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
12 - 1 teaspoon salt
13 - 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
14 - 0.25 teaspoon smoked paprika

→ Toppings

15 - 1.5 cups kettle-cooked potato chips, crushed
16 - 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled (optional)
17 - 0.25 cup chopped fresh chives or green onions
18 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
19 - Additional sour cream for garnish

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add diced onion and celery; sauté until softened, approximately 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute.
02 - Add diced potatoes, broth, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for approximately 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
03 - Using a potato masher or immersion blender, partially mash potatoes in the pot to achieve a thicker texture while leaving some chunks for a hearty, rustic consistency.
04 - Stir in whole milk, heavy cream, softened cream cheese, sour cream, and shredded cheddar cheese. Continue cooking over low heat, stirring frequently until all cheeses are fully melted and soup reaches a smooth, creamy consistency, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.
05 - Ladle soup into individual bowls. Top each serving with extra shredded cheddar cheese, crushed potato chips, crumbled bacon if using, fresh chives, and a dollop of sour cream.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It tastes like twice-baked potatoes and creamy potato soup had a delicious baby, so you get all that loaded potato magic without the fussy preparation.
  • The crispy chip topping stays crunchy for those first few spoonfuls, then softens into the soup like a built-in texture surprise.
  • You can have this on the table in under an hour, which means comfort food on weeknights suddenly becomes realistic.
02 -
  • Don't add your dairy until the potatoes are completely tender, because the heat can break down milk proteins if they're cooking too long in broth alone, making your soup grainy instead of smooth.
  • Crush your chips right before serving, not hours ahead, because they'll absorb moisture from the air and turn sad and soggy before they even hit the soup.
03 -
  • Softening your cream cheese in a warm bowl before adding it prevents lumps and means you're stirring in something that melts instead of fighting with your spoon.
  • Taste the soup after adding cheese but before serving, because the cheddar can cover up seasoning adjustments you made earlier, and you might need just a pinch more salt or pepper.
Go Back