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Baked Potato Soup

Baked potato soup with creamy cheddar and sour cream, thickened with a simple butter-and-flour roux. Classic loaded toppings like bacon, extra cheese, and chives make every spoonful feel like a baked potato.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 690

Ingredients
  

Potatoes
  • 4 large russet potatoes Baked, cooled, and peeled
Toppings and garnish
  • 6 strips bacon Cooked and crumbled
  • 1 onion Diced
  • 0.333 cup chives For serving
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar For serving plus cheddar in the soup
  • 1 cup sour cream For serving plus sour cream in the soup
Soup base
  • 3 cloves garlic Minced
  • 4 cup chicken broth
  • 1.5 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup butter
  • 0.333 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 cup shredded cheddar In the soup
  • 1 cup sour cream In the soup
Seasoning
  • 0.25 salt To taste
  • 0.25 pepper To taste
  • 0.25 garlic powder To taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Bake and prep the potatoes
  1. Bake the russet potatoes at 400F for 1 hour, until tender. Cool, peel, and roughly chop or mash.
Build the roux and soup base
  1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the diced onion for 4 minutes until softened.
  2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring so it doesn’t brown.
  3. Whisk in the all-purpose flour and cook for 2 minutes. Keep whisking until smooth and lightly thickened.
  4. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth until smooth, then add the heavy cream. Stir until the mixture is uniform.
  5. Fold in the baked potatoes, then simmer for 15 minutes. Mash some potatoes during simmering for extra texture.
Finish with cheese and seasoning
  1. Stir in the shredded cheddar and sour cream until fully melted. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.
Serve loaded
  1. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with extra cheddar, bacon, sour cream, and chives. Serve hot.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, mash some potatoes while the soup simmers so it thickens naturally without extra flour. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of broth or cream if it thickens. Freezing is not recommended because dairy can separate when thawed and reheated. For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (texture stays creamy).