The Best Loaded Potato Soup

BOWL OF POTATO SOUP

Honestly, this is THE best Loaded Potato Soup. We ate it the other night for dinner, and loved it! It is a soup that eats like a meal! All we added was a side salad and voila… dinner! Ready for a delicious, easy soup?

Today let’s talk about budget recipes. I’m teaming up with some of my blogging friends to celebrate BUDGET RECIPE!

WHY THIS IS BLOG WORTHY SOUP

You don’t need to spend a lot to have delicious meals and yummy things to eat.

Soup, even elevated soup, like this one is what I like to call Phesant Food. My great grandmother probably made lots of soup out of what was left in her pantry and root cellar to feed her 13 children.

Not only is soup economical it is delicious! I always say that the flavor of a soup lies in its broth. And that is so true. Loaded Potato Soup has tons of thick beautiful creamy broth!

This soup is healthy-ish, well sorta-ish, and I love it because it is not rocket science! You can add a little more or less of this or that or substitute ingredients too!

BOWL OF SOUP

And one of the things I love about this soup is it can all be made in one pot. Don’t you love one-pot meals? Easy peasy cleanup!

TIPS FOR PERFECT POTATO SOUP

Here are a few tips to help you make a delicious potato soup…

  • use russet potatoes- they are dryer and have a higher starch content which will make this soup thick
  • add the carrot for depth of flavor and a little color
  • you can add ingredients like celery or even hard chopped boiled eggs to your soup
  • I like extra sharp white cheese for this soup but you can use a mix of cheese
  • you can add a bit of cream or half and half to the soup to make it extra decadent but honestly, it really doesn’t need it.
  • potato soup needs a good amount of salt so layer the salt as you cook
  • as this soup sits a day or two it gets even better and thicker
  • add additional milk when the soup thickens to give it a consistency you like
  • the potatoes in this soup can be left in cubes or mashed a little or emulsified completely smooth
  • an old fashioned potato masher works the best for mashing the potatoes because it does not pulverize them but breaks the cubes down (see one HERE)
  • if you like a smooth potato soup use an immersion blender (you can see mine HERE)
  • I can’t tell you how well it freezes because we ate it for dinner and a couple lunches. However, just from looking over the ingredients, I think it will be fine.

I think using a potato masher makes the soup consistency perfect!

MASHING THE POTATOES IN THE SOUP WITH A POTATO MASHER

TOPPING OPTIONS

CLOSE UP OF THE TOPPINGS ON A BOWL OF SOUP

One of the best things you can do when you serve soup is to add a few yummy things to the top of it.

If you add things that are in the soup on top of it, you are giving everyone who eats it a little preview of what to expect. YUM!

And because we eat with our eye it’s also important to add color to soup!

Potato soup is rather “blond”. This soup looks thick and creamy. So it’s important to add a bit of color to the top of it!

Here are some great tasting and looking things to add to the potato soup just before you serve it…

  • chopped crispy bacon
  • finely chopped herbs like parsley or chives
  • grated cheese
  • sour cream
  • green onion sliced on the diagonal
  • croutons
  • finely diced hard boiled eggs
  • chopped red onion
  • Greek yogurt
  • oyster crackers
  • truffle oil

LET’S GET COOKING

5 from 2 votes

THE BEST LOADED POTATO SOUP

A scrumptious, health-ish, one pot soup that eats like a meal.
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 8 slices bacon, diced
  • 3 TBS bacon fat or olive oil
  • 2 medium onions, diced
  • 1 large carrot, cleaned and grated on the largest holes of a box grater
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped or mashed
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 2 cups warmed whole milk
  • 6 cups russet potatoes, diced
  • 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated use block cheese and grate it
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1-2 TBS sea salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp black pepper, ground

Instructions

  • Cook bacon in a large dutch oven on medium heat until crisp. Remove to a paper towel lined plate.
  • Cook the onions and the grated carrots in the bacon fat on medium-low heat until translucent. Stirring occassionaly. Add 1 tsp salt to the mixture.
  • Add crushed garlic and stir for 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the flour and cook it for a couple minutes to get rid of the raw taste. Stir often so it does not stick to the pot.
  • Stir in chicken stock and milk. Stir to combine the flour.
  • Add the potatoes and cook on low until the potatoes are very tender. Add 1 tsp salt to the soup.
  • Turn off the heat and mash the potatoes until it has a consistancy you like.
  • Stir in the cheese and sour cream until they melt into the soup
  • Add the bacon bits and stir to combine and add 1 tsp salt to the soup.
  • Add more salt if needed and the pepper. Stir to combine.
  • Adjust the thickness of the soup by adding more milk or stock if it is too thick.
  • Sprinkle topping on the soup and serve hot.

Notes

This is an excellent soup to personalize and add your favorite ingredients.
If you like an Amish style potato soup add 2 stalks of chopped celery to the dutch oven when cooking the onions and carrots and add 2 diced hard boiled eggs when the bacon is added at the end of the recipe.
Add milk or stock to get the consistency you like best.
Add more or less cheese and/or bacon to your liking.
Course: Soup

I hope you will try this truly delicious soup. And keep the ingredients on hand when you don’t know what to make for dinner!

You might like these other delicious soup recipes…

images for post top right clockwise

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

HEARTY CHICKEN TACO SOUP

PERFECT CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

SCRUMPTIOUS PORK AND CABBAGE SOUP

Now, please visit my blogging friends and their budget friendly recipes…

 

                              CitrineLiving                                     Magnolia Lane

                                   Noting Grace                                          Stone Gable 

                                      Decor To Adore                        Pink Peppermint Design

                           Worthing Court                               Grace In My Space

                   Our Southern Home                                     A Stroll Thru Life

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26 Comments

  1. After making my potato soup and blending smooth I add some frozen hash brown potatoes for consistency and cook it a bit longer.

    1. Great tip! This soup is very thick so maybe you could just add hash browns. That woud be yummy!

  2. I love potato soup and this recipe sounds soooo good. I love to add all the fixings on top too. I will definitely add this to our list of favorite. Thanks so much for joining the hop, a great new recipe to try.

    1. Marty, thank you for including me! There are so many great budget friendly meals.

  3. Good for you for bringing back your recipes. I have my standards but last week made the cranberry pie without a crust for our book club. It was so quick and delicious. So we are eating the blueberry version for breakfast today. In other words, we have another winner. Thank you. As a plus, I have just started a Precept class of 2 Samuel. It’s a new way for me to study the Bible and I am loving the experience. I think you have mentioned that before. Again, thank you!

    1. Yes, I am a Precepts teacher. Inductive Bible study is a wonderful way to study the bible. When you take the time to study this way you KNOW the Bible. I’m so happy you are doing a Precepts study.

      1. I would like more info on the Bible studies if possible

  4. Yvonne, I cannot wait to make this soup. It looks so easy and delicious! It is currently quite cold for Texas. I think I have most of the ingredients in the pantry.

    1. It’s cold here to Laura! Just perfect for a winter day. I’ll be making your Tortelini soup this weekend!

  5. Kathy Menold says:

    5 stars
    Yvonne ,Thanks for reminding me of an old family favorite. Great way to use up some extra potatoes I have and have a good cold weather meal. One question: Do you peel the potatoes ?
    I was going to leave the skins on for extra fiber and vitamins but wondered if this would change the recipe.

  6. Miche Ortega says:

    I have learned that when Yvonne says “The Best (whatever recipe) Ever, it is so. I know this recipe will be too. Can’t wait to try it. Perfect for this weather. Thank you, Yvonne.

    1. Good evening Yvonne. I just pinned all your soup recipes. It’s finally turned cold in Arizona, with lots of rain here in the valley, and lots of snow in the high country. Can’t wait to make big pots of soup.

      1. I often think of my warm weather friends when I am posting winter things. I’m glad you can finally make some soup!

  7. I had potato soup on my menu for tonight and when I saw this recipe I decided to use it rather than my usual. This is a wonderful soup! I didn’t have bacon and had planned to use ham I had in the freezer. Still very good! My husband rated it as one his top faves of the soups I’ve made (I’ve made a lot?). Thanks for sharing! I’m so glad you’ve brought back On the Menu.

  8. I just love potato soup and this recipe with definitely be added to my menu plan! Can’t wait to try.

  9. 5 stars
    Made the soup as the recipe says and it was fantastic.

  10. Lori Higgons says:

    I have a question. Approximately how many pounds is 6 cups of potatoes please?

    1. I’m not sure. I used a large measuring cup and put the cut potatoes in them. It is under 5 pounds because about half my 5 pound bag of potatoes.

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  12. Yvonne, I love your recipes! Everyone I have tried has been delicious!
    Can you tell me how long it takes to cook this soup? I would love for you to add cooking and prep times to your recipes in the future.

    1. If you follow the recipe it will probably take you about an hour. Cooking times might be a little different depending on the heat you cook things on. Hope this helps.