This quick, easy and hearty loaded baked potato soup is flavoured with sour cream and green onion and topped with cheddar cheese. Enjoy all the flavours of baked potato in soup form, that is ready in just 30 minutes!

loaded baked potato soup in white bowl with spoon

The Winter is long here and there are two things that get me through it – baking and soup. And when it comes to soup, this loaded baked potato soup is the one that shows up the most. It’s hearty, filling, delicious and easy and it’s ready in just 30 minutes start to finish!

As this creamy baked potato soup is made with just a few, simple ingredients, it’s a great pantry meal option, even when I’m snowed in. It’s also where I turn when I have a shortage of time or energy for cooking dinner. Served with a crusty loaf of bread, it’s a super easy and warming meal and a wonderful bowl of comfort.

Ingredients and substitutions

A few notes about the key ingredients …

Russet (baking potatoes) – Baking potatoes (Russet potatoes) are recommended for best results. Russet (baking) potatoes make a creamier soup that cooks more quickly. Yellow-fleshed potatoes or white potatoes will work in a pinch but will need longer to cook to tender. Cut them a little smaller.

Chicken broth – You can certainly substitute vegetable broth for a vegetarian soup.

Milk – Use any type of milk though I recommend a 2 or 3% milk, if possible, for the creamiest soup.

Green onion – Green onion is important as both a flavouring for the soup and for use as a garnish.

Sour cream – The addition of sour cream gives the soup a true baked potato flavour but can be omitted and you’ll still have a nice, creamy potato soup.

How to make loaded baked potato soup

step by step photos making baked potato soup
  • Step 1: Melt butter in a large pot.
  • Step 2: Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
  • Step 3: Add milk and broth to the pot.
  • Step 4: Add cubed potatoes (no need to peel unless you want to) and green onion
  • Step 5: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low, stirring regularly to avoid sticking (reduce heat if necessary), until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes
  • Step 6: Add sour cream and cook a few more minutes. Serve topped with more green onion and some shredded cheese.

Variations

  • You can tweak the ratio of milk to broth in this soup or even use all milk if you like. Adjust to your taste or based on what you have on hand.
  • For a gluten-free version of this baked potato soup, skip the flour at the start and thicken the soup with a cornstarch slurry (2 Tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 2 Tablespoons of cold water) at the end of cooking.
  • If you’d like to add bacon to the mix, fry the bacon in the soup pot at the start of the recipe, then remove it to a plate. Discard the fat and wipe the pot before starting the rest of the recipe. Stir the bacon into the soup at the end of cooking and/or use some for a garnish.

Recipe tips!

  • I have tweaked my version of this soup over the years. trying to find a nice balance between wholesome and delicious. When I started making it, I used bacon and cheese in the soup as well. It was delicious and you can certainly do that if you like. I have just found over the years and making it times when I didn’t have bacon around or forgetting to stir some cheese into the soup that I didn’t really miss it. This soup is still very satisfying without the bacon and extra cheese, so that’s how I make it most of the time now.
  • Don’t forget to season your soup! Soups generally need a generous salting, so taste at the end of cooking and add seasoning, as needed, to bring together all the great flavours in this soup.
baked potato soup in white bowl, topped with cheese and green onion

Making ahead, storing and freezing

This soup holds really well in the fridge, so it is a good candidate for making ahead and reheating. If it thickens too much, it is easy to thin with a splash of milk when reheating.

Store leftover soup in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Creamy soups don’t always freeze well as they can change texture from the freeze/thaw process. I would only freeze leftovers to avoid wasting it.

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loaded baked potato soup in white bowl with spoon

Get the Recipe: Loaded Baked Potato Soup

A hearty and delicious loaded baked potato soup, flavoured with green onion and sour cream. Enjoy the flavours of loaded baked potatoes in soup form!
5 stars from 6 ratings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Soup:

  • 5 Tablespoons butter, salted or unsalted
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk, any variety or fat content
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, or vegetable brot
  • 4 cups Russet (baking) potatoes, diced, peel or un-peeled *see Note 1 below
  • 1/4 cup green onion, chopped and well packed (plus more for garnish)
  • 1/2 cup sour cream, any fat content or fat free variety
  • Additional salt and freshly ground pepper, as needed

Garnish:

  • 1/3 cup cheddar cheese, grated
  • Additional green onion, chopped

Instructions
 

  • In a large pot on the stovetop, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute. Add the milk and chicken broth and stir to combine. Add the potatoes, salt and green onion and stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to a bit below medium-low. Cook, stirring regularly, until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes. **Stir regularly to avoid the potatoes sticking to the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat a bit under the pot if it seems to be boiling too vigorously.
  • Once potatoes are tender, still in sour cream and cook another couple of minutes to warm through. Taste soup and add additional salt as needed. If your soup tastes a bit bland, it needs salt! A little freshly ground pepper is nice, as well. (If you soup is a bit too thick for your liking, or to stretch it a little bit further, thin with. bit more broth or milk).
  • Top tip! Soups, in general, need generous salting and this one especially, since there is a large amount of (unseasoned) milk in this soup.
  • Serve warm topped with additional chopped green onion and some grated cheddar cheese.

Notes

Note 1: You can use yellow-fleshed or white potatoes if that’s all you have on hand. They will take longer to cook to tender and your soup will be a little less creamy, as they don’t break down as well as baking potatoes do.

Variations

  • You can tweak the ratio of milk to broth in this soup or even use all milk if you like. Adjust to your taste or based on what you have on hand.
  • For a gluten-free version of this baked potato soup, skip the flour at the start and thicken the soup with a cornstarch slurry (2 Tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 2 Tablespoons of cold water) at the end of cooking.
  • If you’d like to add bacon to the mix, fry the bacon in the soup pot at the start of the recipe, then remove it to a plate. Discard the fat and wipe the pot before starting the rest of the recipe. Stir the bacon into the soup at the end of cooking and/or use some for a garnish.

Storing and freezing

Leftover soup stores well in the fridge. It does appear to thicken up, but once re-heated is a nice creamy consistency again. Add a splash of milk to thin if necessary.
Cream soups don’t freeze well, unfortunately, as they are often grainy once defrosted. This one is best enjoyed cooked fresh or re-heated from the fridge.
Be sure to read the notes above this Recipe Card, for more tips on making this recipe. You’ll also find step-by-step photos that you might find helpful.
Cuisine: American, Canadian
Course: Soup
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 408kcal, Carbohydrates: 42g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Cholesterol: 64mg, Sodium: 1170mg, Potassium: 960mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 926IU, Vitamin C: 16mg, Calcium: 289mg, Iron: 2mg
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