Creamy Baked Potato Soup (Printable Version)

Rich and creamy baked potato soup with crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, and fresh chives for cozy dinners.

# Ingredient List:

→ Potatoes

01 - 4 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced

→ Meats

02 - 6 slices bacon, chopped

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

03 - 1 medium onion, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, plus more for serving

→ Soup Base

06 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
07 - 3 cups whole milk
08 - 1 cup chicken broth
09 - 1 cup sour cream

→ Cheese

10 - 1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for serving

→ Seasonings

11 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
12 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add diced potatoes and cook for 12-15 minutes until fork-tender. Drain and set aside.
02 - In a large soup pot over medium heat, cook chopped bacon until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Reserve approximately 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pot.
03 - Add diced onion to the bacon grease and sauté for 5 minutes until translucent. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
04 - Sprinkle in the flour, stirring constantly to form a roux. Cook for 2 minutes.
05 - Gradually whisk in milk and chicken broth, stirring until smooth and slightly thickened.
06 - Add cooked potatoes, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, gently mashing some potatoes in the pot for a chunkier texture.
07 - Lower heat and stir in sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese. Cook until cheese is fully melted and soup is creamy. Adjust seasoning to taste.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls. Top each serving with reserved bacon, extra cheddar, and fresh chives. Serve warm with crusty bread or toasted baguette slices.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like restaurant-quality comfort food but comes together faster than your favorite takeout ever could.
  • The crispy bacon and sharp cheddar make it feel fancy enough for guests, yet simple enough for a Tuesday night.
  • It actually gets better when you make it ahead, so you can serve warm soup without the stress of timing.
02 -
  • Never add sour cream to a boiling pot or it will curdle and break; this mistake taught me patience the hard way, and now I always lower the heat first.
  • Shredding your own cheese from a block melts infinitely smoother than pre-shredded, which contains anti-caking agents that make the soup gritty.
  • If you blend part of the soup for extra creaminess, do it before adding the cheese to avoid any texture weirdness.
03 -
  • Keep the bacon fat after cooking bacon any time, and store it in the fridge; that liquid gold transforms any soup or sauce from ordinary to extraordinary.
  • Tasting as you go means you'll catch seasoning issues before they become problems, and salt added gradually always tastes better than a desperate rescue attempt at the end.
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