Tuesday. Jake’s in North Dakota. The kids came in at 4 PM covered in mud and asking what’s for dinner. Potatoes. Bacon. Cheese. Sour cream. The makings of something better than we realized.
As I started chopping potatoes, Mason materialized at my elbow—my shadow, my eternal question-asker, my official potato masher. He asked what “loaded” meant. I said, “Everything that would go on a baked potato, but in soup form.” He nodded. “Okay then.”
What followed was the kind of dinner that costs eight dollars. Clara took over cheese duty, Wyatt lobbied hard to add hot sauce to the pot, and Mason mashed potatoes with the solemnity of someone performing a sacred duty. By the time we sat down, windows fogged from the steam rising off our bowls, Jake’s absence didn’t sting quite so much. We were full. We were warm. We were us.
When you’re spending eight dollars on dinner for five people, you notice everything. It makes you care more about each ingredient. The trick is building flavor from things you already have—bacon drippings instead of fancy oils, chicken broth to deepen the base, a roux to thicken instead of heavy cream. Simple ingredients, handled with intention.
How to Make Loaded Potato Soup
Cook the bacon first. Chop it into pieces and cook until crispy. Set the bacon aside for topping and keep those precious drippings in the pot. This is the entire foundation of the soup’s flavor.
Build the base. Sauté diced onion and garlic in the bacon drippings with a tablespoon of butter. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir for about a minute to make a roux. Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring—this prevents lumps and gives the soup body without heavy cream.
Simmer the potatoes. Add diced russet potatoes and a bay leaf. Simmer for 15–20 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Then mash about half the potatoes right in the pot—this gives you that perfect mix of creamy and chunky. Stir in milk and shredded cheddar until the cheese melts and the soup is smooth.
Load it up. Ladle into bowls and top with the reserved bacon, more shredded cheddar, a dollop of sour cream, and chopped chives or green onions. Every bowl gets customized at our table—the toppings are half the fun.
If you love a good soup, my Chicken Dumpling Soup is another budget-friendly bowl the whole family loves. Try my Lasagna Soup for something heartier, or my Minestrone Soup when you want to clean out the vegetable drawer. A piece of my Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread on the side makes any of them a complete meal.
Maggie's Loaded Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 5 pounds russet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- salt and pepper to taste
- green onions for garnish
- extra bacon, cheese, and sour cream for topping
- 2 leaves bay leaves or 1 fresh bay leaf
Instructions
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Cook chopped bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Leave about 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in the pot.
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Add butter to the bacon drippings. Once melted and foaming, add diced onion and cook over medium heat until soft and slightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and stir for 1 minute.
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Sprinkle flour over the onions and garlic, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Slowly pour in chicken broth while stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
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Add cubed potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender. Mash about half the potatoes in the pot, leaving the rest chunky.
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Stir in milk and sour cream slowly. Add 1 cup of the shredded cheddar and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Ladle into bowls and top with extra shredded cheddar, sour cream, crumbled bacon, and green onions. Let people load their own bowls.
Recipe Notes
Mash only half the potatoes — that mix of creamy and chunky is what makes this soup special. It tastes even better the next day as flavors meld. Add a bay leaf while simmering for subtle depth (Nana Ruth's trick — remove before serving).
Common Questions
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Maggie’s Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup (The One That Fixes Everything)
- Nana Ruth’s Brothy White Beans
- 7 Rainy Day Recipes That Make the Whole House Feel Warm
- Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup
What I Use for This Recipe
A couple things from my kitchen that make this one easier.
Big enough for Sunday soup, light enough to lift. Every kitchen needs a pot this honest.
The skillet that never leaves our stovetop. Pre-seasoned, affordable, and built to last.
Smooth gravy, lump-free batter, hot cocoa that is actually mixed. Small tool, big difference.
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