Baked Potato Soup Recipe
Craving something cozy, creamy, and wildly satisfying? This baked potato soup recipe tastes like a loaded baked potato in a bowl — Luscious baked potato soup recipe loaded with bacon, cheese and sour cream. Also includes slow cooker loaded baked potato soup option.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 293kcal
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon chopped
- 2 pounds russet potatoes peeled and chopped
- 3 cups chicken stock
- ½ onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves or 1 Tablespoon fresh
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Sour Cream for topping optional
- Green onions for topping chopped (optional)
- Extra shredded cheese for topping optional
Instructions
- Slow Cooker Instructions: Stove top below. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until brown and crispy. ( see note) Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve 3 Tablespoons of bacon grease.
- Place the bacon grease and potatoes into a 4-quart slow cooker.
- Stir in chicken stock, onion, garlic, thyme, butter and bacon until well combined.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 7 hours or high heat for 3 hours, or until potatoes are tender.
- Stir in cheese and heavy cream until smooth. Taste and add additional with salt and pepper, as needed
- Cover and cook on low heat until warmed through,. If the mixture is too thick, add more chicken stock as needed until desired consistency is reached.
- Serve warm, garnished with desired toppings. Or, transfer to a container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Stove Top Method
- Cook bacon in a large pot until crispy. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve 3 tablespoons bacon grease. Add potatoes, chicken stock, onion, garlic, thyme, butter, and cooked bacon to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender (about 20–25 minutes). Stir in cheese and heavy cream until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Add more chicken stock if needed to reach desired consistency.Serve warm with your favorite toppings. Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days.
Notes
Some slow cookers allow for cooking directly on the stovetop before putting in the slow cooker. If you have one of these, you can cook the bacon right in the slow cooker before adding the potatoes and onions
Russet potatoes are highly recommended because their high starch content breaks down and thickens the soup, while keeping some structure.
You do not need to peel the potatoes; the skin adds texture, flavor, and extra nutrients like fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. But it's a personal preference, peel them if you would like.
Top with chopped chives or green onions, sour cream, additional bacon, and/or extra shredded cheese.
Serve with crusty bread and a green salad. Add additional chicken stock or water if you'd like a thinner soup.
If adding water, check to see if you need more salt before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 293kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 304mg | Potassium: 629mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 412IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 132mg | Iron: 1mg
