Loaded Baked Potato Soup (Printable)

Rich creamy baked potatoes topped with sharp cheddar and crispy onions for irresistible texture.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and diced
02 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
03 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 stalks celery, diced
05 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced (for garnish)

→ Dairy

06 - 3.5 tbsp unsalted butter
07 - 5.3 oz sour cream
08 - 0.5 cup whole milk
09 - 0.5 cup heavy cream
10 - 5.3 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated

→ Broth & Seasonings

11 - 4 cups vegetable broth
12 - 1 tsp salt
13 - 0.5 tsp black pepper
14 - 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
15 - 0.5 tsp dried thyme

→ Crispy Onions

16 - 3.5 oz store-bought or homemade crispy fried onions

→ Optional Toppings

17 - 3.5 oz cooked bacon, crumbled (omit for vegetarian)
18 - Extra shredded cheddar cheese
19 - Chives or additional scallions
20 - Sour cream

# Directions:

01 - Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, celery, and garlic; sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Add diced potatoes, vegetable broth, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until potatoes are tender.
03 - Remove from heat. Mash potatoes with a potato masher for chunky texture or blend with an immersion blender until desired consistency is reached.
04 - Stir in milk, heavy cream, sour cream, and cheddar cheese. Return to low heat and gently simmer until cheese melts and soup thickens, about 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed.
05 - Ladle soup into bowls. Top with crispy onions, scallions, optional bacon, extra cheese, chives, and sour cream as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • If you whisper a secret ingredient to your soup, let it be a mountain of crispy onions—trust me, it’s transformative.
  • This potful practically begs for family-style toppings, so everyone customizes their own bowl and nobody leaves the table hungry.
02 -
  • I once blended the soup before the potatoes were tender, and was left with glue instead of velvet—wait until they’re soft all the way through.
  • Simmering gently after adding cream and cheese keeps the soup creamy; if you boil it, you’ll risk a grainy texture and sad cheese.
03 -
  • Always taste and season after blending—potatoes can be sneaky bland until you add that last pinch of salt.
  • A swirl of hot sauce or a pinch of smoked paprika on top gives layers of depth that no one quite expects in a potato soup.
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