Loaded Potato Soup Recipe (2024)

If you’re looking for comfort food, turn your attention to this easy creamy loaded potato soup. With smoked meat, cheese, cream, and potatoes, this soup is super rich and flavorful.

Loaded Potato Soup Recipe (1)

Jump to Recipe

This loaded baked potato soup is going to be a hit in your household. First, it’s easy to make and ready to eat in just 40 minutes. It’s also loaded with yummy ingredients like potatoes, cheese, and smoked meat. Add in some heavy cream and you have a family-friendly meal that’s creamy, hearty, flavorful, and filling. Serve your loaded baked potato soup with some warm cornbread to soak up all the indulgent leftovers in your bowl.

Keep reading as I share lots of suggestions below on substitutions and additions to make this easy loaded potato soup recipe suit you and your family as well.

If you’re on the hunt for more comforting soup recipes, check these out:taco soup,chicken noodle soup,tomato basil soup,Italian sausage soup, and French onion soup.

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Recipe Ingredients

  • 4-5 medium russet potatoes
  • Instant potato flakes (I go with just plain ole dehydrated potatoes by Bob’s Red Mill Potato Flakes without all the additives. I get them on Amazon if I have trouble finding them in the store).
  • Heavy cream
  • 2 cans of chicken broth
  • A small yellow onion
  • Shredded cheddar cheese
  • Smoked meat
  • Salt and pepper

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To begin with, pour your broth into your dutch oven or soup pot and put it over medium heat.

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Peel and dice your potatoes.

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Dice your onion.

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Add the vegetables and the smoked meat to your broth and season to taste with salt and pepper. However, stay on the light side because we will season it again right before serving.

I’d add about 1/4 of a teaspoon of salt now and maybe 1/8 of a teaspoon of pepper.

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Bring that just to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until you have tender potatoes.

This will take about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how big your chunks of potato are.

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Now add in your potato flakes and stir that up.

I love instant potato flakes as thickeners for soups and stews and making the crust to my Mama’s Taco Casserole. I don’t use them for mashed potatoes though. My Grandmother’s mashed potatoes were just too good.

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Now add in your cheese and pour in your heavy cream.

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Stir that up and cook for just a few minutes until heated through.

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Top your loaded baked potato soup with your favorite toppings, such as:

  • Chopped green onion, scallions, or chives
  • Your favorite fresh herbs
  • Crumbled bacon bits
  • Shredded cheese (I like mild or sharp cheddar cheese).
  • Sour cream
  • Diced avocado
  • Cooked corn kernels
  • Croutons

As always, serve to someone you love, yourself included.

Storage

Store potato soup leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze leftovers in an airtight container or a freezer-safe Ziplock bag for up to three months. Once thawed, reheat leftovers in the microwave.

Recipe Notes

  • There are quite a few substitutions you can make for this loaded potato soup. Let’s start with the potatoes. If you don’t want to peel and dice the potatoes, just grab a 32-ounce bag of frozen cubed hash browns. You know what, the shredded ones will work just fine, too!
  • Now, I think the heavy cream gives this dish a rich and delicious flavor so it is my favorite to use. As a substitute though, I suggest canned evaporated milk, because it also has a very rich flavor that you just won’t find in regular milk.
  • For the chicken broth, I actually usually don’t use chicken broth but I bought it special just for this tutorial – because I love you that much! Normally, I’d toss in a few chicken bouillon cubes with some water. The package usually says one cube per cup of water but I usually add an extra cube or two for more richness. I buy them in bulk at Sam’s and they save a lot of money over buying chicken broth. You can also use homemade broth or vegetable broth or stock – whatever cranks your tractor.
  • Other additions you can easily add to this loaded potato soup recipe: garlic powder or a little minced garlic would be great. Some fresh or dried parsley would be a good addition, too. You might even want to add additional vegetables and just change it to a creamy veggie soup at this point.
  • Any type of smoked meat will work in this recipe, like smoked pork chops, smoked turkey, diced ham, bacon, or smoked chicken breast.
  • If you don’t mind a bit of heat, a 1/4-teaspoon of ancho chili powder is a great addition to this recipe.

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Recipe FAQs

What are the best potatoes to use in soup?

I use russet, but you could also use Idaho or Yukon Gold potatoes. If you opt for the latter, you can leave the skin on.

Can I make potato soup in the slow cooker?

Yes, you can! What you’ll want to do is add all the ingredients except the cheese and cream to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours, or until the potatoes are tender. Then stir in the cream and cheese and continue cooking in the slow cooker for an additional 20 to 30 minutes.

You may also like these comforting potato recipes:

Greek Potatoes With A Twist

Country Chowder

Freezer Mashed Potatoes

Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes Recipe

Garlic Mozzarella Mashed Potatoes

Loaded Potato Soup Recipe (13)

Loaded Potato Soup

If you're looking for comfort food, turn your attention to this easy creamy loaded potato soup. With smoked meat, cheese, cream, and potatoes, this soup is super rich and flavorful.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: potatoes

Servings: 4

Calories: 519kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 cups chicken broth 2-16 ounce cans
  • 4-5 russet potatoes washed, peeled, and cubed
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup instant potato flakes
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1 cup smoked chopped ham or your favorite smoked meat
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Pour broth into a dutch oven or soup pot and put over medium heat.

    4 cups chicken broth

  • Peel and chop onion and potatoes.

    4-5 russet potatoes, 1 onion

  • Add vegetables to broth along with the ham. Season to taste (about 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper).

    4-5 russet potatoes, 1 cup smoked chopped ham, salt and pepper to taste, 1 onion

  • Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

  • Remove lid and stir in potato flakes.

    1 cup instant potato flakes

  • Add in cheese and cream and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until just heated through.

    1 cup cheddar cheese, 1 cup whipping cream

  • Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired. Serve immediately and top with your favorite toppings.

    salt and pepper to taste

Nutrition

Calories: 519kcal

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Loaded Potato Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is loaded potato soup made of? ›

This creamy soup is a comfort dish ideal for chilly days. It contains all the flavors of a baked potato but can be made in a fraction of the time. Onions, celery, and bacon add powerful flavors to the tender potatoes, while cream, cheddar cheese, and parsley bring the finishing touches.

What can I add to potato soup for flavor without? ›

Blend in cauliflower

Cauliflower can literally be your secret ingredient when it comes to flavoring potato soup. It's practically the same color as most potatoes, and when cooked, it's also very similar in texture. This means that you can add cauliflower to potato soup, blend it up, and no one would be any the wiser.

How do you make loaded baked potato soup thicker? ›

To thicken potato soup without creating lumps, you can use a roux made of equal parts butter and flour. Melt the butter in a separate pan, add the flour, and whisk until smooth. Slowly whisk the roux into the soup, and let it simmer until thickened. Be sure to whisk continuously to prevent lumps from forming.

How do you make potato soup not bland? ›

To keep that from veering into bland territory, you can add dried herbs, stock concentrate + actual stock, ample garlic, and always heroic cream cheese to the mix, as we do in this recipe.

What is the secret ingredient in soup? ›

It may sound a bit strange and unusual for some, but vinegar is a common ingredient in some soup recipes, and there is a good reason for it. If you think about it, vinegar is really a flavor-enhancer (umami). That's why it is so often used in cooking, sauces, and salad dressings. The same is true with soups.

What is a good thickener for potato soup? ›

Cornstarch. Cornstarch is a very effective thickener, and a little bit can go a long way. Add cornstarch to a small amount of cold water or other liquid (wine or stock) and whisk into a thick slurry. Then the slurry can be stirred into a simmering soup, a bit at a time to set the final consistency.

How to make can potato soup taste better? ›

Herbs: Fresh chives, thyme, or cilantro stirred in just before serving. Spices: Your soup is probably salty enough, but what about simmering a bay leaf in there for a while (don't forget to remove it before serving)? Depending on the soup's flavor profile, you could shake in some cumin or red pepper flakes.

Why isn't my potato soup creamy? ›

One trick to make your potato soup a little less grainy is to add some form of dairy –- cream, milk, or even cheese. Because dairy is generally creamy in texture, that characteristic will carry over into your soup. Crisis averted.

Which potatoes hold up best in soup? ›

ANSWER: Waxy potatoes or those called boiling potatoes stand up well in soups and stews. These have thin skin and are high in moisture and low in starch. Potatoes that are low-starch and high-moisture hold together better. Yukon Gold potatoes are on the medium-starch side and will hold their shape in soups.

Can you use instant mashed potatoes to thicken potato soup? ›

Honestly, if you just stir in a little instant mash, like Smash, your soup will thicken up in no time at all. Now, you may end up needing more than a spoonful, but it's best to add a little at a time, because remember, you can always add more of it, but you can't take it away.

Does cream cheese thicken up potato soup? ›

It might be tempting to add sour cream or softened cream cheese to help thicken the soup, but these dairy products only work in certain circ*mstances. You must blend cream cheese or sour cream, either with an immersion blender or a full-size blender, for it to thicken a soup.

Can I use instant potato flakes to thicken potato soup? ›

This soup-thickening hack couldn't be easier. Unlike using flour, which requires either making a little roux before you start cooking or a beurre manié afterwards, or using a cornstarch slurry that can create a gloppy texture, the instant mashed potato flakes can simply be sprinkled into the finished dish.

Why aren't my potatoes getting soft in my potato soup? ›

It's possible that the variety of potatoes you used may have a firmer texture, even when fully cooked. For soups, it's generally recommended to use russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, as they tend to break down and become softer when cooked.

How do you keep potato soup from getting gummy? ›

It's important not to chop them too finely before cooking. Keeping them in medium-ish sized chunks should work best. If the potatoes are chopped too finely, then too much starch will be released into the broth, resulting in a gummy-like texture.

Is potato soup good or bad for you? ›

Potato soup can provide a number of benefits, including being a good source of fiber, vitamin C, and potassium. It can also be a comforting and satisfying meal, especially during cold weather.

What is the difference between loaded potatoes and baked potatoes? ›

Sides are usually optional and customers can order as many or as few as they wish. Baked potatoes that are served with a number of these sides are commonly referred to as loaded potatoes or loaded baked potatoes. These potatoes can themselves be a side item to a steak dinner, or a similar entree.

What is in Campbell's loaded potato soup? ›

WATER, REHYDRATED POTATOES (CONTAIN SODIUM PHOSPHATE), ROASTED POTATOES, PROCESSED AMERICAN CHEESE (MILK, WATER, CREAM, SALT, BACTERIAL CULTURE, ENZYMES, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, CELLULOSE), CREAM, SOUR CREAM PRODUCT (MILK, CREAM, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, MODIFIED MILK INGREDIENT, BACTERIAL CULTURE, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, GUAR GUM, ...

How unhealthy is packet soup? ›

Many instant soups are made as health foods and are made to become a healthy part of your diet. That said, there are many instant soups that are not healthy. Some brands contain a high amount of sodium. While a pack or two of these noodles won't harm you, having them on a regular basis can have negative effects.

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