I’m back with another good soup recipe and this time it’s loaded potato soup with all the fixings you’d expect on a baked potato. The crazy thing about this soup is how it transforms simple ingredients into a bowl of pure comfort that rivals any restaurant version. This velvety loaded potato soup proves that classic flavors combined thoughtfully can create extraordinary results. The addition of crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, tangy sour cream, and fresh chives elevates this humble soup into something truly special.

Understanding Key Components

1. Potato: First, the potato selection matters significantly—starchy russets break down beautifully to create that velvety base, while a few chunks left unblended provide textural interest
2. Roux: this recipe uses a roux to thicken the soup. Roux is a mixture of butter and flour. It is extremely important for us to cook out the floor so that the soup does not have a floury taste.
3. Dairy: there’s plenty of dairy in this soup, i hope you’re not lactose intolerant! I used sharp cheddar in this soup – the bitterness cuts through the richness and starchiness of the potatoes. You could also switch for parmesan cheese. We’ll also be adding heavy and milk, feel free to switch to plant-based alternatives if you want to make it vegan!
4. Stock: using chicken stock rather than just water adds depth and savory notes that complement the rest of the soup. You could also use vegeatble or mushroom stock if you want to keep this vegetarian. Another alternative would be to use water with stock powder.
5. Crispy bacon: Bacon adds texture and saltiness. Place the bacon straight onto a tray and into the oven until crispy. If you want the bacon flavour to be in the soup, I suggest you cook the bacon in the pot first then add in the onion, and continue with the recipe. Omit this completely if you want to keep this vegetarian
6. Bread: i used ciabatta but sourdough would also be amazing. Toast in butter on a frying pan.

Professional Tips

• Cut potatoes uniformly for even cooking
• Sweat onions thoroughly to bring out sweetness of the onions.
• Adjust the amount of liquid to get desired soup texture.
• Omit the bacon for a vegetarian version.

Storage and Reheating

• Refrigerate soup up to 4 days. Freeze soup up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Don’t freeze bacon garnish
• Store bacon separately to maintain crispness
• Reheat gently on stovetop
• Add fresh garnishes when serving

Ingredients

3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 rashers bacon, sliced
1 onion, diced
1-2 celery stalks, diced
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp plain flour
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp smoked paprika powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
parsley, for garnish
sour cream, for topping
Bread slices, toasted in butter

Method

1. In a pot over medium heat, add in the bacon and let it render and become crispy. Remove from pot and set aside. Into the same pot, add in the onion, celery, smoked paprika, onion powder and garlic powder, and sweat until translucent.
2. Add in the butter and flour to form a roux – cook the roux for 2-3 minutes then gradually add in the stock and milk. Stir well to prevent lumps.
3. Add in the potatoes, cover and simmer until the potatoes are soft. Add in the heavy cream, and season to taste. Add back in the majority of the crispy bacon and the cheddar cheese. Stir well until melted.
4. Divide into bowls and garnish with parsley, bacon and pepper.