Description
A forgiving, easy, and delicious beginner-friendly soup made with simple pantry staples like russet potatoes, bacon, and cheese. It offers a thick, creamy texture without complex techniques.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 large russet potatoes (about 1.5 lbs / 680g), peeled and cubed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- ½ cup sour cream
- 3–4 green onions, sliced
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Peel and cube the russet potatoes into 1-inch pieces. Mince the garlic and slice the green onions.
- Melt the butter in a large 6-quart pot over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and stir constantly for 1 minute until fragrant but not brown.
- Add the cubed potatoes and chicken broth to the pot. Stir to combine, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Mash the potatoes directly in the broth using a potato masher until mostly broken down but still slightly chunky.
- Stir in the heavy cream, sour cream, and shredded cheddar cheese. Turn heat to low and stir constantly until the cheese is melted and the soup is smooth (about 3-4 minutes). Do not let it boil after adding cream.
- Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper as needed. Stir in half of the crumbled bacon and half of the sour cream.
- Ladle into bowls and top with remaining bacon, green onions, a dollop of sour cream, and extra cheese.
Notes
For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream. If the soup is too thick, add a splash of broth or milk. If too thin, simmer uncovered to reduce. For vegetarian version, skip bacon and use vegetable broth with smoked paprika. Do not freeze this soup as dairy may separate upon thawing.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 16
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 12
Keywords: loaded baked potato soup, beginner recipe, comfort food, easy soup, russet potato soup, bacon soup, creamy soup, weeknight dinner