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The Ultimate Creamy Loaded Potato Soup (Weeknight Ready)

A white bowl filled with creamy potato soup recipe, topped generously with melted cheddar cheese, crispy bacon bits, and fresh chives.
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Make this rich, thick, and creamy potato soup on the stovetop in under 40 minutes. This easy one-pot recipe tastes like your favorite restaurant version, loaded with cheese, bacon, and fresh chives for the best comfort food dinner.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 4 cups chicken broth (use vegetable broth for vegetarian option)
  • 2 pounds Russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for topping
  • 1/2 cup sour cream, softened
  • 6 slices bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and celery. Cook until the vegetables soften, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  2. Add the chicken broth, diced potatoes, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk the flour into the whole milk until smooth. This creates a slurry to thicken the soup.
  4. Slowly pour the milk and flour mixture into the simmering soup, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the soup thickens, about 5 minutes. Do not let it boil rapidly once the milk is added.
  5. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream.
  6. Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese until it melts completely into the soup.
  7. Stir in the sour cream until fully incorporated, making the soup extra creamy. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
  8. Ladle the soup into bowls. Top each serving generously with crumbled bacon, extra shredded cheddar cheese, and fresh chopped chives.

Notes

  • For a vegetarian version, substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth and omit the bacon, or use a plant-based bacon substitute.
  • If you prefer a smoother texture, use an immersion blender to partially blend about one-third of the soup before adding the cream and cheese.
  • You can prepare this as a crockpot potato soup by cooking the potatoes and broth on low for 6-8 hours, then adding the milk/flour slurry, cream, and cheese at the end, stirring until thick.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingzenith.com/potato-soup-recipe/