Creamy Loaded Baked Potato Soup with Cheddar and Green Onions

The bacon turns crisp in the Dutch oven while the potatoes bake, and that little bit of timing makes the rest of dinner feel easy. I pour off the bacon…

By Julia • October 18, 2026 • Reading time: 9 min

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The bacon turns crisp in the Dutch oven while the potatoes bake, and that little bit of timing makes the rest of dinner feel easy. I pour off the bacon drippings before building the soup, so the creamy base stays rich without becoming greasy. This loaded baked potato soup gets its body from fluffy russet potatoes, a smooth broth-and-milk base, and sharp cheddar stirred in at the end.

I like that the potatoes bake whole before they meet the soup. Their centers stay fluffy, and you can scoop out the flesh without adding extra cooking liquid to the pot. A handful of cheddar, crumbled bacon, and sliced green onions on each bowl gives you the loaded-potato finish, while the soup underneath stays creamy and spoonable.

The result is a hearty pot with tender onion, soft potato, and enough sharp cheddar to taste without burying the other ingredients. Serve it while the cheese on top is still melting into the hot soup.

Why Baking the Russets First Keeps This Soup Thick, Not Watery

For a soup built around potatoes, it’s easy to assume they should cook right in the broth. Here, baking them whole first gives you a different kind of potato: the flesh turns fluffy without soaking up the liquid it needs to stay in the soup. That means the broth-and-milk base can thicken on its own before the potato goes in, rather than turning starchy and heavy as it cooks.

Russets suit this approach because their baked centers mash easily into the creamy base. The skins come off after baking, so the soup stays soft and smooth rather than full of chewy pieces. I keep the potato roughly mashed, not puréed; the finished bowls still have some tender potato texture among the creamy broth, and each spoonful tastes like baked potato rather than a completely uniform sauce.

There’s a second benefit to doing the potatoes separately: the soup base has time to become smooth before the potato is added. The flour thickens the broth and milk first, then the potato joins for a short, gentle simmer. That order gives you control over the texture instead of asking the potato to do all the thickening.

What the Russets, Sharp Cheddar, and Sour Cream Bring to the Pot

• Russet potatoes — Their fluffy baked flesh breaks into the broth without making the soup dense. Choose firm potatoes with no soft spots, and scrub and dry them before baking so the skins are clean and the fork pricks are easy to make. Waxy potatoes won’t give quite the same soft, mashable texture.
• Sharp cheddar — Its fuller, tangier taste stands up to the milk and sour cream. The cheese is divided between the soup and the bowls, so you get a creamy base as well as a distinct cheddar finish on top. A block of sharp cheddar gives you control over the shred; pre-shredded cheese works, but its coating can make it melt less smoothly.
• Sour cream — This brings the familiar tang of a loaded baked potato and rounds out the rich broth. Stir it in after taking the pot off the heat so it blends into the soup rather than simmering. It’s worth choosing sour cream you enjoy eating on its own, since its flavor is easy to notice here.
• Low-sodium chicken broth and whole milk — The broth gives the soup a savory base, while whole milk keeps the texture creamy without making the potato flavor disappear. Low-sodium broth also lets the measured kosher salt season the pot without the broth deciding the salt level for you.
• Bacon and green onions — Crisp bacon adds a salty, smoky contrast, and green onions bring a fresh bite to the rich soup. The bacon is cooked separately from the base and crumbled for the bowls; slice the green onions shortly before serving for a fresh-looking garnish.
• Yellow onion, butter, and flour — Finely chopped onion softens into the butter and gives the base a savory foundation. The flour thickens the broth and milk, so whisking it in evenly matters more than choosing a particular brand. All-purpose flour is the standard choice for this smooth, gently thickened soup.

The Four Stages That Build a Creamy Potato Soup

Bake the potatoes until the centers are tender

Heat the oven to 425°F. Scrub and dry the russets, prick each a few times with a fork, and set them on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 50–60 minutes, until a knife slides easily into the center; a firm spot means they need more time. Let them cool until they’re easy to handle before splitting them and scooping the flesh into a bowl.

Crisp the bacon while the potatoes bake

Cook the bacon in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat for 8–12 minutes, turning as needed. Look for crisp slices rather than pale, floppy centers, since the bacon will be crumbled over the bowls. Transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate and discard the drippings. Once cool, crumble the bacon and set it aside.

Soften the onion and thicken the broth base

Melt the butter in the Dutch oven over medium heat, then add the finely chopped onion. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pieces are softened. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, then gradually whisk in the broth and milk until smooth; pouring them in gradually helps prevent flour lumps. Bring the base to a gentle simmer, whisking often, and cook for 5–8 minutes until it has thickened slightly.

Fold in the potato, then finish the bowls

Roughly mash the scooped potato flesh and stir it into the gently simmering base. Cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, so the potato warms through without sticking to the bottom. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the sour cream, 1 1/2 cups of cheddar, kosher salt, and black pepper until the cheese melts. Ladle into bowls and finish with the remaining cheddar, crumbled bacon, and green onions.

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Creamy Loaded Baked Potato Soup with Cheddar and Green Onions

Loaded baked potato soup combines oven-baked russet potatoes with a creamy broth, sharp cheddar, crisp bacon, and green onions. The potatoes are roughly mashed for a hearty texture, then finished with sour cream and extra toppings.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 13 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 28 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Calories: 600

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 3 lb russet potatoes
• 6 bacon slices
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 yellow onion medium, finely chopped
• 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cup whole milk
• 0.5 tsp kosher salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded, divided
• 0.5 cup green onions sliced

Equipment

• 1 rimmed baking sheet
• 1 6-quart Dutch oven

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Scrub and dry the potatoes, prick each a few times with a fork, and place them on a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Bake the potatoes for 50–60 minutes, until a knife slides easily into the center.
4. While the potatoes bake, cook the bacon in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat for 8–12 minutes, turning as needed, until crisp.
5. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, discard the drippings, and crumble the bacon when cool.
6. Let the potatoes cool until easy to handle.
7. Split the potatoes and scoop the flesh into a bowl, discarding the skins.
8. Roughly mash the potato flesh.
9. Melt the butter in the Dutch oven over medium heat, add the onion, and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
10. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
11. Gradually whisk in the broth and milk until smooth.
12. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, whisking often, and cook for 5–8 minutes until slightly thickened.
13. Stir in the potato flesh and simmer gently for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
14. Remove the pot from the heat, then stir in the sour cream, 1 1/2 cups cheddar, salt, and pepper until the cheese melts.
15. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar, crumbled bacon, and green onions.

Notes

For the smoothest texture, whisk the broth and milk in gradually to prevent lumps. Refrigerate leftovers for 3–4 days; freezing is not recommended because the dairy can separate. For a gluten-free variation, replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.