Easy Loaded Potato Soup (Hearty & Homemade)

One thing I will stand ten toes down on and say with my full chest: I believe in meteorological fall, not astronomical fall. Meaning that once September 1 hits, it's fall in my eyes! June, July, August are summer months, and though I may still be harvesting tomatoes from my garden, my mind, soul, and spirit are doing a happy dance that fall has arrived. And with it, soup season! Today, I'm sharing the first soup I made in September: this easy loaded potato soup recipe that was a hit with the whole family.

I've made variations of this in the past, and it's fairly flexible in terms of whether you have milk, cream, or sour cream on hand — I've written it with sour cream as it was a fridge clean out week, but you can adjust to your preferences! I've had a dozen golden potatoes staring menacingly at me from their spot in the kitchen lately, and once they started sprouting tiny little eyes I knew they were destined for the pot.

One dinner item that is, almost without fail, a success with my whole family (husband, 4 year old, and 6 year old) is some sort of soup, which is great news for me because soup, in my eyes, is a perfect meal! Endless options, great for fridge and pantry cleanouts, and mostly hands-off cooking. And since my daughter would eat a baked potato almost every night if I let her, she was a particular fan of this easy loaded potato soup because, essentially, you can make it just like a baked potato!

I like to serve this almost as I would a baked potato bar: with shredded cheese, chives, and bacon bits for family members to use to their liking. It helps the kids feel more "in charge" of their dinner, and let's face it…potatoes in any form with bacon and cheese are going to be incredible.

Serve comforting bowls of this soup up with some homemade biscuits, biscuits from a can (a weeknight staple for me these days), or fresh sourdough bread. Or if you're of the school of thought that soup is not a complete meal (hard disagree), then you can serve this as a side dish to something else!

Ingredients

I kept the ingredient list for this one pretty close to a classic mirepoix start — carrots, celery, onion, and garlic — because that combination builds real depth of flavor before the potatoes even hit the pot. Yukon gold potatoes are non-negotiable for me here; they blend up creamy without turning gluey the way a starchier potato can. And while you can use milk or cream, I lean on light sour cream for a subtle tang that balances out all that starch.

• carrots
• celery
• salted butter
• garlic
• onion
• Yukon gold potatoes
• chicken broth
• water
• chicken bouillon paste
• light sour cream
• salt and pepper

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5–7 minutes.
2. Add the potatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
3. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the sour cream, salt, and pepper. Don't return it to a boil once the sour cream is in.
4. Carefully blend with an immersion blender directly in the pot, or in batches in a stand blender, until it reaches your desired consistency — fully smooth, or left a little chunky.
5. If the soup is thicker than you'd like after blending, stir in the water and 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon paste until it loosens to your liking — this thins the texture without watering down the flavor the way plain water alone would.
6. Ladle into bowls and serve warm, topped with crumbled bacon, chives, and shredded cheddar.

Hint: Let the soup cool slightly off the heat before blending — sour cream can curdle if it hits a full boil again, and a hot immersion blender in a boiling pot is asking for a splatter burn. A minute or two off the heat is enough.

Substitutions

• Dairy — I make this with light sour cream instead of milk or cream, and honestly they're interchangeable as far as how the soup finishes. Sour cream brings a subtle tang, but if you want classic potato soup flavor, swap in whole milk or heavy cream in the same amount.
• Potatoes — Yukon golds give the creamiest blend; russets will work but tend toward a starchier, thicker result. [Confirm: have you tested russets yourself, or is this general guidance?]
• Broth — swap in vegetable broth to make this vegetarian.

Variations

• Extra hearty — I sometimes add more than the recipe calls for: an extra potato or two, or more carrots and celery! It stretches the pot further and makes for a thicker, stick-to-your-ribs bowl.
• Baked-potato-bar style — stir a handful of shredded cheddar right into the pot before serving instead of just topping it, for a melty, "loaded baked potato" version.

Equipment

I use an immersion blender right in the pot, but a blender works just as well if you blend it in batches.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

This soup freezes well — I freeze almost every soup I make. I like to portion mine into Souper Cubes so I can pull exactly what I need without thawing the whole batch. To reheat from frozen, warm it in a pot over low heat, adding a splash of water as needed to loosen it back up.

FAQ

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Easy Loaded Potato Soup

Creamy homemade potato soup made in one pot with Yukon golds, carrots, and sour cream. Top with bacon, cheddar, and chives for an easy family dinner.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Calories 298 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4 carrots peeled and diced
• 4 celery stalks diced
• 3 tablespoons salted butter
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 10 medium Yukon gold potatoes peeled and cubed (about 3–3½ lbs)
• 4 cups 1 quart chicken broth, homemade or store-bought
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon paste
• 1½ cups light sour cream
• Salt and pepper to taste
• For serving: crumbled bacon chopped chives, shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

 

• Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5–7 minutes.
• Add the potatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.
• Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the sour cream, salt, and pepper. Don't return it to a boil once the sour cream is in.
• Carefully blend with an immersion blender directly in the pot, or in batches in a stand blender, until it reaches your desired consistency — fully smooth, or left a little chunky.
• If the soup is thicker than you'd like after blending, stir in the water and 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon paste until it loosens to your liking — this thins the texture without watering down the flavor the way plain water alone would.
• Ladle into bowls and serve warm, topped with crumbled bacon, chives, and shredded cheddar.

Notes

• Potatoes: Yukon golds give the creamiest, least gluey result. Cut them into even cubes so they cook at the same rate.
• Sour cream: Stir it in off the heat and don't let the soup boil again, or it can curdle. For extra insurance, whisk a ladle of the hot broth into the sour cream first, then add it to the pot. Whole milk or heavy cream can be swapped in at the same amount.
• Blending: Let the soup sit off the heat for a minute or two before blending to avoid splatters. Blend it all the way smooth, or leave some chunks of potato and carrot for texture.
• Thickness: If it's too thick after blending, add the water or milk a little at a time until it's the consistency you like. If it's too thin, simmer it a few minutes longer.
• Salt last: The broth and bouillon already bring plenty of salt, so taste after blending before you add more.
• Vegetarian: Use vegetable broth and vegetable bouillon, and skip the bacon.
• Storage: Keeps up to 3 days in the fridge and freezes well. Reheat gently over low heat with a splash of water. 

Nutrition

Calories: 298kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 9gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 144mgPotassium: 1215mgFiber: 6gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 5382IUVitamin C: 45mgCalcium: 109mgIron: 2mg

Keyword creamy potato soup, easy loaded potato soup, homemade potato soup, loaded baked potato soup, one pot potato soup, potato soup, potato soup with sour cream, yukon gold potato soup

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