Loaded Potato Soup Recipe

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If you’re looking for comfort food, turn your attention to this easy creamy loaded potato soup. With smoked meat, cheese, cream, and potatoes, this soup is super rich and flavorful.

Spoonful of loaded potato soup.

This loaded baked potato soup is going to be a hit in your household. First, it’s easy to make and ready to eat in just 40 minutes. It’s also loaded with yummy ingredients like potatoes, cheese, and smoked meat. Add in some heavy cream and you have a family-friendly meal that’s creamy, hearty, flavorful, and filling. Serve your loaded baked potato soup with some warm cornbread to soak up all the indulgent leftovers in your bowl. 

Keep reading as I share lots of suggestions below on substitutions and additions to make this easy loaded potato soup recipe suit you and your family as well. 

If you’re on the hunt for more comforting soup recipes, check these out: taco soupchicken noodle souptomato basil soupItalian sausage soup, and French onion soup.

Ingredients for loaded potato soup.

Recipe Ingredients

  • 4-5 medium russet potatoes
  • Instant potato flakes (I go with just plain ole dehydrated potatoes by Bob’s Red Mill Potato Flakes without all the additives. I get them on Amazon if I have trouble finding them in the store).
  • Heavy cream
  • 2 cans of chicken broth
  • A small yellow onion
  • Shredded cheddar cheese
  • Smoked meat
  • Salt and pepper

Add broth to soup pot.

To begin with, pour your broth into your dutch oven or soup pot and put it over medium heat.

Peel and dice potatoes.

Peel and dice your potatoes.

Peel and dice onions.

Dice your onion.

Add ingredients to soup pot.

Add the vegetables and the smoked meat to your broth and season to taste with salt and pepper. However, stay on the light side because we will season it again right before serving.

I’d add about 1/4 of a teaspoon of salt now and maybe 1/8 of a teaspoon of pepper.

Bring soup to a boil.

Bring that just to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until you have tender potatoes.

This will take about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how big your chunks of potato are.

Add instant potato flakes.

Now add in your potato flakes and stir that up.

I love instant potato flakes as thickeners for soups and stews and making the crust to my Mama’s Taco Casserole. I don’t use them for mashed potatoes though. My Grandmother’s mashed potatoes were just too good.

Add cheese and cream.

Now add in your cheese and pour in your heavy cream.

Cooked potato soup.

Stir that up and cook for just a few minutes until heated through.

Add toppings to your potato soup.

Top your loaded baked potato soup with your favorite toppings, such as:

  • Chopped green onion, scallions, or chives
  • Your favorite fresh herbs
  • Crumbled bacon bits 
  • Shredded cheese (I like mild or sharp cheddar cheese).
  • Sour cream
  • Diced avocado
  • Cooked corn kernels
  • Croutons

As always, serve to someone you love, yourself included.

Storage

Store potato soup leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze leftovers in an airtight container or a freezer-safe Ziplock bag for up to three months. Once thawed, reheat leftovers in the microwave.

Recipe Notes

  • There are quite a few substitutions you can make for this loaded potato soup. Let’s start with the potatoes. If you don’t want to peel and dice the potatoes, just grab a 32-ounce bag of frozen cubed hash browns. You know what, the shredded ones will work just fine, too!
  • Now, I think the heavy cream gives this dish a rich and delicious flavor so it is my favorite to use. As a substitute though, I suggest canned evaporated milk, because it also has a very rich flavor that you just won’t find in regular milk.
  • For the chicken broth, I actually usually don’t use chicken broth but I bought it special just for this tutorial – because I love you that much! Normally, I’d toss in a few chicken bouillon cubes with some water. The package usually says one cube per cup of water but I usually add an extra cube or two for more richness. I buy them in bulk at Sam’s and they save a lot of money over buying chicken broth. You can also use homemade broth or vegetable broth or stock – whatever cranks your tractor.
  • Other additions you can easily add to this loaded potato soup recipe: garlic powder or a little minced garlic would be great. Some fresh or dried parsley would be a good addition, too. You might even want to add additional vegetables and just change it to a creamy veggie soup at this point.
  • Any type of smoked meat will work in this recipe, like smoked pork chops, smoked turkey, diced ham, bacon, or smoked chicken breast.
  • If you don’t mind a bit of heat, a 1/4-teaspoon of ancho chili powder is a great addition to this recipe.

Bowl of loaded potato soup.

Recipe FAQs

What are the best potatoes to use in soup?

I use russet, but you could also use Idaho or Yukon Gold potatoes. If you opt for the latter, you can leave the skin on.

Can I make potato soup in the slow cooker?

Yes, you can! What you’ll want to do is add all the ingredients except the cheese and cream to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours, or until the potatoes are tender. Then stir in the cream and cheese and continue cooking in the slow cooker for an additional 20 to 30 minutes.

You may also like these comforting potato recipes:

Greek Potatoes With A Twist

Country Chowder

Broasted Potatoes (Seasoned, Smothered, & Covered Options)

Freezer Mashed Potatoes

Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes Recipe

Garlic Mozzarella Mashed Potatoes

Loaded potato soup.

Loaded Potato Soup

If you're looking for comfort food, turn your attention to this easy creamy loaded potato soup. With smoked meat, cheese, cream, and potatoes, this soup is super rich and flavorful.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: potatoes
Servings: 4
Calories: 519kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 cups chicken broth 2-16 ounce cans
  • 4-5 russet potatoes washed, peeled, and cubed
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup instant potato flakes
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1 cup smoked chopped ham or your favorite smoked meat
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Pour broth into a dutch oven or soup pot and put over medium heat.
    4 cups chicken broth
  • Peel and chop onion and potatoes.
    4-5 russet potatoes, 1 onion
  • Add vegetables to broth along with the ham. Season to taste (about 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper).
    4-5 russet potatoes, 1 cup smoked chopped ham, salt and pepper to taste, 1 onion
  • Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
  • Remove lid and stir in potato flakes.
    1 cup instant potato flakes
  • Add in cheese and cream and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until just heated through.
    1 cup cheddar cheese, 1 cup whipping cream
  • Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired. Serve immediately and top with your favorite toppings.
    salt and pepper to taste

Nutrition

Calories: 519kcal
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217 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I’m gonna cut the recipe in half, easily done with this recipe, and make just enough for the 2 of us. I have used this recipe for years now and we love the soup. I live with my son and we don’t always have room for leftovers and if I make half we won’t be tempted to eat more than 1 serving of this yummy soup. We are determined to lose some weight and fight Non-Alcohol Related Fatty Liver Disease. TY for this recipe.

  2. I have a question. I make potato soup but don’t add those ingredients to mine (l really don’t like cooking…lol). I love bacon but never buy it, so l am not interested in adding that to my potato soup. Same with ham. I make potato soup with 2 cans of diced potatoes, 1 pack of country gravy mix and one can of chicken broth. I think this is a Weight Watchers recipe. It only takes minutes to make…the less time, the better for me. Again, l don’t like to cook. I am sure my recipe is nowhere as delicious as yours. It is only myself and my husband so the amount l make is enough for the 2 of us. However, l do not care for the chicken broth taste. I have even tried making chicken noodle soup using chicken broth and didn’t like it. The broth is too strong tasting for me. Is there a substitute l can use in place of chicken broth? Thank you.

  3. Mmmmmm…..just the thought of this Potato Soup Recipe has me making my shopping list so I don’t forget a thing!!! It sounds like the Potato Soup Recipe I’ve been waiting to come around for a long time, Christie:). Adding the ham seems like it will make it even a little “richer” tasting and add the extra protein to make it a complete meal.

    Thank you for this “Home Style Potato Soup Recipe”

  4. I’m from Ga. and it hot here (80″s), but I still love hot soup anytime, I love this recipe, thanks so much.

  5. I made this soup for supper tonight, and it was delicious! I’m not a fan of ham or bacon, especially in soup, so I left it out. I used frozen diced potatoes, Velveeta, evaporated milk, minced onion (I hate chopping onions), and minced garlic. This tasted just like the potato soup my daddy used to make, where it would simmer for hours and be more of a chowder. No matter how many times I followed his recipe exactly, it never tasted like his. I want to thank you so much for this recipe…Jan 18th was the 5th anniversary of his death, and it was the perfect time to make this and remember him so fondly.

    1. I have found that there are just some recipes that will never taste like they did when our loved ones made them. I have often said that I felt like my grandmothers stirred a tablespoon of love in their recipes to make them just a little more special. 🙂

  6. Freeze leftover mashed potatoes to use in potato soup or other soups. The leftovers can be used in potato bread, too.

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