Loaded Baked Potato Soup

My loaded baked potato soup is a hot, creamy and spoonable version of a delicious, gourmet baked potato! Prepared with chunks of freshly baked russet potatoes, plus some delicious twists like crispy prosciutto, chives, and a sharp white cheddar, this rich and hearty soup eats like a meal!

A spoonable take on a Loaded Baked Potato

A piping hot, classic baked potato brimming with lots of scrumptious cheese, bacon, green onions and perhaps even sour cream is a favorite decadent side dish for sure.

It's the ultimate in comfort food and deliciously hearty and deeply satisfying to cut into when a potato with some flair is what you're hungry for!

But what if I were to tell you that you could make a full meal out of a loaded baked potato, and enjoy it in creamy and spoonable form by way of a big, hot bowl of soup?

My cozy loaded baked potato soup recipe combines all of the classic flavors we love in a loaded baked potato, only with a slightly more “gourmet” twist.

Brimming with chunks of freshly baked russet potatoes plus crispy prosciutto, chives and cheese, this hearty soup turns the loaded baked potato, a beloved side dish, into a comforting main meal!

How to make Loaded Baked Potato Soup that's loaded with flavor

What I love about taking a classic loaded baked potato and turning it into a soup is the opportunity to have a little fun with the ingredients.

All of the traditional ingredients such as bacon, green onions and yellow cheddar are certainly scrumptious, but I like to give my loaded baked potato soup some extra flair and flavor!

For starters, I like to use russet potatoes that have actually been baked in the oven until tender. Then, I scoop out the flesh, coarsely chop it and fold it into the soup, rather than cooking cubed potatoes directly in the soup. This method gives your baked potato soup so much more flavor!

And in place of the bacon, I like to crisp up some prosciutto for a change, and in place of the green onions I like to finely mince some chives, as they’re a bit more delicate.

For the cheese, I love to use a block of sharp, aged white cheddar with bits of caramelized onions in it (from Trader Joe's), but you can certainly use your own favorite if you can’t find that one. But keep in mind, the sharper the better for this soup!

Here's a glance at my loaded baked potato soup recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe below...)

1. To get started, I bake a few russet potatoes directly on the oven rack for about an hour, or until easily pierced with a knife.
2. While the potatoes bake, I prepare the soup base by first crisping up some chopped prosciutto in my pot for flavor, then I remove it; next, I prepare a roux—a combination of butter and flour used as a thickener—then whisk my milk into it.
3. I allow the mixture to simmer for a few minutes to thicken up, then turn off the heat, add in a few flavorful bells and whistles, and keep the soup warm until the potatoes have finished baking and are tender.
4. I scoop out the flesh of my baked potatoes once they're cool enough to handle, and coarsely chop it (keeping it a bit chunky for texture) then fold that into the soup until combined.
5. To serve the loaded baked potato soup, I ladle it into bowls and top with cheese, crispy prosciutto and chives!

Recipe

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This loaded baked potato soup is rich and creamy, featuring freshly baked potatoes plus crispy prosciutto, chives, and sharp cheddar!

Category: Soup
Cuisine: American

Yield: Serves 6

Nutrition Info: 595 calories (with 2 extra tablespoons grated cheddar on top)

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 large russet potatoes (about 3 ½ pounds total), scrubbed
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 4 ounces prosciutto, slices separated
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• 3 ounces flour (about 10 level tablespoons)
• 7 cups milk (2% or whole), room temp
• 1 tablespoons chicken base (I use “Better Than Bouillon” organic brand)
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• 2 ¼ cups grated sharp white cheddar, divided use
• ¼ cup chopped chives, for garnish

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°.
2. Drizzle a small touch of the oil over the potatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and rub the seasoning in; prick each potato a few times with a fork, and place the potatoes directly on the middle rack of the oven to bake until tender, about 1 hour (potatoes should be easily pierced with a knife when ready).
3. While the potatoes are baking, prepare the soup: place a large pot over medium-high heat, and drizzle in about 1 tablespoon of the oil; add the slices of prosciutto into the pot (it's OK if they're in pieces), and cook the prosciutto for a few minutes as you would bacon, until golden-brown and crispy; remove from the pot and set aside for a moment.
4. To the same pot add the butter, and once melted, add in the garlic, and stir to combine; once aromatic, sprinkle in the flour and whisk to completely blend, and cook the mixture for about 30 seconds to 1 minute to cook out the raw taste of the flour.
5. Next, slowly pour the milk into the butter/flour/garlic mixture, whisking all the while to avoid any lumps from forming; allow the soup to bubble and come to a vigorous simmer, and thicken up, whisking quite often, about 8-10 minutes.
6. Once thickened, remove from heat and whisk in the chicken base, the sour cream, and the white pepper; check to see if more salt is needed, and if so, add it in according to your taste.
7. Whisk in ½ cup of the grated cheddar cheese until completely melted in and blended; keep the soup warm until the potatoes are ready to be added in.
8. Chop up the crispy prosciutto and set aside.
9. Once the potatoes have baked and are tender, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for about 15-20 minutes, or until you can easily handle them; then, cut each potato in half lengthwise, and if you can, peel the skin from the potato, or if easier, simply scoop the flesh out of the skin with a spoon.
10. Once all the potato “flesh” has been removed from the skins, coarsely chop the potatoes into medium-size pieces so that they are chunky, but not too big; add the baked potato chunks to the hot soup, and fold them in to combine.
11. To serve, ladle some hot potato soup into a bowl, and sprinkle on top some of the remaining grated cheddar cheese, plus some crispy prosciutto and chives as tasty garnishes.

Tips and Tidbits for my Loaded Baked Potato Soup:

• Russet potatoes, for authentic flavor and texture: Since russet potatoes are traditionally used when preparing loaded baked potatoes, I use those for this soup. I simply scrub them, rub with a touch of oil, and bake for about 1 hour until tender before scooping out the flesh and coarsely chopping it to be added into the soup.
• Crispy prosciutto, for a twist: Prosciutto wonderfully crisps up the same way that bacon does, but is a little more subtle. If you prefer, you can certainly use bacon, or even pancetta.
• Favorite sharp cheese: My favorite cheese to use for this baked potato soup is a sharp white cheddar combined with bits of caramelized onions, which I purchase at Trader Joe’s; but feel free to use your favorite kind of sharp cheddar (white or yellow), or even a different kind of cheese that you might use to top a loaded baked potato!

Craving more hot and delicious soup recipes? Check out this Cream of Mushroom Soup, this Beef Barley Soup, this Vegetable Soup, or this Creamy White Bean Soup!