This healthy loaded baked potato soup recipe is comforting, delicious, and so easy to make! Made with hidden veggies!
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
This baked potato soup has everything you love about a baked potato – sour cream, cheddar, bacon, and chives, at a fraction of the calories. The secret to slimming it down is swapping part of the potatoes with cauliflower – you can’t even tell! Your whole family will love this creamy homemade soup. Plus, it cooks quickly. Once you prep the potatoes and cauliflower, the soup is ready in 20 minutes. If you love potato soup, try this Potato Leek Soup, Kale Potato Soup with Turkey Sausage, and Broccoli Cheese Potato Soup.
This easy loaded baked potato soup has been one of my most popular soup recipes since I first shared it in 2011. A reader even commented that it was a “warm bowl of awesomeness,” and I definitely agree! It’s the best baked potato soup recipe. And bonus points – it’s kid-friendly, too. It would be perfect to pack in a thermos for a hot school lunch.
Many years ago, I received a request to make over traditional baked potato soup (you really like to challenge me, don’t you!), and I was a little stumped on how to tackle it. With potatoes, sour cream, cheese, and bacon, the challenge was how to make it light.
I knew I had to hide a vegetable in this soup to bulk it up without extra calories. My first attempt was parsnips, but the flavor was too overwhelming. Knowing how much you all love my creamy cauliflower puree recipe, I tried cauliflower next, and it was a winner. It feels like you’re eating a loaded baked potato without all the guilt.
Loaded Baked Potato Soup Ingredients
- Potatoes: Wash and dry two medium russet potatoes weighing about nine ounces each.
- Cauliflower: Remove the stem from a small cauliflower head and cut into florets. You should end up with about 3 ½ cups.
- Broth: Use fat-free chicken broth or stock.
- Milk: I use 1% milk for creaminess without the extra fat.
- Sour Cream: You’ll need a half cup of light sour cream.
- Salt and Pepper to season the baked potato soup to taste
- Toppings: Reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese, chopped fresh chives, cooked and crumbled bacon
How Do You Make a Creamy Baked Potato Soup?
- Potatoes: Pierce the potatoes with a fork and microwave for five minutes. Turn them over and cook for another three to five minutes until tender. You can also bake them in the oven at 400°F for an hour. When they’re cool, peel the potatoes.
- Cauliflower: While the potatoes cook, steam the cauliflower with water in a large, covered pot. Once ready, drain the water and return the cauliflower to the pot.
- Boil: With the pot on medium heat, add the chicken broth, milk, and potatoes and bring to a boil.
- Blend: Puree the soup until smooth with an immersion blender.
- Simmer: Add the sour cream, half of the chives, salt, and pepper, and cook on low for five to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Serve: Remove the pot from the heat, and ladle a cup of soup into each bowl. Top each one with two tablespoons of cheese, the remaining chives, and crumbled bacon.
Variations
- Potatoes: Swap Russets for Yukon Gold potatoes.
- Cauliflower: Use 3 ½ cups of frozen cauliflower or 16 ounces of riced cauliflower.
- Not a fan of sour cream? Substitute Greek yogurt.
- Reduced Sodium: Use low-sodium broth and limit the amount of added salt.
- Vegetarian Potato Soup: Omit the bacon and top the soup with chopped broccoli.
- No immersion blender? Transfer the soup in batches to a regular blender. Remove the plastic cap, and put a towel over the top to let the steam escape while pureeing.
- Chunky Potato Soup: Don’t puree the soup all the way if you prefer more texture. You could also skip the immersion blender and use a potato masher for bigger chunks.
What to Serve with Loaded Baked Potato Soup
This healthy baked potato soup is a complete meal in one since it’s packed with veggies and protein. You could serve it with a piece of bread or crackers or a simple green salad. If you want it as a side dish, pair it with roasted chicken or pork with broccolini or Brussels sprouts on the side.
How to Freeze Baked Potato Soup
Creamy loaded baked potato soup is an excellent make-ahead meal since it freezes well. I like to store the soup in small single-serving containers in the freezer for up to three months. When you’re ready, thaw the soup in the refrigerator, and microwave or heat on the stove until warm.
More Potato Soup Recipes You will Love!
- Potato Leek Soup
- Kale Potato Soup with Turkey Sausage
- Broccoli Cheese Potato Soup
- Creamy Sausage Potato Soup
- Beef Potato and Quinoa Soup
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 medium russet potatoes, washed and dried
- 1 small head cauliflower , 3 1/2 cups or 16 ounces, stem removed cut into florets
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups 1% reduced-fat milk
- kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup light sour cream
- 10 tbsp reduced-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 6 tbsp chopped chives, divided
- 3 slices center cut bacon, cooked and crumbled (you can use turkey bacon if you prefer)
Instructions
- Pierce potatoes with a fork; microwave on high for 5 minutes turn over and microwave another 3 – 5 minutes, until tender. Or if you prefer to use your oven, bake at 400F for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes.
- Meanwhile, steam cauliflower with water in a large covered pot until tender. Drain and return to pot.
- On medium heat, add chicken broth, milk, potatoes and bring to a boil.
- Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Add sour cream, half the chives, salt and pepper and cook on low another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat. Ladle 1 cup soup into each bowl.
- Top each serving with 2 tbsp cheese, remaining chives, and bacon.
