Make this rich and creamy Baked Potato Soup on the stove or in the crock-pot!
Everything you love about a fully loaded baked potato is tucked into this rich and creamy soup. There are fluffy bites of baked potato in every bite.
If you have ever thought that you didn’t like potato soup, this Baked Potato Soup just might change your mind.
I love the simplicity of this recipe. Bake the potatoes, let them cool, scoop them out, warm the milk, combine it all and bring to a very low simmer for about 10 minutes.
The most important thing to remember with creamy soups is to avoid boiling your soup. Just stir frequently and allow it to combine and warm slowly.
I found this recipe for Baked Potato Soup many years ago, before I ever started blogging and sharing recipes online. My family loved it from the first bite.
I’ve made this soup on frequent rotation every winter since then and I’ve very happily adapted it for the slow-cooker. Since then, I’ve made many other variations-like this Old Fashioned Potato Soup!-, but this version remains a classic.
To Bake The Potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Pierce each potato with a fork and then place on a baking sheet. Bake for approximately 1 hour, until fork tender. Cool completely.
- When the potatoes are cool, slice them in half and use a spoon to scoop out as much of the flesh as possible. Discard the skins and roughly mash the potatoes a few times, leaving plenty of large bite size chunks.
Bake Potato Soup – Stovetop Recipe
- In the bottom of a large soup pot or dutch oven, combine the flour and about 2 cups of milk. Whisk to combine and then slowly stir in the rest of the milk. Cook over medium heat, for about 5 – 10 minutes, until the mixture thickens slightly.
- Add the potatoes, salt, and pepper and turn the heat to low. Cook the soup without boiling at all, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and cook about 3 more minutes. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle soup into bowls and top with bacon, cheese, chives and/or sour cream.
Baked Potato Soup – Slow Cooker Recipe
- (Depending on the size of your crock-pot, consider halving this recipe.) Bake the potatoes as directed above. Place the scooped out insides of the potatoes in the bottom of the crockpot and mash the potatoes a few times.
- Whisk together the flour, salt, and pepper, along with 1 cup of milk, until smooth. Pour over the potatoes. Add the remaining milk, stir, and cook on HIGH for 2 hours or on LOW for 4-5 hours.
- Stirring and scraping the sides once or twice after it begins to thicken. Once the soup has thickened, stir in the sour cream and serve immediately or set the crockpot to WARM and keep hot until ready to serve.
- Ladle soup into bowls and top with bacon, cheese, chives and/or sour cream.
Slow cookers or crockpots are an appliance of which I have more than one. If you are an avid slow cooker user like I am, you might understand the need for more than one. So, let’s talk about my favorites:
First up is this 6-quart slow cooker that has a locking lid. These crockpots are fantastic for transporting foods. Mine has gone everywhere from church potlucks to barbecues, game nights to Thanksgiving dinner. However, fair warning, these slow cookers run crazy hot. Low is closer to a boil than a simmer, the warm setting actually simmers. So trust me when I say HIGH is high.
My everyday slow cooker is this 8-quart Crockpot. It’s my go-to appliance for cooking large roasts and big batches of chili. Fun fact: did you know that a full 4-quart cooker, actually cooks more slowly than a half-full 8-quart cooker?
For just cooking a few pounds of chicken to shred for enchiladas or other smaller recipes, this 3-quart version is perfect.
Thanksgiving has become a breeze since I have mastered how to hold all of the side dishes using these medium-sized round slow cookers.
If you aren’t a fan of the idea of keeping more than one slow cooker in the house, these CrockPockets are a game-changer when it comes to preparing and holding multiple dishes at the same time. They slide into a standard 6-quart crockpot, dividing it into two sections that are perfect for serving different side dishes or keeping taco fillings warm for parties.
Baked Potato Soup {On the Stove or In the Crock-Pot}
Ingredients
- 5 pounds potatoes: Yukon, red, or Russets
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour*
- 10 cups milk, adjust with more as needed
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, adjust to taste
- 1½ cups sour cream
*Gluten-Free Alternative
- ¾ cup brown rice flour
Toppings
- ½ pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
- ½ cup thinly sliced chives or green onions
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
Instructions
To Bake The Potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Pierce each potato with a fork and then place on a baking sheet. Bake for approximately 1 hour, until fork tender. Cool completely.
- When the potatoes are cool, slice them in half and use a spoon to scoop out as much of the flesh as possible. Discard the skins and roughly mash the potatoes a few times, leaving plenty of large bite size chunks.
Stovetop Directions
- In the bottom of a large soup pot or dutch oven, combine the flour and about 2 cups of milk. Whisk to combine and then slowly stir in the rest of the milk. Cook over medium heat, for about 5 – 10 minutes, until the mixture thickens slightly.
- Add the potatoes, salt, and pepper and turn the heat to low. Cook the soup without boiling at all, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and cook about 3 more minutes. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle soup into bowls and top with bacon, cheese, chives and/or sour cream. Enjoy!
Slow-Cooker Directions
- (Depending on the size of your crock-pot, consider halving this recipe.) Bake the potatoes as directed above. Place the scooped out insides of the potatoes in the bottom of the crockpot and mash the potatoes a few times.
- Whisk together the flour, salt, and pepper, along with 1 cup of milk, until smooth. Pour over the potatoes. Add the remaining milk, stir, and cook on HIGH for 2 hours or on LOW for 4-5 hours.
- Stirring and scraping the sides once or twice after it begins to thicken. Once the soup has thickened, stir in the sour cream and serve immediately or set the crockpot to WARM and keep hot until ready to serve.
- Ladle soup into bowls and top with bacon, cheese, chives and/or sour cream. Enjoy!
Nutrition
{originally published 11/27/12 – notes and photos updated 11/4/20}
Becki's Whole Life says
Definitely looks like comfort in a little bowl. I really like that there is sour cream in the actual soup. I bet that gives the soup some extra flavor.
Pam says
This sounds wonderful, especially love all those toppings!
Joanne says
I am amazed that I have never had baked potato soup! Looks like the ultimate comfort food!
Jenn says
I LOVE baked potato soup… well, I like potato soup of any kind. It's so warm and comforting! This one looks AMAZING!!
correnadotme says
Oh, it is that time of year for soups and I am not a soup lover but they are so good for you and I want good for you, and I really know I will like this one as I like all the ingredients anyway, so this soup is a must have and I am going to make it, so I am actually glad you forgot to post it, til now!!!! Thanks so much. Have a happy day!
Pam says
Thanks for reminding me about this soup – yours looks so delicious. Thanks for the shout out & link love.
Sue/the view from great island says
I agree with all the above, and that last photo perfectly illustrates what comfort food is all about!
Big Dude says
As often as we have potato soup, we've never tried this – perhaps we can remember for the next time, especially since we use the same toppings on our regular version. Bev's making veggie soup on this cool dreary day.
Marina@Picnic at Marina says
I am in need of one bowl of this soup right now, so comforting, so speaks home to me… 🙂
Athena @ Lifes Abundant Adventures says
Get in my Belly!!!
Tricia @ saving room for dessert says
Potato soup always makes me think of my Mom. She made if often but she never offered those beautiful toppings! Beautiful photos.
Chris says
It's really cold here today and just the idea of this thick creamy soup warms me up a little.
mjskit says
What a delicious bowl of soup! Love potato soup and the bacon on top is perfect! 🙂
Denny1600 says
Am eating it now. Added frozen corn and peas for protein. Tasty!
Anonymous says
That so crazy u post this cause i told my kids that i had taste for this soup i forgot how i made it last year.so was going online to find the recipe and u sent it to my page as i was looking up thanks
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says
Can't wait to enjoy this, looks perfectly comforting!
RC1956 says
Looks fantastic. I've been making Cooking Light's Loaded Baked Potato Soup, with the green onions, bacon and cheese served on top. It has the sour cream, green onions in the soup plus on top. Your recipe looks so good. Mine gets too thick after it is stored and has to be thinned with some milk if reheating. This looks like it has great flavor and a little more interesting. Thank you for posting
Melissa says
Made this for dinner tonight! It was amazing Thank you even my five year old who said he hates soup asked me to make it every night for dinner
Anonymous says
Love this recipe. When you refer to brown rice, are you meaning brown rice flour and could you please tell me if that would make recipe gluten free? thank you.
Mary says
If you are using brown rice flour instead of all purpose flour for thickening the soup, then yes, that makes the recipe gluten free.
romania6 says
Could you tell me how many this serves? Thanks!
Mary says
The recipe yields 8-10 servings. Enjoy!