Lightened Up Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe - Kitchen Concoctions (2024)

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Looking for a classic and comforting soup recipe to warm you up on a rainy day? Try this easy and healthier Loaded Baked Potato Soup recipe, using chicken broth for most of the milk and lightening up some other ingredients. But don’t worry, just because this recipe is a “better for you” option, doesn’t mean it lacks flavor!

Lightened Up Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe - Kitchen Concoctions (1)It has been so rainy here the past week or so. Not really cold, although some days it has been rainy and gloomy AND chilly, but mostly just rainy. Because of the rain and dreary days, I haven’t been in the mood to cook much, and what I want to cook I want to photograph to share with you later on, and since I only use natural light for my photos, it’s not the best photo taking weather. But we do have to eat and work does have to get done, so I recently remade this favorite family dinner, this healthy Loaded Baked Potato Soup recipe.

This soup is comforting and classic and is perfect for lingering winter days or those rainy spring days.

Lightened Up Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe - Kitchen Concoctions (2)

But most versions of Loaded Baked Potato Soup, are not that healthy for you. So, I’ve made it my goal to not only perfect making this classic soup recipe, but to make it a little bit healthier, but defiantly not lacking on the flavor, too! For my recipe, I’ve lightened it up by replacing most of the milk with reduced sodium chicken broth and reducing some of the other ingredients, like the amount of cheese, bacon and sour cream; and have even tested this recipe with Greek yogurt. This is certainly still a creamy and more indulgent soup, but my recipe is a “better for you option” and yes, even approved by my Loaded Baked Potato Soup loving family!

Not only is this a fantastic recipe for the cold winter months or a rainy day, it would be a great recipe for St. Patrick’s Day; which if you haven’t noticed, March is right around the corner and so is this fun holiday! This Loaded Baked Potato Soup recipe may not be your typical St. Patrick’s Day recipe, like Guinness Shepherd’s Pie or Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage, BUT potatoes are a classic Irish food, and so this lightened up Loaded Baked Potato Soup recipe is totally a family friendly St. Patrick’s Day dinner recipe!

Lightened Up Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe - Kitchen Concoctions (3)

Helpful Tips and Information:
Serving Suggestion: I like to serve this soup with a simple side salad and some store bought or homemade dinner rolls. If I want to dress up my salad, my got to winter salads are this light and refreshing Pear and Pomegranate Salad or this Kale Caesar Salad.

Cooking Tip: Normally I keep my freezer stocked with homemade chicken stock, because it is essentially free (using up kitchen scraps) and I can control the sodium level making it much healthier than store bought stock.

If you like this lightened up Loaded Baked Potato Soup recipe, then you’ll love these other soup recipes:

Cabbage Roll Soup
Curry Chicken Chickpea Soup
Zuppa Toscana {Creamy Sausage, Kale and Potato Soup}
Easy Thai Coconut Soup
French Onion Soup Recipe

Lightened Up Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe - Kitchen Concoctions (4)

Lightened Up Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe - Kitchen Concoctions (5)

Yield: Serves: 6 people

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Looking for a classic and comforting soup recipe to warm you up on a rainy day? Try this easy and better for you lightened up Loaded Baked Potato Soup recipe!

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 large yellow onion,, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic,, minced
  • 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 4-5 large Russet potatoes,, peeled and cut in 1-inch cubes
  • 5 cups reduced sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2/3 cup sour cream
  • 2/3 cup cheddar cheese
  • 3 slices reduced sodium bacon,, cooked crumbled
  • ½ teaspoon each kosher salt and black pepper
  • --
  • For serving:
  • 1/3 cup cheddar cheese
  • 3 slices reduced sodium bacon,, cooked crumbled
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • ½ cup green onions,, diced

Instructions

  1. Melt butter large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 5-6 minutes, or until onion starts to become translucent. Add garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds.
  2. Sprinkle flour over vegetables to form a roux. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of broth, making sure to scrape off the bottom of pan. Continue stirring, until roux and broth are completely mixed together.
  3. Add potatoes and remaining broth. Bring soup to a gentle boil and let soup boil for 12-15 minutes, or until potatoes become fork tender.
  4. Reduce heat to low and stir in milk. Slightly mash about half of the potatoes with a potato masher. (You only want to mash about half of the potatoes to help thicken the soup and leave the remaining potatoes whole to add texture.)
  5. Remove soup from heat and slowly stir in sour cream, cheese, bacon, salt and pepper; stirring until well combined and cheese is melted. Return soup to low heat, if needed to heat through.
  6. Serve immediately topped with desired amount of cheese, bacon, green onions and sour cream.

Notes

To make this potato soup healthier, use reduced sodium turkey bacon and/or plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.

Lightened Up Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe - Kitchen Concoctions (6)

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Lightened Up Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe - Kitchen Concoctions (2024)

FAQs

How do you thicken loaded baked potato soup? ›

Cornstarch Slurry is a classic way to add thickness to your soup. Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Add this slurry once the soup begins to boil and stir in.

What is loaded potato soup made of? ›

It contains all the flavors of a baked potato but can be made in a fraction of the time. Onions, celery, and bacon add powerful flavors to the tender potatoes, while cream, cheddar cheese, and parsley bring the finishing touches. Add toppings to personalize each serving, and a well-crafted, cozy soup is born.

What can be added to soups to brighten its flavor? ›

Got a soup that tastes a little bland and unexciting? Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt.

How do I spice up bland potato soup? ›

Add milk, potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, allspice, celery seed, thyme, seasoning salt, dry white wine, cayenne pepper and chicken granules. Allow to simmer and thicken, stirring frequently, until the potatoes are cooked through, approximately 25 minutes.

What is the best thickening agent for potato soup? ›

Cornstarch. Cornstarch is a very effective thickener, and a little bit can go a long way.

What is a good thickener for potato soup? ›

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

Why does my potato soup have no flavor? ›

Perhaps the simplest approach is to flavor your soup with salt throughout the cooking process. Instead of waiting until the end of cooking to realize your soup lacks taste, you can add a bit of salt during each phase of cooking. Doing so will help bring out the flavors of each of the ingredients.

What is the most important ingredient in soup? ›

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

What are the secrets to flavorful soup? ›

To make sure that every spoonful of soup is richly flavored, with juicy meat and/or tender vegetables, follow these kitchen-tested tips.
  1. Use a Sturdy Pot. ...
  2. Sauté the Aromatics. ...
  3. Start with Good Broth. ...
  4. Cut Vegetables to the Right Size. ...
  5. Stagger the Addition of Vegetables. ...
  6. Keep Liquid at a Simmer. ...
  7. Season Just Before Serving.
Oct 9, 2022

How to lighten soup? ›

5 Ways to Brighten up Your Soup
  1. #1: Add Fresh Herbs.
  2. #2: Add a Drizzle of Really Good Olive Oil.
  3. #3: Add a Touch of Acid.
  4. #4 Add Roasted Kale Shreds.
  5. #5 Add Toasted Nuts or Seeds….or Popcorn!

How to make can potato soup taste better? ›

A pinch of seasoning can make all the difference to freshen up the flavors in a ho-hum soup. Most canned soups have plenty of sodium, so skip the salt and stick with spices like cumin or curry powder or try dried herbs like basil or rosemary.

How to make bland potato soup taste better? ›

Cheese: I recommend a good sharp cheddar cheese here for maximum flavor. Greek yogurt or sour cream: To make the soup extra-creamy. Salt and pepper: Add in as much as you need at the end to season your soup well.

How do you jazz up boring soup? ›

The key here is using the right herbs. Choose tender, leafy herbs for topping soup, like parsley (flat leaf or curly), cilantro, chives, or even mint. Skip the woody herbs, like rosemary and thyme — or add them in the beginning of the cooking process — otherwise they will dull, rather than brighten, the flavor.

Why is my baked potato soup not thickening? ›

There are a few ways to fix it. You can create a slurry using cornstarch or flour mixed with cold water, then slowly whisk it into the soup and continue to simmer until it thickens. Another method is to remove some of the potatoes from the soup, mash them, and return them to the pot to help thicken the soup naturally.

Do you use flour or cornstarch to thicken potato soup? ›

Whisk 2 tbsp (25 g) of cornstarch or 2 tbsp (30 g) of flour with 14 cup (59 mL) of cool water. Once the starch is completely dissolved, pour the slurry into the main pot. Heat the soup to boiling for 1 minute, then reduce the heat and simmer until the soup is as thick as you'd like it.

How to make potato soup thicker without flour or cornstarch? ›

How To Thicken Soup Without Flour Or Cornstarch
  1. Vegetable Purees. One of the easiest and healthiest ways to thicken your soup is by adding vegetable purees. ...
  2. Mashed Potatoes. Another tried and tested method to thicken soups is by incorporating mashed potatoes. ...
  3. Beans and Legumes. ...
  4. Coconut Milk. ...
  5. Roux Substitute.
Feb 17, 2024

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