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Stoneware bowl of creamy loaded baked potato soup with tender potato chunks, topped with melted cheddar, a dollop of sour cream, sliced green onions and crumbled tempeh bacon, a spoon in the bowl, with a Dutch oven, dinner roll and block of cheddar behind it

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

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A thick, creamy potato soup of Yukon Golds, onion and garlic, topped like a loaded baked potato with sharp cheddar, sour cream, green onions and smoky crumbled tempeh bacon. Meatless comfort in a bowl.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the soup
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 2 stalks celery diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
  • 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
For topping
  • 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • sour cream
  • 3 green onions sliced
  • 4 strips tempeh bacon cooked and crumbled, optional

Method
 

  1. Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
  2. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the broth until smooth.
  3. Add the potatoes, salt, pepper, smoked paprika and thyme. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, partly cover and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender.
  4. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes right in the pot until about half of them are broken down, leaving some chunks for texture. (Or blend 2 cups of the soup and stir it back in.)
  5. Stir in the milk and warm over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Don't let it boil.
  6. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the sour cream and 1 cup of cheddar until melted and creamy. Taste and add more salt if needed. If the soup is thicker than you like, stir in a splash more milk.
  7. Ladle into bowls and top with the remaining cheddar, a spoonful of sour cream, green onions and crumbled tempeh bacon.

Notes

Smoky flavor, no bacon. The smoked paprika gives the soup a gentle smokiness. For more, top it with our Maple Smoked Tempeh Bacon or a pinch of extra paprika.
Potatoes. Russets work too and make a thicker, fluffier soup. Yukon Golds stay creamier and hold their shape a little better.
Storage. Keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator; it thickens as it sits, so thin with milk when reheating. To freeze, freeze the soup before adding the milk, sour cream and cheese, then stir those in when reheating, since dairy can turn grainy in the freezer.

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