Loaded Potato Soup for Two (Ultra Creamy + Easy Small Batch!)

Creamy, cozy loaded baked potato soup made in a small batch for weeknights. Packed with bacon, cheddar, and sour cream, this recipe makes two large bowls, or about a quart of soup. Ready in 45 minutes!

Potato soup is probably my favorite soup, so you’d better believe this recipe is really good! As a recipe developer (and avid potato soup enthusiast), I created this soup to be super creamy, packed with flavor, and to make about two large bowls of soup. The key is to build flavor from the beginning, rather than just loading it with salt and pepper at the end!

I prefer really creamy potato soup (like, no chunks). So I use an immersion blender to make this one super smooth. However, if you prefer a chunky potato soup, you can skip that part! Just be sure to check out my recipe tips and tricks below, too. Also, if you want leftovers, feel free to double or triple the recipe! This soup will only get better as it sits, and will keep in the refrigerator for about four days.

My original recipe had a ton of veggies in it, which really didn’t feel necessary once I revised the recipe.  This version is simplified, with onions and garlic as our flavor base.  We cook those in bacon fat and butter (because potatoes love fat), and let the flavors develop.  We also boil the chopped potatoes in the chicken broth and milk.  Not only does this eliminate the extra step of boiling them in water, but it uses one less large pot this way. 🙂

Ingredients

This is pretty much a replica recipe from a steakhouse I worked at in college, and I LIVED for their potato soup. It’s the ultimate comfort food, and while I love it, I wanted to make a small batch version so I could have it for just a couple of meals.

Directions

Step One: Cook the Bacon. Heat a large, deep sauce pan* over medium heat. Chop the bacon into small pieces, about 1/4″-1/2″, and add to the hot pan. Cook bacon until brown and crispy, then transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towel to drain. Leave the bacon fat in the saucepan.

Step Two: Add Onions and Garlic. Add butter and onions to the saucepan, along with a good pinch of salt. Stir. Cook the onions until tender and starting to brown, about ten minutes. Stir in garlic, and cook another minute until fragrant and softened.

Step Three: Make a Roux. Stir in the flour. Let it cook 1-2 minutes to cook out the “flour” taste.

Step Four: Add Potatoes, Liquids, and Seasonings. Add potatoes, chicken broth, whole milk, smoked paprika, and another good pinch of salt. Stir. Bring the contents of the saucepan up to a boil, and let it sit undisturbed for 15 minutes.

Step Five: Blend the Soup and Add More Flavor. Turn the heat down. Check to make sure you can easily pierce a potato with a fork, which indicates that they are cooked through. Once the soup has stopped bubbling, carefully use an immersion blender to blend the soup into a smooth, creamy texture. Stir in heavy cream, sour cream, and a healthy pinch of freshly cracked black pepper. Taste, then season with more salt and pepper to taste.

Step Six: Simmer. Let the soup simmer for about ten minutes before serving.

Step Seven: Serve with your Favorite Toppings. Serve the soup hot, with shredded cheddar cheese, chopped green onion, the crispy chopped bacon, and another dollop of sour cream for toppings.

I scaled this small batch loaded potato soup recipe down to two huge bowls, or four smaller bowls.  Basically, it makes two for us today, then two for us when we decide we are too lazy to make dinner later this week.  I don’t need ten servings of leftover potato soup taking up room in my refrigerator; the cookie dough and honey lavender syrup already claimed most of the room. 🙂

But really, when there are so many fun and delicious things to make throughout the week, we aren’t good at repetitive eating.  This way, we can enjoy a couple of dinners with this (pair it with a killer salad like some romaine lettuce with my homemade, traditional steakhouse caesar dressing for two, or even the awesomely unique greek yogurt caesar with cranberries and walnuts) for the ultimate lunch or dinner combo!), and move on to the next fun meal.  

More Small Batch Soup Recipes

• Easy Chicken, Poblano, and Black Bean Soup (Small Batch)
• Small Batch Chicken Pot Pie Soup for Two
• Stuffed Green Pepper Soup (Small Batch)
• Small Batch Chicken and Vegetable Soup
• Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup for Two

This recipe obviously makes a small batch of potato soup, but if you have leftovers, it is SO good the within the next couple of days! The flavors have a chance to really blend together for an entirely new level of deliciousness.

How do I Reheat Creamy Potato Soup?

Reheat this soup in a sauce pan over low heat.  Gently warm the soup, stirring often.  If the soup gets too hot too quickly, it may separate.  Low and slow is the best way to make sure it stays together, and it will taste SO good reheated!

I love small batch recipes, because life is about adventure.  That’s why I like to keep it going, and keep a fun rotation of weekly foods in our dinner plans.  This soup is delicious, and you need it in your life!  It’s worthy of leftovers, and I really hope you enjoy!  Tag me on Instagram with #aflavorjournal to show me everything you’ve made! 

xx Sara

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Small Batch Loaded Potato Soup

Author Sara

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Servings 2 large bowls

A creamy, super flavorful loaded baked potato soup recipe for two people.

US Customary | Metric

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

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Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

• ▢ 2 strips Thick Cut Bacon
• ▢ 1 tbsp. Unsalted Butter
• ▢ 1/2 cup chopped Onion yellow or white
• ▢ 2 cloves Garlic minced
• ▢ 2 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
• ▢ 1 pound Small Gold Potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces (I used honey gold)
• ▢ 2 cups Low-Sodium Chicken Broth good quality, if possible
• ▢ 1 cup Whole Milk
• ▢ 1/4 tsp. Smoked Paprika
• ▢ Salt and freshly cracked Black Pepper to taste
• ▢ 1/4 cup Heavy Cream
• ▢ 2 tbsp. Sour Cream
• ▢ Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• ▢ chopped Green Onions

Instructions

• Heat a large, deep sauce pan* over medium heat. Chop the bacon into small pieces, about 1/4"-1/2", and add to the hot pan. Cook bacon until brown and crispy, then transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towel to drain. Leave the bacon fat in the saucepan.
  
• Add butter and onions to the saucepan, along with a good pinch of salt. Stir. Cook the onions until tender and starting to brown, about ten minutes. Stir in garlic, and cook another minute until fragrant and softened.
  
• Stir in the flour. Let it cook 1-2 minutes to cook out the "flour" taste.
  
• Add potatoes, chicken broth, whole milk, smoked paprika, and another good pinch of salt. Stir. Bring the contents of the saucepan up to a boil, and let it sit undisturbed for 15 minutes.
  
• Turn the heat down. Check to make sure you can easily pierce a potato with a fork, which indicates that they are cooked through. Once the soup has stopped bubbling, carefully use an immersion blender to blend the soup into a smooth, creamy texture. Stir in heavy cream, sour cream, and a healthy pinch of freshly cracked black pepper. Taste, then season with more salt and pepper to taste.
  
• Let the soup simmer for about ten minutes before serving.
  
• Serve the soup hot, with grated cheddar cheese, chopped green onion, the crispy chopped bacon, and additional sour cream for toppings.
  

Notes

* The saucepan I used for this recipe is 3 quarts in size. Any saucepan that is 2.5 qts. – 4 qts. will work.

If you do not have an immersion blender, carefully transfer the hot soup to a blender or food processor.  Fill it about halfway full, and carefully blend until smooth.  Be sure the hot air can escape as you blend it.

If you prefer to have chunks of potato in your soup, it can be eaten as is.  Alternatively, you can blend half of the soup and leave the other half chunky.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 634kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 396mg | Potassium: 1573mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 904IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 256mg | Iron: 3mg

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