There’s nothing quite like a big warm bowl of loaded potato soup on a cold day. It’s thick, creamy, and topped with all the good stuff – bacon, cheese, sour cream, and green onions.

This version is completely gluten free, so if you’re avoiding gluten, you can enjoy it without worrying about a thing. It tastes just as rich and comforting as any traditional recipe.

The base is made with russet potatoes simmered in chicken broth, then partially mashed so you get that perfect combo of creamy and chunky. Add in some heavy cream and sharp cheddar and it becomes incredibly satisfying.

The crispy bacon on top honestly makes this whole bowl. Every spoonful has a little crunch, a little cheese, and a lot of flavor.

It’s simple to make, doesn’t take long, and the result is a soup that feels like a big warm hug. Let me show you how to put it together.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s Gluten Free Comfort Food – This loaded potato soup gives you all the cozy, hearty comfort of a classic loaded baked potato without any gluten, so you don’t have to miss out on one of the best soups ever.

Crispy Bacon Makes Everything Better – The chopped thick-cut bacon adds a salty, smoky crunch on top that takes this creamy potato soup from good to absolutely crave-worthy.

Perfectly Creamy and Chunky – Mashing only half the potatoes gives you the best of both worlds, a thick and creamy base with satisfying potato chunks in every bite.

Loaded With Cheesy Goodness – Between the sharp cheddar melted into the soup and the extra shredded cheese piled on top, every spoonful is rich, melty, and absolutely delicious.

Ingredients

3 lb Russet Potatoes (peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes)
6 slices Thick-Cut Bacon (chopped)
1 Medium Yellow Onion (diced)
3 cloves Garlic (minced)
3 tbsp Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour Blend
4 cups Chicken Broth (gluten free)
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 1/2 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
Sliced Green Onions (for topping)
Extra Sour Cream (for topping)
Extra Shredded Cheddar (for topping)

How to Make

Step 1

Cook the chopped bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes until crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.

Step 2

Add the diced onion to the bacon fat and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

Step 3

Sprinkle the gluten free flour blend over the onions and stir for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the chicken broth, whisking to combine and prevent lumps.

Step 4

Add the cubed potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender.

Step 5

Use a potato masher to mash about half the potatoes directly in the pot, leaving some chunks for texture. Stir in the heavy cream, shredded cheddar, and sour cream until the cheese is melted and the soup is creamy.

Step 6

Season with salt and black pepper. Ladle into bowls and top with the reserved crispy bacon, sliced green onions, a dollop of sour cream, and extra shredded cheddar.

Helpful Tips

Get Your Potatoes the Right Size

Cut your russet potatoes into even 1-inch cubes so they all cook at the same rate. If some pieces are big and some are small, the small ones will turn to mush before the big ones are tender.

Also, don’t skip peeling them. Russet potato skins can get a weird texture in soup and they won’t break down when you mash later. You want that smooth, creamy base without any tough bits floating around.

Don’t Rush the Bacon

Keep the heat at medium and let the bacon cook slowly for the full 6 to 8 minutes. If you crank the heat up to speed things along, the outside will burn while the inside stays chewy, and you won’t render out enough fat for cooking the onions.

When you transfer the bacon to the paper towel-lined plate, make sure it’s actually crispy. It should be firm and deep golden brown. That bacon is your topping at the end, and soggy bacon on top of soup is a letdown.

Leave every bit of that bacon fat in the pot. That’s your flavor base for the whole soup. It’s doing the heavy lifting when you cook the onions and garlic.

Cook the Flour Before Adding Broth

After you sprinkle the gluten free flour blend over the onions, stir it around for a full minute before you add any liquid. This step cooks off the raw flour taste and helps the flour absorb the fat so it can actually thicken your soup properly.

When you pour in the chicken broth, do it slowly and whisk the whole time. If you dump all the broth in at once, the flour will clump up and you’ll have little lumps in your soup that are really hard to get rid of.

Some gluten free flour blends thicken differently than regular flour, so don’t panic if it seems a little thin at first. It will keep thickening as the soup simmers with the potatoes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different type of potato instead of Russet?

Russet potatoes are ideal here because they break down easily when mashed, which is what gives this soup its thick and creamy base. Yukon Gold potatoes also work well and will give you a slightly creamier, butterier flavor.

Avoid waxy potatoes like red potatoes, though. They hold their shape too well and won’t mash down the same way, so your soup will end up thinner and less velvety.