This takes everything on top of a loaded baked potato and turns it into the soup itself. Russet potatoes break down enough to thicken it on their own, so there's less flour doing the work than in most potato soups. One pot, about fifty minutes start to finish.

One-Pot Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Scale

Method

Cook the bacon in the pot over medium heat until the fat has rendered out and it's crisp. Lift it out with a slotted spoon and leave the fat behind.
8 min
Add the onion to the bacon fat and cook until soft and starting to turn gold.
5 min
Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant.
1 min
Sprinkle in the flour and stir it into the fat, cooking it a minute so it loses its raw taste before any liquid goes in.
1 min
Whisk in the stock a little at a time, scraping up anything stuck to the bottom of the pot as it loosens.
1 min
Add the potatoes, bring to a simmer, cover and cook until they're fork-tender.
15 min
Mash about a third of the potatoes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon. This is what thickens the soup — no extra flour needed.
1 min
Lower the heat and stir in the milk, half-and-half and half the cheddar, stirring until the cheese melts into the soup rather than clumping.
3 min
Take the pot off the heat and stir in the sour cream. Season with the salt and pepper.
Serve topped with the reserved bacon, remaining cheddar and the green onions.

Substitutions

Half-and-half — Whole milk. The soup will be slightly thinner but still creamy.
Bacon — A tablespoon of butter for the onion, plus a pinch of smoked paprika stirred in with the flour for the smokiness bacon would have given.
Russet potatoes — Yukon gold. They hold their shape a bit better and give a less starchy thickening.
Sharp cheddar — Mild cheddar or Monterey Jack, though the flavor will be milder.

Storing leftovers

Keeps four days in the fridge in a sealed container. It thickens further as it sits; reheat gently over low heat, stirring in a splash of stock or milk to loosen it back up. Avoid a hard boil when reheating, which can cause the dairy to split.

Questions

Can I make this ahead?

Yes. It reheats well on the stove over low heat — just loosen it with a little extra stock or milk, since it firms up in the fridge.

Can I freeze it?

Not well. The dairy tends to separate when a cream-based soup like this is frozen and thawed. If you want to freeze a batch, stop before adding the milk, half-and-half and sour cream, then stir those in fresh after reheating.

Why mash only some of the potatoes?

Mashing part of them thickens the soup without more flour. Leaving the rest whole keeps bite in the finished bowl instead of a totally smooth purée.

Can I leave out the bacon?

Yes — use a tablespoon of butter to cook the onion, and add a pinch of smoked paprika with the flour to stand in for the smokiness.