American · main

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Loaded Baked Potato Soup reads richness 6.3, umami 6.1 and salinity 6.1 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a American main, about 38 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.0 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.4 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 2.8 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 3.4 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.5 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.7 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Richness 6.3 · Umami 6.1 · Salinity 6.1 · Allium 4.4 · Smoke 3.0 · Sourness 2.8 · Sweetness 2.4 · Funk & Ferment 2.3 · Herbaceous 2.1 · Earthy 1.5 · Warm Spice 1.4 · Heat 0.8 · Bitterness 0.7 · Nutty 0.5

What's in it (13)

• salt bacon — 168 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• garlic — 9 g
• all-purpose flour — 30 g
• low-salt chicken broth — 946 g
• russet potato — 907 g
• regular milk — 355 g
• heavy cream — 237 g
• salt — 7 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• shredded sharp process cheese — 227 g
• sour cream — 118 g
• chives — 20 g

Time & effort: about 38 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 149.1 kcal, 7.8 g protein, 7.1 g fat, 13.7 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (11 steps)

1. Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat until crisp and deeply browned, 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to render the fat evenly.
2. Lift the bacon out with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving about 3 tablespoons of fat in the pot.
3. Add the onion to the bacon fat and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir constantly to coat, cooking until the raw flour smell is gone, 1-2 minutes.
5. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until smooth.
6. Add the potatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover partially, and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, 15-18 minutes.
7. Mash about half the potatoes right in the pot with a potato masher to thicken the base, leaving the rest in tender chunks.
8. Stir in the milk and heavy cream and return to a gentle simmer — do not let it boil — until heated through and slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes.
9. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in 1 1/2 cups of the cheddar and the sour cream until melted and smooth.
10. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
11. Ladle into bowls and top with the reserved bacon, the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar, and the chives.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Loaded Baked Potato Soup with Crispy Bacon — American
• Żurek (Sour Rye Soup) — Polish
• Smothered Turkey Wings with Onion Gravy — Southern
• Leather Britches (Dried Shuck Beans) with Streaked Meat — American · Appalachian
• Flammekueche (Tarte Flambée) — French · Alsace

Keep reading: what richness, umami, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.