St. Patricks Loaded Baked Potato (Printable Format)

Creamy, comforting soup blending baked potato flavors with a light, healthy touch for cozy occasions.

# What's Needed:

→ Potatoes

01 - 1.5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 stalks celery, diced

→ Liquids

05 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
06 - 1 cup low-fat milk
07 - 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (2% or nonfat)

→ Cheeses

08 - 1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese

→ Toppings

09 - 4 slices turkey bacon or center-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
10 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

→ Seasonings

11 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
12 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
13 - 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
14 - 1/4 tsp dried thyme

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove, crumble, and set aside. Discard most bacon fat, leaving about 1 teaspoon in the pot.
02 - Add onion and celery to the pot. Sauté for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
03 - Stir in diced potatoes, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and thyme. Pour in vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15–20 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender.
04 - Using an immersion blender, partially blend the soup directly in the pot, leaving some chunks for texture. Alternatively, transfer half the soup to a blender, blend until smooth, then return to the pot.
05 - Stir in milk, Greek yogurt, and cheddar cheese. Heat gently until cheese is melted and soup is creamy—do not boil. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
06 - Ladle soup into bowls. Top each serving with crumbled bacon, sliced green onions, and an extra sprinkle of cheddar if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like the comfort of a loaded baked potato but in soup form, so you can eat it with a spoon.
  • The Greek yogurt keeps it creamy without heavy cream, which means you can actually enjoy it guilt-free.
  • It comes together in under 45 minutes, making it perfect for a weeknight craving or holiday gathering.
  • The partial blending creates this perfect texture where you get silky soup with little potato chunks that surprise you.
02 -
  • Never boil the soup after you add the yogurt—it will curdle and separate, leaving you with grainy soup instead of creamy; keep the heat gentle and you'll have velvety results.
  • Don't skip the immersion blender step even if you think you want a chunkier soup; partial blending is what creates that special texture where the starch from the potatoes naturally thickens the broth into something luxurious.
03 -
  • If your soup ends up too thick, add broth a splash at a time until you reach the consistency you want—you have more control this way than if you add too much liquid all at once.
  • Toast a tiny pinch of smoked paprika in the pot before adding the broth to intensify its flavor and add a subtle depth that people won't be able to name but will definitely notice.
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