Silky, Rich, and Smoky!

Forget the butter! Forget the heavy cream! Forget the sour cream! Forget the flour!

This is honestly one of my absolute favorites! I grew up in the south, so loaded baked potatoes were a staple food in my childhood. We called them ‘spuds’. But this soup is way healthier than the classic spud soups, with only 215 calories per one cup serving!

How did I do it? I swapped out all of the excess fats with healthier options like olive oil, greek yogurt, chicken bone broth, and reduced-fat milk. I love this soup because it brings me back to the south with its smoky bacon flavor, but keeps me in a healthier place with its low-calories!

bowls of healthier baked potato soup garnished with chives, bacon, sour cream

What are the health benefits?

This soup is protein heavy and heart healthy with probiotics, B vitamins, and bone-building calcium. It is reduced-fat without the heavy cream and excess fats of traditional recipes.

Nutrition facts per 1 cup serving:

nutrition facts for healthier loaded baked potato soup

Gold Potatoes

These golden beauties are way more nutritious than people think - they've got more potassium than bananas, which is great for your heart and blood pressure. They're also packed with vitamin C for your immune system and B6 for brain health, all while giving you steady energy that won't crash later. Golds have a naturally creamier texture than russet potatoes and don't fall apart as much when you cook them.

Bacon

Look, I know bacon gets a bad rap, but it's actually packed with high-quality protein that gives you all the essential amino acids your muscles need. Plus, it's loaded with B vitamins that help your body turn food into energy and keep your nervous system running smoothly. Yeah, it's got fat and sodium, but when you use it smartly in a recipe like this, you get all that smoky flavor and nutrition without going overboard.

Greek Yogurt

This stuff is basically a protein bomb in creamy form - it has double the protein of regular yogurt, so it keeps you full way longer. The probiotics are doing good things for your gut health and immune system, plus you're getting a solid dose of calcium for your bones. What makes Greek yogurt so thick and rich is that they strain out all the watery whey, leaving you with concentrated goodness.

1% Milk

Using milk gives you all the good stuff - quality protein, calcium, and B vitamins - without drowning in fat like heavy cream would. The protein helps keep you satisfied, and if you buy fortified milk, you're getting vitamin D too, which most of us don't get enough of. It's got natural sugars that give you quick energy, but nothing that'll make you feel heavy or sluggish afterward.

bowls of creamy blended healthier loaded baked potato soup beside cheese bowl

What you will need

6-7.5 quart pot
Measuring Spoons
Large Capacity Blender (around 8 cups)
Two 48 oz Storage Containers

How to Make it Step by Step

1. Gather Ingredients

Grab your potatoes and bacon, Soup Queens! I recommend Yukon Gold Potatoes because they are creamier and offer a silky texture compared to traditional russet potatoes. 10 strips of bacon was the minimum number I determined to give a light, but present bacon flavor, while keeping the calories and fat lower. If you want a heavier flavor then you will want a few more strips of bacon!

gold potatoes, onions, bacon pieces, chives, garlic ingredients for potato soup

2. Cook the Bacon

First, cook the bacon in your soup pot on medium heat for 10-15 minutes. For a smokier flavor, cook the bacon longer. Remove the bacon and tear into pieces and set them aside to save for later. Leave the bacon fat in the pot! I know, it’s unhealthy and gross, but this is how to flavor the soup with minimal bacon.

3. Cook the Onions and Garlic

Add the diced onions, garlic, and spices to the bacon fat with a little bit of olive oil and cook until the onions are soft, around 5 minutes. This soup has a hint of spiciness to it, so if you are sensitive to heat then reduce the red and black pepper.

soup pot with caramelized onions in bacon grease

4. Put it all Together

You are almost there! Add the diced potatoes, chicken bone broth, green onions and chives, and bring the pot to boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes. I like to keep the pot simmering for a few hours to let the onions really flavor the broth and potatoes.

Remember: Don’t add the dairy here! This will cause curdling and will change the texture of the soup.

soup pot with diced gold potatoes and chives soaked in hearty broth

5. Add the Dairy

Remove pot from heat and let cool for 10-15 minutes. Add milk and greek yogurt. Stir well, but do not worry about any chunks that will be blended next.

pot of potatoes, bacon, chives in broth before blended for soup

6. Transfer to the Blender

Transfer to a blender in batches and blend until smooth, or use an immersion blender. Make sure to vent the blender to let out the pressure from the heat! Once blended, return the mixture to the pot and finally…

ninja foodi filled with diced gold potatoes, bacon, chives, chicken broth

7. Add the Bacon Pieces and Serve!

Add the bacon pieces and stir into your silky soup. Dish out 1-cup servings with shredded cheddar cheese, chives, plain greek yogurt or sour cream, and bacon to top it off!

bowls of healthier loaded baked potato soup with bowls of cheese, chives

Storage (Because You’ll Want Leftovers)

This soup stores well, which makes it practical for meal prep. After cooling completely, it keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavors develop and improve overnight.

For longer storage, it freezes well for up to 3 months. I portion it into individual containers so I can thaw single servings as needed. Just thaw overnight in the fridge, then gently reheat on the stovetop with a stir to restore the smooth texture. It reheats nicely and maintains its quality.