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Saltgrass Baked Potato Soup

Saltgrass baked potato soup is a creamy, thick comfort soup made by baking russet potatoes, then simmering them into a roux-based milk and cream base. It’s finished with cheddar and sour cream for a smooth, steakhouse-style texture topped with bacon and chives.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 610
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Russet potatoes
  • 4 large russet potatoes Bake until tender, then scoop flesh and break into chunks.
Bacon
  • 6 strips bacon Cook and crumble; reserve some for topping.
Butter
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
Flour
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour Use 1/3 cup specifically; add gradually to form a smooth roux.
Dairy base
  • 3 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
Broth
  • 1 cup chicken broth
Cheddar
  • 1.5 cup shredded cheddar Stir in until melted and smooth.
Sour cream
  • 1 cup sour cream Stir in until smooth; reserve some for serving if desired.
Seasoning
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
Toppings
  • 1 Sour cream For serving.
  • 1 cheddar For serving.
  • 1 bacon For serving.
  • 1 chives For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Bake the potatoes
  1. Heat oven to 400F and bake the russet potatoes until tender. Scoop the flesh into a bowl and break into chunks.
Make the creamy base
  1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes.
  2. Gradually whisk in the whole milk, heavy cream, and chicken broth until smooth. Simmer until thickened, about 8-10 minutes.
Finish and serve
  1. Fold in the potato chunks, mashing some for texture. Stir in the cheddar and sour cream until smooth.
  2. Season with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Fold in most of the bacon, then serve piled high with the remaining toppings.

Notes

Pro tip: bake potatoes until a knife slides in easily, then break the flesh into chunks before adding—this keeps the soup thick and pleasantly rustic. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days; reheat gently over low heat to prevent the dairy from separating. Freeze yes, but texture may turn slightly grainier after thawing—stir thoroughly when reheating. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (still add the cheddar and sour cream) to reduce richness without losing the classic flavor.