Loaded Potato Soup made with Sourdough Starter
Make the best loaded potato soup with the help of your sourdough starter. It's rich, creamy, and quick to make! The sourdough starter adds a delicious tang and helps thicken the soup, making it extra creamy and flavorful. Perfect for chilly days, this loaded potato soup is packed with tender potatoes, crispy bacon, cheddar cheese, and topped with sour cream and green onions.
Amy's notes
This loaded baked potato soup recipe has been a favorite in our kitchen, and we’ve been making it on repeat! It’s rich, creamy, and packed with all the flavors you love in a baked potato. Perfect for chilly fall and winter days, it’s a comforting bowl of coziness that will warm you right up!
Using leftover sourdough starter is a great way to thicken soups and casseroles. Instead of throwing it away, you can use it in recipes like hashbrown casserole, condensed cream of chicken soup, and more!
It's a smart way to cut down on waste while adding flavor to every day dishes!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- sourdough starter: Active or unfed sourdough starter can be used. If you are using an active starter, stir it down before measuring to release the bubbles.
- bacon: This recipe tastes best with homemade bacon bits, but using store-bought bacon bits can make it even easier and quicker to prepare.
- yukon gold potatoes: Using potatoes with less starch, like Yukon Golds or red potatoes, helps them hold their shape in the soup without falling apart. If you use russet potatoes, which have more starch, you may need to add extra liquid to keep the soup from becoming too thick.
- milk: We used whole milk in this recipe, but if you're looking to lighten up the soup, skim milk works too. You can also swap out 2 cups of the milk with chicken broth or vegetable broth for a lighter version without compromising on flavor.
- butter: If you don't use butter, swap it for olive oil or avocado oil.
- shredded cheddar cheese: You can use any cheese you prefer in this recipe. Colby, sharp cheddar cheese, or pepper jack are all excellent choices, depending on the flavor you're aiming for. Feel free to mix and match to create your perfect cheesy blend!
- sour cream
- green onions
- salt and pepper
How to make loaded potato soup with sourdough starter
Step 1
- Peel and cube the potatoes into bite-size pieces.
- Cut the bacon into small pieces.
- Thinly slice the green onions.
- Set aside a handful of green onions and shredded cheese for toppings.
Step 2
Cook the bacon pieces over medium-low heat in a Dutch oven on the stove-top until crispy, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain most of the grease from the skillet. (The bacon will be used for a topping.)
Step 3
Melt the butter in the Dutch oven with the bacon grease and add the sourdough starter. Use a whisk to incorporate the butter and sourdough starter. Whisk continuously until the mixture is a light brown color.
Step 4
Gradually whisk in 1 cup of milk. Once the mixture is smooth, add the remaining milk and whisk until fully smooth.
Step 5
Add the peeled and cubed potatoes, salt, and pepper to the pot and bring the liquid to a boil. Simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, about 20 minutes.
Step 6
Stir in the green onions and let the soup simmer for 10 minutes.
Step 7
Stir in the shredded cheese, and sour cream. Add more milk and adjust for seasonings if the soup is too thick.
Pro Tip
If you prefer a less chunky soup, use an immersion blender to blend some of the potato pieces, giving the soup a smoother, creamier texture while still leaving some chunks for a hearty bite.
Serve
Serve the soup topped with green onions, crisp bacon, sour cream, and shredded cheese for an extra layer of flavor and texture. It’s the perfect finishing touch!
How to Store
If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Potato soup doesn't freeze well for the long term, but if you need to freeze it, try to consume it within one month for the best quality.
Recipe FAQs
We thicken this potato soup with sourdough starter because it contains flour, but you can also use a cornstarch slurry if you need to thicken it further or if you've added too much liquid.
Varieties like russet potatoes have a high starch content, which can make the soup gummy. That's why we recommend using less starchy potatoes, such as Yukon Golds, for a better texture.
Yogurt is a great substitute for sour cream in potato soup, adding creaminess and a slight tang.
Subscribe to our newsletter and we'll send you more fresh recipes, valuable troubleshooting advice, useful tips, and other information we believe will be helpful to you!
Loaded Baked Potato Soup made with Sourdough Starter
INGREDIENTS
- 4 slices bacon (cut into small pieces)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup sourdough starter
- 4 cups milk (see notes)
- 3 lbs gold yukon potatoes (peeled and cubed)
- 2 green onions (thinly sliced)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Peel and cube the potatoes into bite-size pieces. Cut the bacon into small pieces. Thinly slice the green onions. Set aside a handful of sliced green onions and shredded cheese for toppings.
- Cook the bacon pieces over medium heat in a Dutch oven until crispy, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain most of the grease from the skillet. (The bacon will be used for the topping.)
- Melt the butter in the Dutch oven with the bacon grease and add the sourdough starter. Use a whisk to incorporate the butter and sourdough starter. Whisk continuously until the mixture is a light brown color. Gradually whisk in 1 cup of milk. Once the mixture is smooth, add the remaining milk and whisk until fully smooth.
- Add the peeled and cubed potatoes, salt, and pepper to the pot and bring the liquid to a boil. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the green onions and let the soup simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
- Stir in the shredded cheese, and sour cream. If the soup is too thick, add more milk and adjust for seasonings. If you prefer a less chunky soup, use an immersion blender to blend some of the potato pieces, giving the soup a smoother, creamier texture while still leaving some chunks for a hearty bite. Serve topped with green onions, bacon, and shredded cheese.
NOTES
- Two cups of milk can be replaced with chicken broth or vegetable broth for a lighter soup.
I used beef broth and sweet onion as well as green onions and the soup is creamy. Just keep whisking and stirring for a smooth soup and to prevent sticking.
This recipe is so simple and delicious! Definitely making again.
Amazing soup! Best I have ever had!
Incredible recipie.*note* the soup when the 3 cups of milk is added to the sourdough roux, will scald on the bottom of the pot. I struggled with this, just keep scraping and stirring on low heat until the potatoes are cooked. In the future, I will parboil the potatoes to avoid this.
I have a similar soup recipe, but this one is better. Adding the sourdough starter seems to be the only difference besides the sour cream, and I haven't added that yet. Love it.
The soup was delicious. I wanted to keep eating after I was full. Enough for another meal. Now I want to try the creamy chicken potato soup.
Delicious! Super easy and yummy! I used my einkorn starter, worked great.
Amazing soup! I will be making this often coming winter. Very simple to make and it came together beautifully. I couldn’t stop tasting it. Am on my 3rd bowl already.
I used 2 cups of homemade bone broth and I added onion because I didn’t have green onion. And I added homemade yogurt. Thank you so much for this recipe! Using the discard is brilliant!
The best potato soup ever!! So creamy and flavourful. I used 2 cups of high protein milk, and 2 cups of saved potato water. (I always save the water from boiling potatoes..will use in soup instead of broth or to make bread.) Can't wait to try the cream of mushroom and cream of chicken using the sourdough discard!
Thank you for sharing Susan! 🙂