Back in high school, there was a Saint Louis Bread Co. — or Panera Bread, if you live anywhere outside of St. Louis — on Halsted Street off of Armitage Avenue, and that place had me in a chokehold. Whenever I made enough money doing odd jobs for the adults in my neighborhood, I'd walk in and order the small bowl of their Rustic Baked Potato Soup and pray it would carry me through the rest of the day. (That's also where I figured out my love for asiago cheese bagels runs deep.) Cash was tight. That bowl of soup made every wrong thing right.

This is the copycat Panera baked potato soup recipe I've been making at home ever since — loaded with bacon, three kinds of cheese, and just the right amount of smoky depth from a little liquid smoke (or smoked paprika, if that's what's in your cabinet). It's cheesy, it's creamy, it's rustic in the best way, and it's the soup I make when somebody in this house has had a long day.

If you want to skip straight to the recipe, jump down. If you want the whole story plus my tips, keep reading.

To take it up a notch, serve it in a bread bowl or with a side of crusty bread for dipping. Try this with my Zuppa Toscana when you want to switch it up.

Panera Baked Potato Soup

Panera Baked Potato Soup Ingredients

Everything used in this recipe is easy to get in your local grocery store AND they don't come in at a high price point. I'm always pleased when making dinner at home doesn't break the bank, especially when we're cooking for folks who are undoubtedly going to have seconds or third servings.

Before you get to cooking, you'll need to gather the following ingredients or their substitutes:

• Potatoes - evenly cubed
• Chicken Broth//Vegetable Broth
• Cream Cheese
• Parmesan Cheese (shredded)
• Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
• Onions
• Garlic
• Whole Milk
• Heavy Cream
• Butter
• Flour
• Bacon
• Salt
• Pepper
• Liquid Smoke or Smoked Paprika
• Red Pepper Flakes or Hot Sauce
• 2 saffron threads or Turmeric for color

Tips & Tricks

• Read through the recipe fully first. That way, you can be familiar with the order of operations
• Prep ALL of your ingredients. This moves pretty fast, so you'll want to have everything ready to go right off the bat.
• Pick a proper sized pot to fit all of your soup. When you mash the potatoes, the soup volume increases quite a bit.
• Soup Ladle ( you have one, right?) A heavy-bottomed soup ladle makes serving cleaner.

Yield: 12 servings

Panera Baked Potato Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

A cheesy potato soup perfect for fall and winter days

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Ingredients

• 6 tbs butter
• 2 cups yellow onions
• 3 tbs garlic
• ½ cup flour
• 10 cups chicken stock or broth
• ½ cup whole milk
• 1 ½ cups of heavy cream
• 10 cups of potatoes cubed
• 8 oz cream cheese
• ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• salt to taste
• splash of hot sauce - we use Louisiana
• ½ teaspoon liquid smoke or smoked paprika
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric or 2 strands of saffron
• ½ cup of chopped bacon plus enough for garnish - we use a whole pack.
• ½ cup of chives plus enough for garnish

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a large dutch oven and saute onion sprinkled with salt for 3 minutes, until fragrant
2. Add minced garlic and saute for an additional minute
3. Sprinkle flour over the onion and garlic mixture and stir until all butter has been absorbed
4. Slowly add chicken broth and whisk to keep lumps from forming
5. Add milk and heavy cream and stir
6. Add potatoes and simmer until potatoes are fork-tender
7. While the potatoes cook, fry your bacon until crisp. We chop the bacon first and then fry it. It's easier that way, plus you get even pieces to top your soup with.
8. Once the potatoes are fork tender, reduce heat to low. Stir in the cream cheese until fully melted and smooth, then add the parmesan and cheddar. Stir until silky.
9. Mash potatoes in the pot. Leave some chunks since it adds personality!
10. Add turmeric or saffron for a lovely golden colored soup
11. Add liquid smoke or smoked paprika for a great smoky taste
12. Add a splash of hot sauce or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for a small kick.
13. Salt & Pepper to taste
14. Serve in bread bowls or with a side of crusty bread for dipping. Top with bacon, chives, and extra cheddar if you're feeling generous.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Soup Crocks
• 
  Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron Round Grill Press
• 
  Braun MultiQuick 5 Immersion Hand Blender
• 
  Microplane Gourmet Series Hard Cheese Grater
• 
  Rosle 10009 Stainless Steel Hooked Handle Ladle with Pouring Rim Serving Spoon
• 
  Lodge 6 Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven. Blue Enamel Dutch Oven (Blue)
• 
  Cuisinart Curve Handle Nylon, Ladle
• 
  KitchenAid Gourmet Stainless Steel Wire Masher, 10.24-Inch, Black

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 391Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 480mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 3gSugar: 7gProtein: 12g

We are not dietitians or nutritionists. Please consult your doctor to make sure that you are using the best diet for your health

Frequently Asked Questions About Panera Baked Potato Soup

Does Panera have potato soup?

Yes — Panera serves a Rustic Baked Potato Soup, but it's a seasonal menu item that comes and goes through fall and winter. That's part of why I started making it at home: when the cravings hit in March and Panera doesn't have it on the menu, you've got to take matters into your own hands.

What's in Panera's loaded baked potato soup?

Panera's version is built on potatoes, cream, butter, onions, and a blend of cheeses, with bacon and chives on top. My copycat version stays true to that — I use cream cheese, parmesan, and sharp cheddar for depth, plus liquid smoke to nail the baked-potato flavor without actually baking the potatoes first.

Can you freeze this potato soup?

I don't recommend it. The potatoes go grainy after defrosting, and the cream can break. If you've got leftovers, store them in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheat low and slow on the stove with a splash of milk to bring it back to life.

Can I make this without bacon?

Absolutely. Skip the bacon and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth to keep it fully vegetarian. For that smoky depth, lean into the smoked paprika a bit more —start with a teaspoon and adjust to taste.

What can I serve with Panera baked potato soup?

Bread bowls. Always bread bowls. (I've got my homemade bread bowl recipe linked above.) But a simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette cuts through all that creaminess beautifully, and a hunk of crusty sourdough is never wrong.

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You might also love my Neckbone Stew or Curried Lamb Stew.