This Disney copycat Baked Potato Soup is loaded with flavor and is filled with Russet and Red potatoes, carrots, bacon, cheese and more.
Fill a bread bowl with this thick and hearty Baked Potato Soup for one delicious dinner. It is essentially a loaded baked potato in thick, creamy soup form.
Loaded baked potato soup
This Baked Potato Soup is PACKED with flavor. Topped with cheese and crispy bacon, it’s the best kind of comfort food!
This recipe is perfect for a chilly fall or winter day, or really any day, especially if you’re a fan of the creamy Baked Potato Soup from Carnation Cafe at Disneyland.
Yes – this soup is a copycat from the beloved Main Street restaurant. It’s always been one of our favorites, and now you can make it from home!
It’s definitely a favorite family soup recipe!
How to make Disney’s Baked Potato Soup
BACON. In a large pot or dutch oven, fry bacon until crispy over medium heat. When done, take the bacon out and let drain on a plate with a paper towel on it.
POTATOES. In the bacon fat, cook carrots for 3-4 minutes. Add potatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes stirring occasionally.
(Note: Some baked potato soup recipes will have you actually put the potatoes on a pan and bake them for 45-60 minutes, microwave them, or just boil the chunks in water. But this method is WAY faster, and I like the flavor the bacon infuses into the potatoes.)
SAUCE. Whisk flour into your pot until the flour is cooked and the mixture has thickened up a little bit (about 5 minutes). Add chicken stock, most of the bacon (the rest will be used for garnish), and salt & pepper.
SIMMER. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
TEXTURE. If you desire a creamier consistency, then mash some of the potatoes with a fork or pastry cutter and stir. (You can also use an immersion blender if you don’t want any chunks.) Next, add whipping cream and 1 cup of cheese (the rest will be used as a topping) – simmer for 5 minutes. If needed, add stock to reach your desired texture.
GARNISH + SERVE. Season to taste. Add more cheese to the top along with sour cream, chives or green onions, and left over bacon pieces.
Ingredient Tips
Diced Potatoes: You don’t want to dice the potatoes too large or too small. I cubed mine to ¾ inch -1 inch and they turned out great. Waxy potatoes tend to hold their shape better than the Russet which works well for this recipe. You can smash the russets to create a creamier soup.
Bacon: I normally use this Bacon in the Oven recipe to cook bacon to be used in recipes. However, you really need to cook the bacon in the pot so that you can use the drippings to saute the carrots and potatoes. You can use thick or thin sliced bacon.
Stock vs Broth: You can use either chicken stock or chicken broth in this recipe. We used Chicken Stock to help create a thicker creamier soup.
- Chicken Broth is typically made by simmering chicken in water along with vegetables and herbs. Broth can be made quickly and is more thin than stock.
- Chicken Stock is made by simmering chicken bones in water. The bones need to be simmered much longer than broth to extract all the collagen from the bones. Herbs and vegetables can also be simmered to add flavor.
FAQ
What to Serve it With? This soup pairs well with a simple side of bread, a salad or a delicious sandwich. Here are some of my favorites:
How to freeze the soup ahead of time? Due to the potatoes and the cream the soup may unthaw with a grainier texture than the original soup. If you plan to make this ahead of time to put in the freezer, then undercook the potatoes and save the heavy cream and cheese to add later.
How to freeze leftovers? Allow the soup to cool and store in an airtight freezer safe container for up to 6 months. You can also store leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Thaw if applicable, reheat slowly and add a bit of extra cream to help smooth out the texture. Reheat in a crockpot or a large non-stick pot.
For More Soups, try:
- Chicken Dumpling Soup
- Loaded Broccoli Cheese and Potato Soup
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Chicken and Potato Florentine Soup
- Potato Bacon Soup
- Cheesy Potato Soup
Baked Potato Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 pieces bacon, chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and sliced
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 4 large Russet Potatoes, peeled and diced
- 4 medium Red Potatoes, diced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken stock (or chicken broth)
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Optional Toppings
- sour cream
- chives
- chopped bacon
- shredded cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot fry bacon until crispy over medium heat. When done, take the bacon out and let drain on a plate with a paper towel on it.
- In the bacon fat, cook carrots for 3-4 minutes. Add potatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Whisk flour into your pot until the flour is cooked and it has thickened up a little bit (about 5 minutes)
- Add chicken stock, most of the bacon (the rest will be used for garnish), and salt & pepper.
- Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
- If you desire a creamier consistency, then mash some of the potatoes with a fork and stir. Add whipping cream and 1 cup of cheese (the rest will be used as a topping) – simmer for 5 minutes. If needed, add stock to reach your desired texture. Season to taste.
- Add more cheese to the top along with sour cream, chives and left over bacon pieces.
The most delicious comfort food! I used turkey bacon and my family loved it.
I’m so glad your family loved it! Love the turkey bacon substitution too!
Delicious! And it’s the perfect copycat recipe. Thank you!
You’re so welcome! I’m glad you liked the recipe!
Love the mix of red and russet potatoes. Delicious. Thank you for sharing!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for trying it! 🙂