Funeral Potatoes Loaded Soup (Printable)

Hearty soup with creamy cheddar, potatoes, and crispy potato chip crumble topping.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and diced
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 stalks celery, diced

→ Dairy

05 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 1 cup whole milk
07 - 1 cup heavy cream
08 - 1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
09 - 1 cup sour cream
10 - 4 ounces cream cheese, softened

→ Pantry

11 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
12 - 1 teaspoon salt
13 - 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
14 - 0.25 teaspoon smoked paprika

→ Toppings

15 - 1.5 cups kettle-cooked potato chips, crushed
16 - 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled (optional)
17 - 0.25 cup chopped fresh chives or green onions
18 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
19 - Additional sour cream for garnish

# How to Cook:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and celery; sauté until softened, approximately 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 additional minute.
02 - Add diced potatoes, broth, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered approximately 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
03 - Using a potato masher or immersion blender, mash some potatoes in the pot for a thicker texture, leaving some chunks for a hearty consistency.
04 - Stir in milk, heavy cream, cream cheese, sour cream, and shredded cheddar. Continue cooking over low heat, stirring until cheeses are fully melted and soup reaches desired creaminess, approximately 5-7 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.
05 - Ladle soup into bowls. Top each serving with extra cheddar cheese, crushed potato chips, bacon if using, chives, and a dollop of sour cream.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like someone who genuinely cares about you spent hours in the kitchen, but it actually comes together in under an hour.
  • The contrast between creamy soup and those salty, crunchy potato chip crumbles hits differently every single time.
  • Easily feeds a crowd or transforms ordinary weeknights into something that feels like a celebration.
02 -
  • Don't let the soup boil hard once you've added the dairy, or the milk and cream can break and leave you with a grainy, curdled mess instead of something smooth and silky.
  • If your soup looks thinner than expected after adding all the cream, that's actually normal—it continues to thicken slightly as it cools, and the potatoes keep releasing starch that helps with body.
  • Crushing the potato chips right before serving makes all the difference between crispy toppings and sad, soggy ones that absorbed soup liquid.
03 -
  • Don't skip the smoked paprika—that tiny amount of spice adds complexity that makes people unable to pinpoint exactly what makes this soup taste so special.
  • If you're cooking for someone with dairy sensitivities, you can substitute heavy cream with oat cream and cream cheese with vegan alternatives, though the texture will shift slightly toward lighter.
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