O’Charley’s Loaded Potato Soup delivers thick, creamy comfort packed with familiar toppings that make it feel like a meal, not just a bowl.
Photo by whitneyinchicago
Copycat O’Charley’s Loaded Potato Soup
O’Charley’s Loaded Potato Soup is a rich, creamy soup made with tender potatoes and finished with classic baked potato toppings.
This copycat recreates the hearty texture and balanced seasoning that define O’Charley’s version, keeping the soup thick, smooth, and satisfying.
Quick Recipe Overview
- Best For: Lunch, dinner, cold weather meals
- Flavor Profile: Creamy, savory, comforting
- Skill Level: Easy stovetop cooking
- What Makes It Like the Restaurant: Thick potato base with classic loaded toppings
O’Charley’s
O’Charley’s built its menu around approachable American comfort food served in a casual, family friendly setting. Soups have long played a supporting role, offering guests warm, familiar options alongside sandwiches and entrées.
Loaded Potato Soup became one of the most popular choices thanks to its hearty texture and recognizable baked potato flavors. It reflects O’Charley’s focus on filling, straightforward dishes that feel familiar from the first spoonful.
The Soup That Eats Like a Meal
Loaded Potato Soup grew out of classic baked potato toppings transformed into a spoonable format. This style emphasizes thickness, creaminess, and generous add-ins rather than brothy texture. It is especially common in casual American dining, where soups are expected to be hearty and satisfying. O’Charley’s version follows this tradition, offering a rich, filling soup that stands on its own.
O'Charley's Loaded Potato Soup Recipe
O'Charley's Loaded Potato Soup is everything a potato soup should be -- and then some. Our Secret Restaurant Recipe for their Baked Potato Soup tastes just like O'Charley's.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Red Potatoes
- 1/4 cup Butter melted
- 1/4 cup Flour
- 2 quarts Half-and-Half
- 1 pound block Velveeta Cheese melted
- White Pepper to taste
- Garlic powder to taste
- 1 teaspoon Hot Pepper Sauce
- 1/2 pounds Bacon fried crisply
- 1 cup Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup fresh Chives chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh Parsley chopped
Instructions
- Dice unpeeled red potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes.
- Place in a large Dutch oven, cover with water and bring to a boil.
- Let boil for 10 minutes or until almost cooked.
- In a separate large Dutch oven, combine melted margarine and flour, mixing until smooth.
- Place over low heat and gradually add half-and-half, stirring constantly. Continue to stir until smooth and liquid begins to thicken.
- Add melted Velveeta. Stir well.
- Drain potatoes and add to cream mixture.
- Stir in pepper, garlic powder and hot pepper sauce.
- Cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Place soup into individual serving bowls and top with crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, chives and parsley.
Related Copycat Recipes
- O’Charley’s Wild Mushroom Cream Soup – Smooth, savory mushroom soup that tastes indulgent without being heavy
- Max & Erma’s Chicken Tortilla Soup – Comforting, Southwest-style soup that delivers warmth, texture, and flavor
- Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup – Rich, velvety soup that turns broccoli into a crave-worthy classic
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Questions People Ask
Is O’Charley’s Loaded Potato Soup thick
Yes. It is known for its rich, thick, and creamy texture.
What toppings are in loaded potato soup
It typically includes bacon, cheese, and green onions.
Can I make this soup ahead of time
Yes. It reheats well and thickens slightly as it rests.
Is this soup served as a meal or side
It can be served either way, but many enjoy it as a full meal.
Related Recipes
Rafferty’s Potato Soup
Rafferty’s Potato Soup is a thick, creamy soup made with tender potatoes, bacon, and cheese, served as a hearty comfort food favorite.
Make Rafferty’s Potato Soup at home and recreate the rich, filling soup long associated with the restaurant.
Make Rafferty’s Potato Soup at Home
Johnny Carino’s Roasted Garlic Potato Soup
Johnny Carino’s Roasted Garlic Potato Soup is a thick, creamy soup made with tender potatoes and mellow roasted garlic, finished with subtle Italian style seasoning for a rich, comforting bowl.
Make Johnny Carino’s Roasted Garlic Potato Soup at home and recreate the smooth, savory soup served as a favorite starter at the restaurant.
Make Johnny Carino’s Roasted Garlic Potato Soup at Home
Spotlight Recipes
O’Charley’s Fried Pickle Chips
O’Charley’s Fried Pickle Chips are thin sliced dill pickles coated in a light batter and fried until crisp, served hot with a tangy dipping sauce as a popular bar style appetizer.
Make O’Charley’s Fried Pickle Chips at home and recreate the crunchy, salty starter served at the restaurant.
Make O’Charley’s Fried Pickle Chips at Home
Cheddar’s Monte Cristo Sandwich
Cheddar’s Monte Cristo Sandwich is a deep fried sandwich layered with ham, turkey, and melted cheese, finished with powdered sugar and served with raspberry preserves for a classic sweet and savory bite.
Make Cheddar’s Monte Cristo Sandwich at home and recreate the indulgent diner style favorite served at the restaurant.
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Photo of Baked Potato Soup is by WhitneyInChicago – Visit Whitney’s blog here – https://whitneyinchicago.wordpress.com/ and is used by permission under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) License. Photo of “O’Charley’s” is by raymondclarkeimages and is used by permission under the CC BY-NC 2.0 Deed Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic Creative Commons License. Read the Full License Here – https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/legalcode.en. Thank you, Whitney and Ray. Great Pictures. Photos may be representative of the recipe and not the actual finished dish. All photo licenses listed were correct at the time of the posting of the page. Recipe is our adaption of several recipes formally widely-circulated on the internet – courtesy of the Wayback Machine. Additional Information is from original research done by Secret Copycat Restaurant Recipes and/or courtesy of Wikipedia and is used by permission.
January 19, 2014 @ 9:39 pm
My husband and I are big fans of the Baked potato soup at O’Charley’s, so we were ecstatic when we found the recipe for it so we could make it at home. I have to say that I was terribly disappointed in the turn out of the soup. I followed each of the directions as written in the recipe, and the outcome of the soup was a far cry from what is served at O’Charley’s. After seeing how this recipe turned out, I don’t know that I would ever trust any recipes from this site.
January 23, 2014 @ 9:35 am
Alyson,
We’re sorry to hear that. We have had good comments on the soup when we have made it and hope that you will decide to stick around and try more recipes.
Thank you for letting us know. If we run across another version, we will post it and let everyone know.
James
September 30, 2014 @ 12:24 pm
I know their recipe and this is not it. I used to be a kitchen manager at O’charley’s.
I never followed their recipe, I made my own. People would come from all over and say that the loaded potato soup at my store was better then the others.
October 2, 2014 @ 4:16 am
Killjoy,
Please share it with us.
Thank you,
James
April 19, 2015 @ 5:25 pm
Can you please share the recipe?