On a cold winter evening in Humble, Texas, I first tasted Bennigan’s famous potato soup, and it forever changed my expectations of what potato soup could be. This isn’t just any potato soup – a creamy, rich bowlful of comfort that captures all the best parts of a loaded baked potato in every spoonful. Today, I’m sharing my perfected copycat version of this beloved restaurant classic.
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Why you’ll love this recipe
- No heavy cream needed for rich results
- Restaurant-quality soup at home
- Perfect balance of creamy and chunky textures
- Customizable toppings
- Make-ahead friendly
- Budget-friendly comfort food
Why this recipe works
I adore this soup recipe because of its versatility! You can serve it in many ways and add other toppings to your baked potatoes. It is such an easy recipe to customize.
Nevertheless, I love making it just as the restaurant does. Moreover, the most time-consuming part is preparing and baking the potatoes, which can be done in advance. The actual process of making the soup is super quick and easy.
This soup is creamy and rich, despite being made with milk rather than cream.
Ingredients
Here’s a list of what you need:
- Russet potatoes – provide the hearty base and creamy texture
- Butter – creates a rich flavor and a base for roux
- All-purpose flour– works with butter to thicken the soup
- White onions – add sweet, savory depth
- Garlic – provides aromatic foundation
- Chicken broth – creates a flavorful liquid base
- Whole milk – adds creaminess without heavy cream
- Salt – enhances all flavors
- Black Pepper – adds subtle heat and depth
- Shredded Cheddar cheese – adds a sharp, creamy finish
- Bacon crumbles – provide smoky crunch
- Scallions – adds fresh, oniony bite and color
How to Make Baked Potato Soup
- Bake potatoes at 400°F for one hour or until tender when pierced with a fork.
- Peel the potatoes when they are cool enough to handle.
- Melt butter in a 4 to 6-quart pot over medium-low heat.
- Stir in onions and garlic, cover, and sauté until softened, but not browned.
- Add the flour, stir, and cook for 1 minute to eliminate the raw flour taste.
- Add two-thirds of the potatoes and mash with a potato masher.
- Add broth, milk, salt, and pepper to the potato mixture.
- Bring to a low simmer, stirring occasionally.
- Chop the remaining potatoes into small cubes.
- Add the potato bite size pieces to the soup and stir gently.
- Cook until the cut potatoes are warmed through.
- Sprinkle each serving with cheese, bacon, and scallions.
CopyKat Tip: If youare short on time, try baking your potatoes in the microwave by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Many new microwave ovens now feature a baked potato button.
What to serve with this soup
My version of Bennigan’s Ultimate Baked Potato Soup can be served as an appetizer to accompany a grilled or smoked steak dinner, or as a lunch with a side of a sandwich or a crusty, buttered baguette.
Luckily, it works with a wide variety of foods, so you don’t have to think too hard about what will taste good with it. It also tastes phenomenal when paired with a soup and salad combo, as the salad’s refreshing ingredients contrast nicely with the rich soup.
Storage & reheating instructions
- Refrigerator Storage: Store in an airtight container for 3-5 days in the refrigerator
- Reheating Method: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring frequently. Add a splash of milk if the soup has thickened too much. Microwave individual portions, stirring halfway through
- Freezing: Freeze soup and bacon separately for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight before reheating
Bennigan’s Potato Soup Easy Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds potatoes scrubbed and pierced in several places
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup finely chopped onions
- 1 tablespoons minced garlic
- 14.5 ounces chicken broth
- 3 cups milk
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoons pepper
Garnish
- 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup crumbled bacon
- 1/2 cup chopped scallions
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bake potatoes 1 hour or until tender when pierced. Peel potatoes when cool enough to handle.
- Melt butter in a 4 to 6-quart pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Stir in onions and garlic, cover and cook 10 minutes until soft, but not brown. Add flour to the melted butter and allow to cook for 1 minute.
- Add 2/3 of the potatoes and mash with a potato masher. Add broth, milk, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Season to taste before serving.
- Cut remaining potatoes in small cubes. Add to soup and stir gently to reheat. Sprinkle each serving with toppings.
Nutrition
More Potato Soup Recipes
- Country Potato Soup
- Houston’s Potato Soup
- O’Charley’s Potato Soup
- Panera Bread Potato Soup
- Copycat Chilis Baked Potato Soup
- Old Fashioned Minestrone Soup
Favorite Soup Recipes
Love Bennigan’s? Try these copycat recipes!
Check out my healthy soup recipes and the best copycat restaurant recipes here on CopyKat.com!
This recipe was adapted from a Woman’s Day Magazine recipe spotted by fellow viewer Christina.
I really miss Bennigan’s. Their soups were to die for! And their Monte Christo! Yummy!
Loved this soup, oh so tasty!
I love this recipe! Did you mean 250 kcal or calories? That works out to about 250000 cal if you convert in an online calculator.
Delicious!
Which is better to use idahoes or russets
Russets work well.
This is just one big bowl of comfort. I used to love going to Bennigans!
I loved how satisfying it is. Really good!!
Love the creaminess and richness of this soup!
All I can say is, YUM!!
I need this tonight! Perfect comfort food!
This is a reason to make extra baked potatoes! Absolutely wonderful!
If it was runny, why add more broth?
After I read the comments from this recipe I still went ahead and made the soup.
Onion, garlic and chicken broth I cut in half.
I also made a rue from the beginning with 4 Tablespoons of butter and 1/4 cup flour. I add the onion and garlic to melted butter, cooked for a bit then slowly add flour and whisk until smooth and allowed to cook for a couple minutes. Then I added the milk and as I was heating it up I added the potatoes and mashed. Whisk ..Add broth, salt and pepper to ur liking then the cubed potatoes.
Came out thick and everyone enjoyed it
Baked potatoes to serve the guests. Unsold potatoes the next day were scooped out for the potato soup. The remaining skins made the potato skin apps. Bennigan’s Baked Potato Soup was the only soup I enjoyed.
I worked for the company that pre-made Benigan’s Baked Potato Soup. A company in St. Louis Park Minnesota called Now Foods. Truely NOT made at the resturant but re heated there. SImply the BEST potato soup I’ve ever had! Made to their percise recipe this was my favorite! I took many a test bag home for many cold MInnesota winter meals. Ever soup, chili. borsch and all made at Now Foods for the resturants et al. was made with love, care and the best, freshest ingredience (sp). I miss that job 20 yrs. later. Superior quality!
I worked at Bennigans for 3 yrs and saw the soup made from scratch…DAILY. No premade soup in my location ever. The GM himself showed me how easy this was to whip up in 20 minutes with already made baked potatoes.
Agreed- I was a prep cook at Bennigan’s (tho over 25 years ago) and we always made the soup from scratch. Wish I had written down the recipe then…
You are all right. Although the baked potatoes were scooped but not served as skins. The bakers were 80 count. The skins were 120. The soup was made in house until the mid 90s when we stopped scooping the potatoes for skins and started bringing them in pre scooped. The original recipe had ham and chicken base in it but this one looks pretty close.
Never saw your site before. What a great idea! I am always saying I would love to make something from a restaurant that I’ve enjoyed. Do you have the Olive Garden’s minestrone?
Never saw your site before. What a great idea! I am always saying I would love to make something from a restaurant that I’ve enjoyed. Do you have the Olive Garden’s minestrone?
This reminded me of Bennigan’s when there was still a Bennigans around. Blarney that you closed all of your restaurants where I live!
It wasn’t like bennigan’s and I wouldn’t go as far as to call it AWESOME, but it’s not too bad. I would suggest adding a little seasoned salt to give it more flavor. It says simmer but doesn’t give a specific amount of time, but I let it simmer until it thickened then added the potato cubes.
I dont know if it was pure Bennigans, but it sure was delicious. I made it for my husband. He requested potato soup for dinner tonight and I have never made it before. I used this recipe and he said it was AWESOME. It sure was tasty. Enjoy!