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Cheesy Potato Soup

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This cheesy potato soup is the perfect comfort food, made with Yukon potatoes, heavy cream, and cheddar cheese. Choose your favorite garnishes, like green onions, chives, bacon, shredded cheese, and sour cream.

top down view of cheesy potato soup in a white bowl

This easy cheesy potato soup recipe is great for cold days. Pair it with some crusty artisan sourdough bread or easy yeast rolls for the ultimate comfort food. If you need an easy potato soup recipe, this one is perfect, as it comes together in just 30 minutes. Our whole family loves flavorful soups on cold nights. Paired with a crusty bread or overnight sourdough biscuits, this will be an easy dinner meal everyone looks forward to.

I love making soup for dinner, as everything is cooked in one pot, which means fewer dishes to wash! Soup is just so easy, and it’s also cozy during the cooler months. We often have soup on the menu from October to April (depending on the weather)!

If you’re looking for a heartier potato soup recipe, be sure to give this chicken potato soup recipe or this sausage potato kale soup a try!

top down view of cheesy potato soup in a pot with a wooden spoon

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Quick to Make: In just 30 minutes, you’ll have a cozy soup ready to put on the table. If you need a soup for a busy weeknight, this one is great as it is quick and easy!
  • Delicious: This cheesy potato soup is so delicious and creamy, with soft potatoes and loads of flavorful seasonings.The cheesy sauce and tender potatoes make for the perfect soup. The bold flavor of the cheese really makes this a soup everyone will love.  
  • Versatile: Also, it’s a great soup for any time of year. The combination of cheese and potatoes works well for any season!

Cheesy Potato Soup Tips 

  • You can substitute your favorite cheese in place of the cheddar. Sharp cheddar cheese would add depth of flavor, or you could also experiment with other cheeses.
  • Be creative with the garnishes. You can garnish the soup with green onions, chives, crispy bacon, additional grated cheese, and sour cream. 
  • This creamy soup recipe makes 6 servings, but it can easily be doubled or tripled if you’re serving a larger group of people.

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Equipment

Cheesy Potato Soup Ingredients

top down view of ingredients in small bowls

Find the full list of ingredients, amounts, and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

  • Butter: You’ll need unsalted butter. If you decide to use salted butter, you may want to adjust the amount of salt.
  • Onion: This recipe calls for 1/2 cup yellow onions and and 3 tablespoons green onions.
  • Celery: 2 chopped celery sticks are needed for this recipe.
  • Chicken Broth: This recipe uses chicken broth (learn how to make chicken broth in the Instant Pot or use store-bought broth), or you could also use vegetable broth if you prefer.
  • Potatoes: This recipe calls for Yukon Gold potatoes, but you can substitute Russet potatoes. 
  • Milk and heavy cream: You’ll need 2 cups whole milk and 1/2 cup heavy cream.
  • Cheddar Cheese: Cheddar cheese is the most popular choice for this recipe, but feel free to substitute a different type of cheese.

How to Make Cheesy Potato Soup

four photos showing steps for how to make cheesy potato soup

Step 1: Cut up all the vegetables (photo a). In a large pot or Dutch oven, add the butter, onion, and celery (photo b). Over medium-high heat mix for 4 minutes or until the onions are translucent (photo c). 

Step 2: Add the flour to the pot (photo d). Stir and cook for 3 minutes (photo e). 

top down view of four photos showing steps for making soup

Step 3: Add the chicken broth to the soup pot (photo f). Stir and cook for 3 minutes (photo g).

Step 4: Add the diced potatoes, milk, heavy cream, and seasonings (photos h, i, j).

Step 5: Place a lid on top of the pot and turn the heat up to high to get it to boil. 

Step 6: Turn the heat down to medium heat to simmer for 8-12 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. 

Step 7: Mash the potatoes on one half of the pot until they are mashed. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender to blend up part (or all) of the soup to make it creamier.  

top down view of four photos showing steps for making recipe

Step 8. Add the cheese to the pot (photo k). Stir until fully mixed, and the soup has a creamy texture (photo l).

Step 9: Add soup to serving bowls. Top with green onions and any other garnishes you want to add.

cheesy potato soup in a white bowl

How to Store

You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The soup does not freeze well, as the potatoes get too soft. The soup will get thicker the following days. You can add some water or broth to thin it out if needed (to thicken, add ⅛ of a cup at a time until it is the desired consistency). 

top down view of a soup pot with cheesy potato soup and a wooden ladle

More Homemade Soup Recipes

If you make this recipe and enjoy it, please leave a comment with a 5-star recipe rating and let me know! Thank you!

top down view of cheesy potato soup in a white bowl

Cheesy Potato Soup

This cheesy potato soup is the perfect comfort food, made with Yukon potatoes, heavy cream, and cheddar cheese. Choose your favorite garnishes, like green onions, chives, bacon, cheese, and sour cream.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner, Soup
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Author: Joy Kincaid

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 2 celery sticks chopped
  • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and chopped into 3/4"-1" cubes
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 3 tablespoons green onions

Instructions

  • To a large pot or Dutch oven, add the butter, onion, and celery. Over medium-high heat mix for 4 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
  • Add the flour to the pot. Cook and stir for 3 minutes.
  • Add the chicken broth and cook, while stirring, for about 3 minutes.
  • Add the potatoes, milk, heavy cream, and seasonings.
  • Place a lid on the pot and turn the heat up to high to bring it to a boil.
  • Turn the heat down to medium to simmer for 8-12 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
  • Mash the potatoes with a potato masher on one half of the pot until they are mashed. Or, instead of mashing the potatoes, you can remove half of the soup to a blender to blend (and then return the blended portion to the soup pot after blending), or use an immersion blender to blend part of it.
  • Add the cheese to the pot. Stir until fully mixed.
  • Top with green onions and whatever other garnishes you'd like to add.
  • How to Store: You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The soup does not freeze well, as the potatoes get too soft. The soup will get thicker the following days. You can add some water or broth to thin it out if needed (to thicken, add ⅛ of a cup at a time until it is the desired consistency).

Notes

    • You can substitute your favorite cheese in place of the cheddar. Sharp cheddar cheese would add depth of flavor, or you could also experiment with other cheeses.
    • Be creative with the garnishes. You can garnish the soup with green onions, chives, crispy bacon, additional grated cheese, and sour cream. 
    • This creamy soup recipe makes 6 servings, but it can easily be doubled or tripled if you’re serving a larger group of people.
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5 from 1 vote

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