Potato Cheese Soup
This potato cheese soup is the ultimate cold-weather comfort food, made with tender russet potatoes, a rich butter-and-flour base, and two kinds of cheese melted into a velvety, deeply satisfying broth. Sharp cheddar and cream cheese work together to create a silky, indulgent texture that feels restaurant-quality but comes together easily in under an hour on your stovetop. It's hearty enough to serve as a complete meal and endlessly customizable with toppings like crispy bacon, sour cream, and sliced green onions.
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot - 5-6 quart capacity
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Cutting board
- Chef's knife
- Vegetable peeler
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Immersion blender - A standard blender with a ladle can be used as an alternative
- Box grater - For shredding cheese fresh from the block
- Ladle - For serving
- Small bowl - For topping prep
Ingredients
- 2 lbs russet potatoes - 900g, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter - 57g
- 1 medium yellow onion - about 1 cup or 150g, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour - 30g
- 4 cups chicken broth - 960ml, low-sodium preferred
- 1 cup whole milk - 240ml
- 1 cup heavy cream - 240ml
- 4 oz cream cheese - 113g, softened and cut into small cubes
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese - 225g, freshly shredded from a block — do not use pre-shredded
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt - plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper - optional but recommended
For Serving
- sour cream - for topping
- crumbled cooked bacon - for topping
- shredded cheddar cheese - extra, for topping
- green onions - sliced, for topping
Instructions
- Peel and dice potatoes into uniform 1/2-inch cubes, then place in a bowl of cold water to prevent browning. Finely dice the onion, mince the garlic, shred the cheddar from a block, and let the cream cheese soften at room temperature cut into small cubes.
- Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, then add the diced onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and stir for 60 seconds until fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onion and garlic and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture is coated and the raw flour smell cooks off. The roux will look paste-like — that's correct.
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring constantly to prevent lumps, then drain the potatoes and add them to the pot. Stir in the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and cayenne if using, then bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover loosely, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are completely tender and easily mashed against the side of the pot.
- Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to blend about half the soup until smooth, leaving the remaining potato chunks intact for texture. If using a standard blender, carefully ladle half the soup in, blend, and return it to the pot.
- Return the pot to medium-low heat and stir in the whole milk and heavy cream. Add the softened cream cheese cubes and stir gently for 2 to 3 minutes until fully melted and smooth — do not let the soup boil.
- Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and add the shredded cheddar in two or three batches, stirring each addition completely before adding the next using a gentle figure-eight motion. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
- Ladle the soup into warm bowls and top with sour cream, crumbled bacon, extra shredded cheddar, and sliced green onions. Serve immediately alongside biscuits, dinner rolls, or crusty bread.
Notes
- Always shred cheddar cheese from a block — pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting and result in a grainy soup.
- Keep the heat at medium-low or lower when adding any dairy (milk, cream, cream cheese, cheddar) to prevent curdling or a gritty texture.
- Let the cream cheese soften fully at room temperature before adding it to the soup so it melts in evenly without leaving lumps.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth so you have full control over the final saltiness — both the cheese and cream cheese add salt to the soup.
- Do not fully blend the soup; partially blending about half gives you the best of both worlds — a thick, creamy base with satisfying potato chunks.
- To make this gluten-free, substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend, or whisk 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into 1/4 cup cold broth and stir it in after the potatoes have cooked.
- To make this vegetarian, swap the chicken broth for a good-quality vegetable broth — all other base ingredients are already vegetarian.
- Storage: Cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth or milk to loosen if needed.
- Freezing: For best results, freeze the soup before adding the dairy. Store in airtight freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months and stir in the cream, cream cheese, and cheddar after reheating.
- For a loaded version, stir in crumbled cooked bacon during the last few minutes and add all the classic baked potato toppings at serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1BowlCalories: 480kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 16gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 720mgPotassium: 680mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 20IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 10mg
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