Best Cheesy Potato Soup

Our cheesy potato soup is rich, creamy, and ultra cozy. The perfect soup for a cold winter’s day. This cheesy potato soup recipe is also vegetarian-friendly, leaving any meat as an optional topping.

While spending a decade as a vegetarian, I took to finding ways to make some of my favorite recipes that traditionally have meat (like wild rice soup), into vegetarian versions I could enjoy. This vegetarian potato soup hits all the marks! Our easy to follow directions will help you recreate this simple cheesy potato soup recipe in the comfort of your own home.

While this soup is great as-is, adding a variety of your favorite toppings takes this soup to the next level. For those who do eat meat, I highly recommend adding crumbled, crispy oven cooked bacon on top of this soup. Really any topping you would put on a loaded baked potato can work here too!

You will LOVE this Recipe for Cheesy Potato Soup

Level of difficulty: Easy to moderate; while this recipe uses simple ingredients prepped in a straightforward manner, there are a few steps you need to pay close attention to. Keep an eye on the flour as you whisk it into the butter. You really want to keep it moving (continue to whisk) until the liquid enters the pot. Allowing it to sit too long can result in a clumpy, burned mess…if this happens, I recommend starting again as this is the base of your soup’s success.

Flavor: Creamy, rich cheddar cheese is the leading flavor, and is accented by hearty potatoes. When topped with savory bacon and fragrant green onions, this soup goes to a whole new level. Like I said, a big bowl of cozy.

Texture: Move over bisque. This soup is as hearty as it gets. A thick and creamy base with big chunks of potato…comfort food at its best.

Time: Including prep and cook time, plan for 30-45 minutes to make your cheesy potato soup. The prep time can vary depending on how fast you chop!

Cheese Potato Soup Ingredients

Potatoes: Idaho potatoes or russet potatoes are the best variety for this soup recipe. The depth of flavor and ability to hold their shape throughout the cooking process make them ideal for cheesy potatoes soup.

Milk: You’ll put nearly five cups of milk in this cheesy potato soup, so make sure you are using a high quality product. I also recommend using whole milk as it has a much creamier texture than skim or 1%. Yes, there is a little more fat in whole milk, but that is part of what makes this soup so rich, delicious, and comforting.

Cheese: Two tips on selecting the perfect cheddar cheese for this recipe. First, a sharp cheddar cheese will have a stronger flavor than a mild cheddar cheese. So if you want the cheese to be more of a leading flavor in your soup (instead of a supporting flavor), select a sharp cheddar for your soup recipe. Second, if you have time to shred your own cheese, do so. Store-bought shredded cheese is coated in an additive called cellulose to keep it from clumping before it gets to your house. It’s harmless, but freshly shredded cheese will actually melt better in a soup. Shredding your own cheese for this recipe will add a few minutes to cooking, though, so go ahead and use a store-bought shredded cheese if you want to save some time.

Toppings: The soup is good by itself, but it’s great with the right fixings. Crispy bacon, oyster crackers, chives, even MORE cheese (you know I’m always here to support your cheese endeavors). The toppings take this loaded potato soup to the next level!

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

How to make Cheesy Potato Soup

1. Wash and chop your veggies: Prep your veggies per notes on ingredient list
2. Make your roux: Did you know that the official name of the concoction you’re making with your butter and flour at the start of this recipe is called a roux, which acts as a thickener for your soup? Fun fact! Anyway, to do this, melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
3. Add in your liquids: Whisk in milk and broth, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes.
4. Add your potatoes and green onions: Add potatoes and green onions, stir to mix-in. Bring ingredients to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, 15-20 minutes.
5. Add in the rest of your dairy and spices: Stir in cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper. If soup is too thick for your liking, add milk or broth until desired consistency is reached.
6. Garnish and enjoy: Serve your soup topped with your favorite things (like bacon, green onions, sour cream, more cheese…etc) and enjoy!

Variations of this Recipe for Cheesy Potato Soup

Want to make this into a vegetarian soup recipe? Use vegetable broth! Want to make this into a vegetarian cheesy potato soup? Swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth and you’re good to go! Make sure to have a variety of veggie-friendly toppings for them to enjoy too.

Cheesy Potato Soup Recipe Tips

How to thicken Potato Soup

Since our cheesy potato soup is already made with a roux, this shouldn’t be too big of an issue! However, if you’d like to make our soup even thicker you have a few options. My personal favorite is adding a generous shake of potato flakes! Alternatively adding some additional shredded cheese can thicken your soup. You can also make a quick cornstarch slurry (mixing corn starch and cold water until blended, and adding small splashes slowly into your soup).

What to serve with Potato Soup

Since cheesy potato soup is a rather rich soup, pairing it with a simple green salad and a slice (or two) of crusty bread is a great option!

You can also pair it with a sandwich if desired (a nice toasted or grilled sandwich with turkey would be great!), another type of fresh veggie salad, roasted vegetables, crackers, rolls, or even garlic bread.

How to store Vegetarian Potato Soup

Store remaining soup in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

How long does potato soup last in the fridge?

Leftover potato soup will last in the fridge for 3-4 days when stored properly in an airtight container. Be sure to place soup into the fridge after it’s been cooled closer to room temperature (not hot off the stove). Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, or in the microwave in 30-second increments until heated to your desired temperature.

Can you freeze Cheesy Potato Soup?

Soups with a creamy consistency (like potato soup) may not be the best candidate to freeze because the texture of the potatoes can be affected during the freezing process making them mushy. However, if you’d like to try to freeze it, go ahead! Be sure to allow the soup to cool fully before packaging into an air-tight container (or into freezer-safe zip-top baggies lay flat and stack) and freeze for up to three months.

Vegetarian Potato Soup FAQs

Love This Recipe? You May Also Enjoy

Simple Cheesy Potato Soup Recipe

Meredith

This cheesy potato soup is delicious, creamy, hearty, & full of flavor…just one of those soups that just makes you smile. Load it up with your favorite toppings to create the ultimate winter comfort food.

5 from 11 votes

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Prep Time 12 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 37 minutes mins

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Servings 8 Servings

Calories 570 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 10 tablespoon salted butter
• ▢ ½ C all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 C chicken or vegetable broth*
• ▢ 5 C whole milk
• ▢ 7 Idaho potatoes, fist size, peeled & cubed
• ▢ 4 green onions, chopped
• ▢ 2 C shredded cheddar cheese
• ▢ 1 C sour cream
• ▢ Salt & pepper to taste
• ▢ Optional toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, chives, oyster crackers, crumbled crispy bacon, etc.

Instructions

 

• Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat.
• Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
• Whisk in milk and broth, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes.
• Add potatoes and green onions, stir to mix-in.
• Bring ingredients to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, 15-20 minutes.
• Stir in cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper.
• If soup is too thick for your liking, add milk or broth until desired consistency is reached.
• Garnish with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
• Store remaining soup in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Notes

*If making this soup for someone on a vegetarian diet, make sure to use vegetable broth for your recipe.

*If your cheesy potato soup is too thin: You may have added a bit too much broth or milk. To thicken the soup, keep it on a low simmer until it’s at your desired thickness. Do NOT boil the soup for an extended period of time or you’ll risk curdling the milk.

*If your soup is too thick: If your cheesy potato soup is too thick for your liking, add milk or broth until desired consistency is reached. I recommend adding your additional liquid in small quantities, stirring, and testing before adding in more liquid. This will help you to avoid accidentally making the soup too thin.

Nutrition

Calories: 570kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 18gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 20gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 102mgSodium: 738mgPotassium: 1103mgFiber: 3gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1209IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 453mgIron: 2mg

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