Cheesy Potato Soup

I made this Cheesy Potato Soup last Tuesday and honestly it’s one of those things where you don’t realize how good it is until you’re scraping the bottom of your bowl. The trick is using baked potatoes and raw diced ones at the same time, which sounds weird but it works.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• You get two totally different potato textures in one pot
• It’s done in 30 minutes if you microwave the baked potatoes
• The mashed base stays chunky not gluey
• Cheddar cheese soup does half the work so you’re not standing there whisking a roux or anything
• Bacon on top isn’t required but it should be
• You can taste it and fix the salt as you go which I always mess up with other soups

The Story Behind This Recipe

I kept making potato soup the normal way and it always came out too smooth or too watery. Then one night I had leftover baked potatoes in the fridge and some raw ones that needed using and I just threw both in. The baked ones break down into this creamy thing without turning gluey, and the diced raw ones give you actual bites of potato to chew.

It’s not fancy. I was just tired of blending everything into baby food texture and wanted an easy soup recipe that felt like real food.

The other thing I noticed — and I don’t know why this matters but it does — is that mashing the cooked diced potatoes with the onion right in the broth makes the soup cling to itself better than if you blend it smooth.

What You Need

You’re going to bake 5 potatoes and peel and dice 5 more raw ones. I know that sounds like a lot but the baked ones turn into this fluffy base and the diced ones give you something to bite into. One onion, chopped however you want — I never measure this stuff. Two cans of chicken broth, the regular size ones you grab without thinking. One can of cheddar cheese soup which is doing most of the heavy lifting here so don’t skip it. Half a cup of sour cream because it smooths out the sharpness from all that cheese.

Two tablespoons of butter, half a cup of milk, and a full cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Not pre-shredded if you can help it — the stuff you grate yourself melts better and doesn’t have that weird coating. Salt to taste, which I always under-do at first and then panic-add later. Chopped green onions for topping and crumbled bacon if you’re into that, which you should be.

The thing nobody tells you is that the baked potatoes need to be actually baked or microwaved until they’re done all the way through, not just warm. If they’re still firm in the middle they won’t break down right when you add them to the soup and you’ll end up with these hard chunks floating around.

How to Make Cheesy Potato Soup

Start by peeling and roughly dicing 5 raw potatoes. I cut them into like half-inch pieces but I’m not measuring with a ruler or anything. Coarsely chop the onion next — I did mine in big chunks because they’re going to get mashed anyway. Toss both into a large stockpot with the salt and two cans of chicken broth, and I mean the full two cans not one and a half. Fire up the burner to medium and let the mixture come to a lively simmer.

You’ll hear the potatoes bubbling and smell their earthy aroma as they soften, which takes maybe 15 minutes. The timing here is crucial — when the potatoes yield easily to a fork it’s time for the next step. I poked mine probably six times because I kept second-guessing if they were done.

Meanwhile bake 5 potatoes separately. I usually zap them in the microwave to save time, like 5 minutes per potato depending on size. The skin comes off easily after the heat and the texture stays fluffy without waiting forever in the oven.

Once the diced potatoes and onion are tender grab a potato masher and start mashing everything right in the pot. Don’t go crazy trying to make it smooth — you want it chunky with some texture still hanging on. You’ll get this thick base that’s just begging for richness and flavor, and it smells like comfort food already.

Add a full can of cheddar cheese soup along with sour cream, butter and milk. Stir vigorously until these ingredients dissolve into a creamy cheesy soup. I noticed the butter takes a minute to actually melt in if your heat’s too low so keep it going. Warm it gently so the butter melts without scalding — the smell of cheese mingling with sweet onion is unmistakable and my kitchen smelled like this for two hours after.

Now peel your baked potatoes and cut them roughly into chunks. They’ll be hot so I used a fork to hold them while I peeled. Fold these into the easy soup recipe along with a full cup of shredded cheddar cheese for that sharp melty punch. The baked potato chunks kind of fall apart when you stir them in but some pieces stay whole which is what you want.

Taste and adjust the seasoning, salt especially. I’ve learned to start light because you can always add more once all the cheese and sour cream have mellowed the broth. I added probably another half teaspoon at the end.

When serving pile on chopped green onions and if you’re feeling indulgent sprinkle crumbled bacon over the top. The crispy smoky bacon is the counterpoint you didn’t know you needed.

What I Did Wrong the First Time

I mashed the diced potatoes way too smooth because I thought that’s what you’re supposed to do with potato soup. Ended up with this gluey paste at the bottom that didn’t want to mix with the broth and just sat there in clumps. When I made it again on Tuesday I barely mashed them, like maybe 10 seconds total, and it stayed chunky enough that the soup had actual body instead of turning into wallpaper paste. Also I added the sour cream while everything was still boiling hard and it broke a little, so now I turn the heat down first.

Cheesy Potato Soup

By Emma

Prep:

15 min

Cook:

15 min

Total:

30 min

Servings:

6 servings

Ingredients

• 5 potatoes baked
• 5 potatoes peeled and diced
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 cans chicken broth
• 1 can cheddar cheese soup
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
• Salt to taste
• Chopped green onions for topping
• Crumbled bacon for topping (optional)

Method

1. 1 Start by peeling and roughly dicing 5 raw potatoes. Coarsely chop the onion next. Toss both into a large stockpot with the salt and two cans of chicken broth. Fire up the burner to medium and let the mixture come to a lively simmer. You’ll hear the potatoes bubbling and smell their earthy aroma as they soften. The timing here is crucial; when the potatoes yield easily to a fork, it’s time for the next step.
2. 2 Meanwhile, bake 5 potatoes separately. I usually zap them in the microwave to save time — the skin comes off easily after the heat, and the texture stays fluffy without waiting forever in the oven.
3. 3 Once the diced potatoes and onion are tender, grab a potato masher and start mashing everything right in the pot. You’ll get a thick, chunky base that’s just begging for richness and flavor.
4. 4 Add a full can of cheddar cheese soup along with sour cream, butter, and milk. Stir vigorously until these ingredients dissolve into a creamy, cheesy soup. Warm it gently so the butter melts without scalding. The smell of cheese mingling with sweet onion is unmistakable.
5. 5 Now peel your baked potatoes and cut them roughly into chunks. Fold these into the soup, tossing in a full cup of shredded cheddar cheese for that sharp, melty punch.
6. 6 Taste and adjust the seasoning—salt especially. I’ve learned to start light; you can always add more once all the cheese and sour cream have mellowed the broth.
7. 7 When serving, pile on chopped green onions and if you’re feeling indulgent, sprinkle crumbled bacon over the top. The crispy, smoky bacon is the counterpoint you didn’t know you needed.

Nutritional information

Calories

320

Protein

12g

Carbs

30g

Fat

18g

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Tips for the Best Cheesy Potato Soup

Don’t stir the soup constantly once you add the baked potato chunks. Let them sit for a minute so some pieces stay intact and others dissolve into the broth on their own. If you keep stirring they all break down and you lose that chunky texture you’re going for.

Use russet potatoes for both the baked and diced ones because they have enough starch to thicken the soup without adding flour. I tried red potatoes once and the soup stayed thin and watery no matter how long I let it simmer.

When you’re microwaving the baked potatoes wrap them in a damp paper towel first. They steam from the inside and the skins peel off in like two seconds instead of you standing there scraping with a knife.

The soup thickens as it sits so if you’re making it ahead add a splash more milk when you reheat. I made mine Tuesday night and by Wednesday lunch it was almost solid in the fridge, but a quarter cup of milk brought it right back.

Test your salt after the cheese goes in not before. The cheddar cheese soup and shredded cheddar both have salt already so if you season too early you’ll end up with something that tastes like a salt lick.

Serving Ideas

I put this in bread bowls from the bakery section and it’s honestly the only way I want to eat it now. The bread soaks up the cheesy soup and gets soft on the inside while the outside stays crusty.

Serve it with cornbread on the side because the sweetness cuts through all that cheese in a way regular bread doesn’t. Also the cornbread crumbles into the bowl if you’re into that.

I ate mine with a side of roasted broccoli which sounds weird but the bitterness from the broccoli made the soup taste less heavy. My roommate thought I was insane but it worked.

Top it with crushed potato chips instead of bacon if you want crunch without cooking anything extra.

Variations

You can swap half the chicken broth for beer and it gives the soup this deeper almost nutty flavor that’s really good with the cheddar. I used a lager because that’s what was in the fridge and it didn’t make the soup taste like beer just richer somehow.

Add a cup of frozen corn and a can of diced green chiles to make it more Southwestern. The corn adds sweetness and the chiles give it a tiny kick without making it spicy, plus the green bits look less beige in the bowl.

Use cream cheese instead of sour cream if you want it thicker and tangier. It melts in smooth and makes the whole thing cling to your spoon better. I did this by accident once when I was out of sour cream and actually liked it more.

You can make it with vegetable broth instead of chicken broth but it tastes flatter to me. I added an extra half cup of cheese to make up for it and that helped.

FAQ

Can I use instant mashed potatoes instead of baking potatoes?

I haven’t tried it but I don’t think it would work the same. Instant potatoes have all these stabilizers in them and they’d probably make the soup gummy instead of fluffy. The texture from real baked potatoes is what makes this recipe different from other potato soups.

Do I have to peel the raw potatoes or can I leave the skins on?

You can leave them on if you want but the skins stay kind of chewy in the soup and don’t break down. I peeled mine because I didn’t want those little brown bits floating around but it’s not going to ruin anything if you skip it.

What size cans of chicken broth am I supposed to use?

The standard 14.5-ounce cans, the ones that are sitting on every grocery store shelf next to the soup aisle. Two of those equals about 3.5 cups if you’re measuring it out from a carton instead.

Can I use pre-shredded cheese even though you said not to?

You can but it won’t melt as smooth because of the anti-caking stuff they coat it with. It’ll still taste fine just a little grainy and you might see those weird clumps that don’t fully dissolve. I’ve done it when I was lazy and it’s not the end of the world.

How do I store leftover cheesy potato soup?

Put it in an airtight container in the fridge and it’ll last maybe four days. It gets really thick when it’s cold so you’ll need to add milk or broth when you reheat it or it’ll be more like mashed potatoes than soup.

Can I freeze this soup?

Technically yes but the texture gets weird when you thaw it. The potatoes turn kind of grainy and the dairy separates a little. I froze some once and it was edible after I stirred it a bunch but not as good as fresh.

What if my soup is too thick?

Add milk or chicken broth a quarter cup at a time until it’s the consistency you want. I like mine thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but still pourable, not scoopable.

What if my soup is too thin?

Let it simmer uncovered for another 10 minutes so some of the liquid evaporates. You can also mash more of the potato chunks to release their starch which will thicken it up naturally without adding anything.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

I haven’t tried it but I think you’d have to cook the diced potatoes and onion in the broth on high for like 3 hours first, then add everything else and let it go another hour. The baked potatoes would still need to be done separately though so it’s not really saving you time.

Why did my soup curdle when I added the sour cream?

The soup was probably boiling when you stirred it in. Sour cream breaks if it gets too hot too fast so you have to turn the heat down to low first and then add it slowly while stirring. I did this my first time and had to strain out the weird lumps.

Can I use a different kind of cheese?

Sharp cheddar works best because it has enough flavor to stand up to all the potatoes and broth. I tried mild cheddar once and it tasted like cheesy wallpaper paste. You could probably do a mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack if you want it creamier but I wouldn’t go full Jack because it’s too mild.

Do I really need the cheddar cheese soup or can I just add more cheese?

The canned soup has thickeners and seasonings already in it so it does more than just add cheese flavor. You could skip it and add a roux instead but then you’re making a whole different recipe and it takes longer.

How long does it take to cook the diced potatoes until they’re tender?

Usually 15 minutes at a simmer but it depends on how big you cut them. If you did them smaller like quarter-inch pieces it might only be 10 minutes. Just poke them with a fork and if it goes in easy they’re done.

Can I use sweet potatoes instead?

I wouldn’t because sweet potatoes have a totally different flavor and they’d make the soup taste more like Thanksgiving than cheesy potato soup. The texture would probably work but the taste would be off.

What’s the best way to reheat this soup?

Stovetop over low heat works best because you can stir it as it warms up and add milk if it’s too thick. Microwave is fine too but stir it halfway through or the edges get scorching hot while the middle stays cold.

Why does my soup taste bland even though I added salt?

You probably need more salt than you think because the potatoes soak up a lot of it. Also make sure you’re tasting it after all the cheese and sour cream go in because they mellow everything out and what tasted salty before might need more now.

Can I add other vegetables to this soup?

Carrots and celery would work if you dice them small and cook them with the onions at the beginning. I wouldn’t add anything with a lot of water in it like zucchini because it would make the soup too thin.

Do the baked potatoes have to be hot when I add them?

Not really but it’s easier to peel them when they’re warm. If they’re cold from the fridge just warm them up a little in the microwave so they’re not dropping the temperature of your soup when you stir them in.

What type of pot should I use for this?

A big stockpot or Dutch oven works best because you need room to stir without splashing soup everywhere. I used a 6-quart pot and it was full but not overflowing.

Can I double this recipe?

Yeah but you’ll need a really big pot and it’ll take longer for everything to come to a simmer. The timing for cooking the diced potatoes might stretch to 20 minutes instead of 15 because there’s more stuff in there.

Is there a way to make this soup less rich?

Use low-fat sour cream and milk instead of the full-fat versions and cut the butter down to 1 tablespoon. It won’t be as creamy but it’ll still taste good. I wouldn’t mess with the cheese amounts though because that’s the whole point of the soup.

Why are some of my baked potato chunks staying hard in the soup?

They weren’t cooked all the way through before you added them. The microwave timing varies depending on potato size so if you had bigger ones they needed more time. They won’t really soften more once they’re in the soup either so you’re kind of stuck with them.