American
Cheddar Potato Soup
Potatoes, onion, milk, and cheddar simmer into a thick soup with no bacon and no meat broth. It is heavy and salty in the way cheese soups are, and the texture depends on how far you smash the potatoes.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Potato and onion carry the body, so the soup is not only cream and cheese.
- Cheddar is stirred in off the heat so it stays smooth.
- Vegetable broth keeps the pot meatless and still savory.
- Once the potatoes are tender, the soup does not need a long cook.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat and cook the diced onion until it is soft and translucent.
- 2
Add the garlic and cook until it smells fragrant and just starts to color.
- 3
Add the peeled, diced potatoes, broth, and salt, and simmer until the potatoes are tender enough to smash against the pot.
- 4
Stir the cornstarch into the water, whisk that slurry into the soup, and simmer until it thickens slightly.
- 5
Lower the heat, stir in the milk, and warm the soup until it is steaming but not boiling.
- 6
Take the pot off the heat and stir in the cheddar, pepper, and paprika until the cheese is melted and the surface looks smooth.
Pro tips
- Shred the cheddar from a block; many pre-shredded bags stay grainy in hot soup.
- Do not let the milk boil after it goes in, or the soup can split.
- Smash some of the potato against the side of the pot if you want it thicker without blending.
Easy substitutions
- Whole milk
- Evaporated milk
- Cheddar
- Monterey jack
- Russet potatoes
- Yukon gold potatoes
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days; the soup thickens as it cools.
Reheating
Reheat on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of milk, stirring, until steaming.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 420
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbs
- 44 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
Moderate · Stovetop · Vegetarian
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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