EASY POTATO SOUP WITH CHEDDAR

This easy potato soup recipe has been in my family for ages. It was passed down to my mother from her mother who made it in the UK during the war when rationing made food hard to come by. Potatoes were always plentiful and cheap and hence my mother ate a lot of potato soup as a child. In those days cheddar was not an addition that my grandmother could afford but was later added by my mother when she started making it for her own family. The recipe has now been passed down to me and while food is more readily available these days, it’s still a dish that I turn to on chilly evenings or whenever I crave a bowl of pure, creamy comfort.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easy to make – No special skills required.
• Quite economical to make – If you want to make it cheaper, leave out the bacon.
• Ultimate comfort food – With its velvety texture and harmonious blend of wholesome ingredients it’s pure creamy goodness.
• Better the next day – Great for leftovers.

What Ingredients Do I Need

This recipe uses pretty basic ingredients. Potatoes are the main ingredient.

• Potatoes – Any starchy potatoes such as russets or baking potatoes will work best. I would avoid using waxy potatoes.
• Bacon – Bacon creates a richer flavor base for the soup but feel free to leave them out if you want a meatless soup.
• Onions – Any yellow onions will work.
• Garlic
• Apple cider – The alcohol will be boiled off but you can leave this out if you prefer. You could also use a dark beer such as a stout or Guinness.
• Thyme – Fresh or dried will work.
• Chicken stock – I use a no-salt added stock but any chicken or even vegetable stock will be fine.
• Heavy cream – Whipping cream will work well if you can’t find heavy cream.
• Cheddar cheese – I used a medium but a sharp cheddar would be tasty as well.

How To Make This Potato Soup With Cheddar

• Cook bacon – Heat a large stock pot over medium heat. Slice the bacon into 6.35mm (1/4″) pieces and add to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until the bacon has lightly crisped and the fat has rendered off. When done remove the bacon and set it aside leaving the fat in the pot. You can use the bacon to garnish the soup when you serve it.

• Chop onion – While the bacon is cooking chop the onion finely. When the bacon has been cooked and removed add the onion to the pot and cook over medium-low heat until it’s softened and translucent. Try not to let it brown.

• Add garlic – While the onion is cooking chop the garlic finely. When the onion has softened add the garlic and the thyme to the pot and cook over low heat for 2 minutes. Don’t let the garlic burn.

• Add apple cider – When the garlic has softened add the apple cider to the pot and boil over high heat until it’s almost completely evaporated.

• Prepare potatoes – While the apple cider is boiling, peel and chop the potatoes into 1.27cm (1/2″) pieces. When the cider has almost completely evaporated add the potatoes to the pot and turn the heat to medium. Cook the potatoes, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Season with 10g (1 tbsp) of kosher salt.

• Add Broth – Add the broth to the pot and boil on medium-high for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes have softened.
• Blend – To make the soup thicker use an immersion blender to blend half of the potatoes until smooth. Alternatively, you can add half of the soup to a blender until smooth and then add it back into the pot. If you like your soup completely smooth, blend it all.

• Add cream – After blending the soup, add the heavy cream and stir well. Gently simmer on medium heat for about 10-15 minutes with the lid off until the soup has thickened slightly. Don’t allow the soup to come to a full, rolling boil or the cream may split.
• Add cheese – When the soup has thickened, add the grated cheese and stir until all the cheese is melted and has been fully incorporated.

• Season and serve – Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste and serve it with a fresh baguette or rolls and the garnishes of your choice.

What Can I Garnish My Potato And Cheddar Soup With

There are numerous options for garnishing but here are a few of my favorites;

• Chopped bacon
• Grated cheddar cheese
• Sliced green onions, scallions, or chives
• Sour cream, Greek yogurt, or Creme Fraiche
• Drizzle of good EVOO
• Crispy shallots or fried onions

Recipe Tips and Tricks For Success

• Cook onions on low heat slowly until they are soft and translucent. You don’t want them to brown.
• Don’t allow the garlic to brown or it may become bitter.
• Be sure to boil potatoes in the broth until they are soft or they won’t blend well.
• Be sure to only simmer the soup after you’ve added the cream. A full rolling boil may cause the cream to curdle.

Recipe Variations

Feel free to use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth if you prefer or that’s what you have on hand. You could also use pancetta or smoked bacon instead of the regular bacon.

Recipe Substitutions

For a meatless version feel free to use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth and leave out the bacon. If you want to make a vegan version of this soup use the option above and use dairy-free cream and cheese alternatives instead of the heavy cream and cheddar cheese.

Storage Tips For Potato Soup With Cheddar

This soup will keep well, covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat it, cook over medium heat until hot and serve. Freezing is not the best option as the cream may split and lose its creamy consistency when frozen.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS;

Why does my pototo soup get watery? Try simmering it down a little longer. Sometimes you need to give it a little longer for some of the moisture to evaporate. 

Can you use instant potatoes to thicken potato soup? Yes! Because instant potato flakes contain starch they work great to thicken soups. Start by adding a tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. 

Should I boil potatoes before adding to soup? As you will be boiling the potatoes in the broth for a sufficient amount of time to cook them you don't need to boil them first. 

Potato Soup With Cheddar

A creamy, hearty soup full of the earthy goodness of potatoes and the bold creamy notes of cheddar cheese.

www.comfortandpeasant.com

5 from 9 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Dinner, Entree, Main Course, Soup

Servings 8

Equipment

• 1 large soup or stock pot

Ingredients

  

• 4 slices bacon, sliced into 6.35mm (1/4") pieces
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 5 g (2 tbsp) fresh thyme or 2.5 g (1 tbsp) dried
• 118 ml (1 cup) apple cider or dark beer
• 1060 g (2.5 lb) starchy potatoes
• 900 ml (4 cups) chicken or vegetable broth
• 236 ml (1 cup) heavy or whipping cream
• 200 g (2 cups) medium or sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Instructions

 

• Heat a large soup or stock pot over medium heat and add bacon. Cook until slightly crispy and the fat has rendered (about 7 minutes). Remove the bacon and set aside leaving the fat in the pot.
  
• Add the chopped onion to the pot and cook over low heat until translucent and soft (about 7 minutes).
  
• Add the chopped garlic and the thyme to the onion and cook for a further 2 minutes.
  
• Turn the heat to high and add the apple cider if using. Boil for about 3-5 minutes or until the cider has almost completely evaporated.
  
• Turn the heat down to medium and add the chopped potatoes to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. Season with 10g ( 1 tbsp) kosher salt.
  
• Turn the heat to medium-high and add the broth. Boil for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes have softened.
  
• Using an immersion blender (or blender) blend until about 1/2 of the potatoes are smooth.
  
• Turn the heat down to medium and add the heavy cream. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the soup has thickened slightly.
  
• Add the grated cheddar cheese and stir until all the cheese has melted.
  
• Season with salt & pepper and serve with your choice of garnishes.

Notes

See the “How To Make This” & “Tips For Success” sections above the recipe for more detailed information on the process. 

Keyword broth, Cheese, cider, Easy, garlic, heavy cream, onions, potatoes, stock pot, winter

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And if you’re looking for more easy and quick soup recipes check out my 10-Minute Udon Noodle Soup and my Easy Split Pea Soup With Ham.