The Ultimate Creamy & Cheesy Potato Soup Recipe: A Hearty Homemade Classic
Welcome to the recipe for my famously delicious potato soup! This is more than just a recipe; it’s a culinary journey I’ve perfected over a decade, making it one of the most beloved and frequently requested dishes in my kitchen. What truly sets this soup apart is its incredible depth of flavor. I say this with absolute sincerity: there’s nothing more disappointing than a potato soup that tastes bland, merely like potatoes, cream, and a hint of salt. My signature recipe transcends this common pitfall, offering a symphony of tastes in every spoonful.
This isn’t just any creamy potato soup; it’s a robust and flavorful concoction, meticulously crafted to warm your soul. The velvety broth is generously infused with aromatic dried thyme and basil, complemented by a substantial kick of freshly ground black pepper. Crucially, a good amount of chicken bouillon is added to impart a rich, savory essence that elevates the potatoes from simple starch to a truly flavorful experience. The grand finale is a generous handful of sharp cheddar cheese, melting seamlessly into the soup to create a silky, luxuriously creamy, and undeniably cheesy texture. This combination results in a potato soup that is not only packed with flavor but also boasts an irresistible smoothness that will genuinely amaze your taste buds. Get ready to fall in love with your new favorite comfort food!
Why You’ll Love This Cheesy Potato Soup
If you’re searching for the best homemade potato soup recipe, look no further. This recipe delivers on all fronts: flavor, texture, and pure comfort. It’s incredibly satisfying, making it perfect for a chilly evening, a cozy family dinner, or even as a standout dish for entertaining guests. The blend of tender potatoes, aromatic herbs, and rich cheese creates a harmonious profile that appeals to everyone. Unlike many bland versions, this soup is designed to be vibrant and exciting, transforming humble ingredients into something truly extraordinary. Plus, it’s surprisingly easy to make, even for novice cooks, offering a gourmet experience with minimal fuss. It’s a versatile dish that can be customized to your liking, making it a reliable staple for your culinary repertoire.
How to Make the Creamy & Cheesy Potato Soup
Crafting this rich and creamy potato soup involves two primary culinary techniques that come together to create its signature texture and flavor: perfectly boiling the potatoes and creating a classic béchamel sauce. Each step is crucial for achieving that irresistible balance of hearty goodness and velvety smoothness.
1. Prepare and Cook the Base: Begin by adding your peeled and cubed russet potatoes, finely diced sweet onions, chicken stock, fragrant dried thyme and basil, plenty of freshly ground black pepper, and chicken bouillon cubes to a large, sturdy soup pot. Ensure the chicken stock covers the potatoes by about an inch; this is key to getting the right consistency later. Bring this mixture to a rolling boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and allow it to simmer gently. Continue cooking until the potatoes are completely fork-tender but not mushy. This ensures they’re soft enough to mash while retaining some structural integrity.
2. Achieve the Perfect Potato Texture: Once the potatoes are cooked, carefully remove approximately half of the potato cubes from the pot and transfer them to a separate bowl. Don’t worry if some onions or a bit of the cooking liquid accompanies them. Using a potato masher, thoroughly mash these reserved potatoes until they reach your desired consistency – some prefer them mostly smooth, while others like a few small lumps for added texture. This step helps thicken the soup naturally and adds to its hearty, comforting feel.
3. Master the Bechamel Sauce: In a separate, medium-sized pot, melt unsalted butter over medium heat. Once the butter is fully melted and begins to bubble gently, whisk in the all-purpose flour to create a roux. Continue whisking for about 1-2 minutes until the roux also starts to bubble and cooks slightly, developing a light nutty aroma. Then, slowly and gradually drizzle in the cold whole milk, whisking continuously and vigorously as you pour. The cold milk is vital for preventing lumps and ensuring a smooth béchamel. After all the milk has been incorporated, continue to heat the béchamel over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it reaches a gentle boil and visibly thickens to a nappe consistency – meaning it coats the back of a spoon evenly, similar to the thickness of heavy cream or buttermilk.
4. Combine and Finish the Soup: With your béchamel perfectly thickened, pour it directly into the large soup pot with the remaining potato cubes and the previously mashed potatoes. Add the generous amount of shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Using a large spoon or spatula, gently fold all the ingredients together until the béchamel and cheese are thoroughly combined and the cheese has completely melted, creating a homogeneous, creamy, and irresistible soup. The folding motion helps integrate everything without over-agitating the potatoes.
5. Season and Serve: Taste the soup and season generously with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Potato soup often requires more seasoning than you might think! Ladle the hot, creamy potato soup into bowls. For an extra flourish and a burst of flavor, serve with optional garnishes such as extra shredded cheddar cheese, crispy bacon bits, chopped fresh chives, or a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy this comforting homemade classic immediately!
Expert Tips for the Best Potato Soup
• Crafting the Perfect Bechamel: The béchamel sauce is the backbone of this creamy potato soup, and its success hinges on a few critical details. After you’ve created your roux (the butter-flour mixture), always add cold milk. This is paramount for preventing lumps and ensuring a silky-smooth sauce. The temperature difference allows the flour to absorb the liquid gradually without clumping. Furthermore, be careful not to overcook your béchamel. It’s ready when it reaches a “nappe” consistency, which means it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon evenly without running off. The texture should be similar to that of full-fat buttermilk or light cream. Overcooking can make it too thick or grainy.
◦ Monitoring Potato Doneness: Achieving the ideal texture for your potatoes is crucial. You want the potatoes to be tender enough to mash easily, yet still hold their shape when gently stirred. They should be “fork-tender,” meaning a fork can easily pierce them without resistance. However, be vigilant and avoid overcooking them, as excessively soft potatoes can become mushy and dissolve completely, leading to a gluey texture rather than the desired hearty, chunky-creamy blend.
• Broth Level for Optimal Thickness: Pay close attention to the amount of chicken broth you add. The ideal measurement is just enough to cover the potatoes by approximately one inch. Adding too much broth will result in a thinner, less rich soup, diluting the flavors and requiring longer simmering to reduce. Conversely, too little broth might mean the potatoes don’t cook evenly or absorb enough flavor, leading to a soup that’s too dense. Precision here ensures a perfectly balanced consistency.
◦ Creating the Ideal Potato Texture Blend: One of the secrets to this soup’s irresistible appeal is the delightful contrast between tender potato cubes and wonderfully creamy mashed potatoes. The cubes contribute a pleasing textural component, adding substance and bite, while mashing a portion of the potatoes naturally thickens the soup, imparting that luxurious, velvety mouthfeel. My preferred method is to remove about half of the cooked potato cubes into a separate bowl after they are tender. I then mash these reserved potatoes thoroughly. The remaining potatoes stay in the pot with the broth. Then, both the mashed potatoes and the perfectly thickened béchamel are poured back into the pot with the whole potato cubes and broth, and everything is gently folded together. This technique ensures a hearty, rich, and beautifully textured soup.
Substitutions and Variations for Your Potato Soup
• Making it Vegetarian: This hearty potato soup can effortlessly be adapted for a vegetarian diet. Simply substitute the chicken broth with a high-quality vegetable broth. For that essential savory depth that chicken bouillon provides, opt for chicken-flavored vegetarian bouillon cubes or pastes. I’ve personally tried Better Than Bouillon Vegetarian No Chicken Base and found it to be an excellent, flavorful alternative. Another great option is Edward & Sons Not-Chick’n Bouillon Cubes. These alternatives ensure your soup retains its rich, savory profile without any meat products.
◦ Choosing the Right Potatoes: For this recipe, I primarily recommend using russet potatoes. They are widely available, have a starchy texture that breaks down beautifully for thickening, and offer a pleasing heartiness. Yukon golds are another excellent choice, providing a naturally creamy texture and slightly buttery flavor. However, it’s crucial to steer clear of waxy potato varieties like red potatoes or new potatoes. These types hold their shape too well and won’t contribute to the desired creamy consistency, resulting in a soup that feels less cohesive.
• Milk Options for Creaminess: While the recipe calls for whole milk to achieve its luscious richness, you have flexibility here. Any milk from 1% low-fat milk up to half & half (10% cream) can be used. Keep in mind that using lower-fat milk will result in a slightly less creamy and decadent soup, while half & half will make it exceptionally rich and thick. Choose based on your dietary preferences and desired indulgence level.
◦ Gluten-Free Alternative: This delicious potato soup can easily be made gluten-free. Instead of the traditional butter and flour roux for the béchamel, you will need to substitute with a cornstarch and water slurry. The general conversion is that 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour can be replaced with approximately 1/8 cup (or 2 tablespoons) of cornstarch. To prepare the slurry, whisk the cornstarch with an equal amount of cold water until smooth before adding it to your hot liquid. Add the slurry gradually to your soup base after the potatoes are cooked, stirring continuously until the desired thickness is achieved. Allow it to simmer for a minute or two to cook out any starchy taste.
• Add-ins and Toppings: Feel free to experiment with additional ingredients! Crispy crumbled bacon is a classic and highly recommended topping. You can also sauté some diced carrots or celery along with the onions for added vegetable goodness. A touch of garlic powder or a minced garlic clove sautéed with the onion can enhance the savory profile. For a smoky flavor, a pinch of smoked paprika or even a dash of liquid smoke can be delightful. Other cheeses like Monterey Jack or a milder cheddar can also be used, though sharp cheddar truly elevates the flavor.
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Amie’s Famous Creamy & Cheesy Potato Soup
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Ingredients
- 6 Medium Russet Potatoes,, peeled and cut into 1 ½” cubes
- 1 Large Sweet Onion,, diced small
- 4-5 cups of Quality Chicken Broth, (ensure it covers potatoes by about 1”)
- 2 Chicken Bouillon Cubes
- 1 ½ tsp Dried Thyme
- 1 ½ tsp Dried Basil
- 1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter
- 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
- 3 cups Cold Whole Milk
- 1/2 – 1 cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese,, preferably white, for best color and sharpest flavor
- Salt & Pepper,, to taste, for final seasoning
Instructions
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In a large stock pot, combine the cubed russet potatoes, diced sweet onion, chicken broth, chicken bouillon cubes, dried thyme, dried basil, and freshly ground black pepper. Ensure the broth covers the potatoes by approximately one inch. Bring the mixture to a vigorous boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium. Allow it to simmer gently for about 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are perfectly fork-tender. Do not overcook them to prevent mushiness.
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Once the potatoes are tender, carefully remove about half of the cooked potato cubes from the stock pot and transfer them to a separate heat-proof bowl. Using a potato masher, thoroughly mash these reserved potatoes until they reach a creamy consistency, with minimal lumps if preferred. After mashing, pour the mashed potatoes back into the stock pot with the remaining whole potato cubes and broth.
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Meanwhile, as the potatoes cook, prepare the béchamel sauce. In a medium saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Once the butter is fully melted and begins to gently bubble, add the all-purpose flour. Whisk continuously for 1-2 minutes to create a smooth roux, allowing it to cook out any raw flour taste. Then, slowly and gradually pour in the cold whole milk, whisking constantly and vigorously to prevent any lumps from forming.
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After all the milk has been added, continue to heat the béchamel over medium heat, whisking constantly. Heat the sauce until it begins to bubble gently and has thickened to a nappe consistency, meaning it coats the back of a spoon evenly, resembling the thickness of buttermilk or light cream. Once thickened, remove the béchamel from the heat and immediately pour it into the large stock pot with the potato mixture.
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Add the shredded sharp cheddar cheese to the soup in the stock pot. Using a large spoon or spatula, gently stir and fold all the ingredients together until they are thoroughly combined, and the cheese has completely melted into a rich, creamy consistency. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as desired. Serve hot, garnished with your favorite toppings like extra cheese, bacon bits, or fresh chives.