Creamy Cheddar and Chive Potato Soup

Creamy cheddar and chive potato soup is such a classic soup that the whole family loves! Its perfect on those cold winter days when you’ve been outside sledding or skiing and you come in and want a warm, creamy, heart soup! This tasty creamy soup used to be my go to all through high school from a restaurant called O’ Charley’s. I worked there for a time and would eat this religiously! I haven’t seen that restaurant for over a decade anywhere so I decided it was time to make a Healthier Homemade version.

Let’s start with the basic of this soup. The ingredient list is very simple even though it may seem like a complicated dish. This creamy potato cheese soup starts by developing the flavors. You’ll use a large stock pot and sauté an onion and garlic until they are are beautiful caramel color. You can melt butter and sauté in that or just use a drizzle of olive oil. Butter adds a bit more richness in my opinion. I love to use Vidalia onions as I feel they have more flavor than just a white onion but use what you have or what you can find at the store.

After the veggies are sauteed, you will want to add some flour in to help and thicken the soup. I use Einkorn flour instead of all purpose flour as we have gluten sensitivities in my house. You can read more about einkorn here. But all purpose flour works great too. Just use the conversion amount needed. I prefer to use flour instead of corn starch or arrowroot as you can get a weird slimy texture when using the other options. Flour gives a more naturally creamy texture I love!

For the cheese, you can use a variety of options! I love sharp cheddar cheese, and a sharp white cheddar cheese is great too. The tang of sharp white cheddar mixed with the creamy potato purée is a perfect combination for a cold night! Another tip I want to share is do not buy pre shredded cheese. Shred your own, it tastes so much better, has less additives, and has such a better flavor.  I use Kettle and Fire chicken bone broth for my soup but you can always use a low-sodium chicken broth as well if that fits your needs better. You can always sub in veggie broth as well.

I used russet potatoes for this soup. They are hearty and I love the creamy texture they add! If you only have red potatoes those will work well. I like to slice mine into long, thinner slices but you could also cut them into potato cubes if that works better for you family.

Ingredients

1 vidalia or white onion, peeled and diced

1 tbsp chopped garlic cloves

1/2 c einkorn flour ( 1/4 c all purpose)

32 oz chicken broth or veggie broth

2 c whole milk

2-3 cups of sharp cheddar or sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded

2-3 large russet potatoes, peeled and sliced to size

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 c crispy bacon, chopped into pieces

1/2 c chives

1/2 c extra cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions

In a large dutch oven or stock pot heat a few tablespoons of butter or olive oil over medium heat. Add in chopped onion and garlic. Sauté for a few minutes until its a beautiful caramel color and then add in the einkorn flour or all purpose flour. Toss around with the veggies for a minute or two. Once combined, add in chicken broth or veggie broth. Then add in milk and stir pot. Allow to bring up to a boil and thicken. Add half the salt and pepper at this point.

Then, once boiling and thicker, add in cheese, potatoes, and left over salt and pepper. Mix around for a few minutes and place the lid on. Reduce heat down to a simmer or low heat. You will need to stir every few minutes to keep the potatoes from sticking to the bottom. It will take about 30-35 minutes to cook fully through.

At this point, you can decide what kind of texture you would like for your soup. I like a more rustic consistency with a chunky texture so I use an immersion blender to keep a chunkier soup. If you would like a smooth texture, a creamier texture, I would use a food processor to fully blend up the baked potato soup. Another method would be to use a potato masher if you don’t have any of the equipment listed. This will be a hybrid leaving some chunks but mostly smooth.

​Finishing Touches

To finish up this soup, you have so many options! This creamy potato soup goes with so many toppings and add ins, the sky is the limit! How I finished this potato soup recipe was with a generous helping of fresh chives, freshly cooked bacon pieces, extra cheddar cheese, and a dollop of sour cream! It was so delicious, the ultimate comfort food! But there are other options you could add. My son loves to add a few dashes of his favorite hot sauce. Adding a splash of heavy cream would add to the richness. To brighten it up, you could add in some of our favorite herbs as well.

Next time you find yourself feeling down on a cold day, make a large pot of this hearty soup! It will bring a smile to your face and warm you up from the inside out! You can enjoy this soup with something like these homemade garlic knots! A perfect duo!

The Basics

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Creamy Cheddar and Chive Potato Soup

A creamy, cheesy, flavorful soup that will surely become a family favorite!

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cheddar and chive, cheddar potato soup, easy meals, easy recipes, easy soups, loaded potato soup, potato soup, weeknight dinners

Servings: 8 cups

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 1 vidalia or white onion peeled and diced
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic cloves
• 1/2 c einkorn flour 1/4 c all purpose
• 32 oz chicken broth or veggie broth
• 2 c whole milk
• 3 cups of sharp cheddar or sharp white cheddar cheese shredded
• 3 large russet potatoes peeled and sliced to size
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 c crispy bacon chopped into pieces
• 1/2 c chives
• 1/2 c extra cheddar cheese shredded

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Instructions

• In a large dutch oven or stock pot heat a few tablespoons of butter or olive oil over medium heat. Add in chopped onion and garlic. Saute for a few minutes until its a beautiful caramel color and then add in the einkorn flour or all purpose flour. Toss around with the veggies for a minute or two. Once combined, add in chicken broth or veggie broth. Then add in milk and stir pot. Allow to bring up to a boil and thicken. Add half the salt and pepper at this point.
• Then, once boiling and thicker, add in cheese, potatoes, and left over salt and pepper. Mix around for a few minutes and place the lid on. Reduce heat down to a simmer or low heat. You will need to stir every few minutes to keep the potatoes from sticking to the bottom. It will take about 30-35 minutes to cook fully through.
• At this point, you can decide what kind of texture you would like for your soup. I like a more rustic consistency with a chunky texture so I use an immersion blender to keep a chunkier soup. If you would like a smooth texture, a creamier texture, I would use a food processor to fully blend up the baked potato soup. Another method would be to use a potato masher if you don't have any of the equipment listed. This will be a hybrid leaving some chunks but mostly smooth.

Finishing Touches

• To finish up this soup, you have so many options! This creamy potato soup goes with so many toppings and add ins, the sky is the limit! How I finished this potato soup recipe was with a generous helping of fresh chives, freshly cooked bacon pieces, extra cheddar cheese, and a dollop of sour cream! It was so delicious, the ultimate comfort food! But there are other options you could add. My son loves to add a few dashes of his favorite hot sauce. Adding a splash of heavy cream would add to the richness. To brighten it up, you could add in some of our favorite herbs as well.