Go Back
A bowl of cheesy potato soup that rivals Le Cellier’s iconic dish, topped with shredded cheese, crispy bacon bits, sour cream, and chopped green onions. A hand with a light purple manicure is holding a spoon, scooping up a portion of the soup. A slice of bread is on the side.

Cheesy Potato Soup

This Potato Soup is loaded with all your favorite potato toppings in a warm, satisfying bowl. Cheese, crisp bacon, scallions, and of course, hearty potatoes in a creamy savory sauce. It's the best potato soup for chilly days!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 10
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 6-8 slices bacon
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 4 tablespoons flour
  • 2 quarts chicken broth (8 cups)
  • 10 Yukon gold potatoes
  • 2 cups half and half
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • kosher salt to taste
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • shredded cheese for garnish, optional
  • sour cream optional
  • green onion for garnish, optional

Method
 

  1. Step 1: Cook bacon and cut it into ½" pieces. Place bacon pieces in a large saucepan or Dutch oven and cook over medium-high heat until bacon is crispy.
    A pot filled with small pieces of bacon frying in bubbling oil, setting the stage for a cheesy potato soup that rivals Le Cellier’s iconic dish. A wooden spoon rests beside the pot on a white countertop, with a blue and white checkered cloth in the background.
  2. Step 2: Carefully remove the bacon from the pot and place it on a paper towel to drain. Set aside. Pour off most of the grease from the pot but leave about 3 to 4 tablespoons of the grease in the pot. Do not wipe clean. 
    Cooked, crumbled bacon pieces draining on a white paper towel next to a metal skillet with bacon grease and bits left inside, ready to elevate your Cheesy Potato Soup That Rivals Le Cellier’s Iconic Dish.
  3. Step 3: Add diced onion to the pot and sauté until onions become soft and clear.
    A stainless steel pot contains sautéed finely chopped onions, setting the stage for a cheesy potato soup that rivals Le Cellier’s iconic dish. To the left, a blue and white checkered cloth is partially visible. A wooden spoon rests on the right side of the pot on a white surface.
  4. Step 4: Sprinkle flour over the onions and stir well to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 3 minutes.
    A metal pot on a white surface containing sautéed onions and flour, ready for making a roux. A wooden spoon lies beside the pot, and a folded blue and white checkered cloth is partially visible on the left—perfect beginnings for a cheesy potato soup that rivals Le Cellier’s iconic dish.
  5. Step 5: Slowly add chicken broth, whisking constantly with a large whisk to make a slurry. Bring to a boil. 
    A large stainless steel pot filled with a light yellow liquid is placed on a white marble surface. To the left is a folded blue and white gingham cloth, and to the right, a metal whisk rests on the countertop. This Cheesy Potato Soup rivals Le Cellier’s iconic dish.
  6. Step 6: Peel and cut potatoes into 1" cubes. Add diced potatoes to the pot and reduce to medium heat. Simmer potatoes for 10 to 12 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender, stirring often.
    A stainless steel pot filled with a creamy, cheesy potato soup that rivals Le Cellier’s iconic dish sits on a white surface. A blue and white checkered cloth is partially visible in the background, and a wooden spoon rests beside the pot.
  7. Step 7: Add half and half and stir until well combined.
    A metal pot is filled with a creamy yellow mixture, likely cheesy potato soup that rivals Le Cellier’s iconic dish, as a measuring cup pours cream or milk into it. A blue and white checkered cloth is partially visible in the background.
  8. Step 8: Carefully place half of the soup in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Be careful not to overfill the blender. You may want to do this in batches.
    A close-up of a Blendtec blender pitcher filled with a light-colored liquid, possibly Cheesy Potato Soup That Rivals Le Cellier’s Iconic Dish, standing on a white countertop. In the background, there's a large stainless steel pot with a black ladle resting on its rim. A blue and white checkered cloth is also visible.
  9. Step 9: Add the blended mixture back to the soup pot and stir in shredded cheese and cooked bacon. Add salt and pepper to taste. If not serving right away, pour the soup into a slow cooker to keep warm until ready to serve.
    A stainless steel pot contains a creamy cheesy potato soup that rivals Le Cellier’s iconic dish. Shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon are visible on the surface. A wooden spoon rests beside the pot on a white marble countertop, with a blue and white checked cloth partially visible.
  10. Step 10: Place in individual bowls and garnish with additional shredded cheese, sour cream, and/or chopped green onion.
    A ladle filled with creamy, cheesy potato soup that rivals Le Cellier’s iconic dish hovers above a pot. Slices of fresh bread and small bowls containing shredded cheese, green onions, and crispy bacon bits are arranged in the background, offering toppings and sides for the soup.

Notes

Recipe Tips:
  • This soup will stay in the fridge for up to a week.
  • Tastes best when re-heated over the stove.
  • Do not freeze.