Creamy Potato Soup with Cheddar and Scallions
A cozy stovetop potato soup with tender potato pieces, a creamy milk base and sharp cheddar. A potato masher gives it body without a blender.
A bowl of potato soup can be both creamy and pleasantly chunky. Here, russet potatoes simmer with onion, celery and a little thyme, then a potato masher breaks down part of the batch. Whole milk softens the flavor, and a modest amount of sharp cheddar adds a savory finish. Sliced scallions and the remaining cheese go on top.
This American-style soup uses everyday ingredients and a single pot. There is no bacon to fry and no separate blender jug to clean. The potatoes and a small amount of flour thicken the soup together, so the milk can be added near the end. It makes six portions for dinner or lunch, with leftovers that are easy to reheat.
Why you’ll love this recipe
A gentle saute mellows the onion and celery before liquid goes in. The flour disperses into the butter-coated vegetables, helping the milk base stay cohesive. Tender russet potatoes can be mashed directly in the pot to thicken the broth while leaving some pieces intact. Stirring cheddar in off the heat limits graininess.
Before you start · Equipment
Large heavy pot, at least 5 quarts (4.7 liters); cutting board; knife; vegetable peeler; kitchen scale; measuring jug; wooden spoon; potato masher; box grater; ladle; food thermometer for reheating.
Everything you’ll need.
Get your ingredients ready, then follow the quantities in the recipe below.
See ingredient amounts
This guide describes the original 6 bowls. Use the recipe card for amounts adjusted to your chosen yield.
Creamy soup with a few potato pieces
This is a chunky potato soup rather than a completely smooth puree. Mash a little, stir and check. Stop while you can still see some potato pieces. The soup continues to thicken as it stands, so a thin-looking base before the milk goes in does not necessarily need more flour.
Why the milk goes in near the end
The potatoes first cook in water with the softened vegetables and herbs. Once they are tender and partly mashed, milk only needs a short gentle heating. Stir along the bottom of the pot to prevent catching, and keep the finish below a hard boil.
Avoid grainy cheese
Use freshly grated cheese and remove the pot from the burner before adding it. Stir in small handfuls until each melts. A long simmer after adding cheddar can make the finish less smooth.
- Let the potatoes become fork-tender before mashing.
- Mash by hand and leave small chunks.
- Add cheese off the heat; do not boil the finished soup.
What to serve with potato soup
Serve the six bowls with the measured cheddar and scallion toppings. A crisp green salad or warm bread can accompany it, but these are extra to the nutrition estimate. For another simple stovetop dinner, try Tomato, White Bean and Spinach Orzo.
Refrigerate and reheat safely
Divide leftovers into shallow containers and refrigerate promptly, within two hours of cooking or one hour above 90°F (32°C). Do not leave the whole pot on the counter to cool completely. Keep at 40°F (4°C) or below and use within 3–4 days. Reheat only the portion needed, stirring frequently, to 165°F (74°C); USDA guidance for leftover soup also calls for bringing it to a rolling boil. Remove from the heat once reheated, because prolonged boiling can affect the milk and cheese texture. Add a splash of water if needed.
Make-ahead questions
Can I freeze it? Milk-based potato soup can separate and the potato texture may change after freezing, so refrigeration is the better quality choice for this finished recipe. Can I use broth? You may replace the water with vegetable broth, but its salt and nutrient values change the stated estimate; taste before adding the full salt amount. Can I make it completely smooth? This recipe is designed for a hand-mashed texture. Can I add bacon? You can offer separately cooked bacon as an extra topping, but it is not part of this recipe or its nutrition.
About the ingredients
- Russet potatoes
Their starch helps thicken the soup, and tender pieces are easy to mash by hand. Weigh 1 kg after peeling. Cut the pieces to a similar size for even cooking. Waxy potatoes keep their shape more firmly and give a different texture.
- Onion, celery and garlic
Finely diced onion and celery form the flavor base even though this recipe uses water. Soften them before adding the potatoes. Garlic goes in later to limit scorching.
- Whole milk and flour
Milk gives a mild, creamy finish without heavy cream. Stir flour into the butter-coated vegetables, then add water gradually to avoid lumps. Skim milk or plant drinks will change flavor, texture and nutrition; they are not assumed to perform identically.
- Sharp cheddar
Freshly grate a block for easier melting. Add 60 g to the hot soup after switching off the heat, and reserve 30 g for the bowls. Cheese with microbial or vegetarian rennet can be selected if that matters to you; do not assume every cheddar is vegetarian.
- Scallions and seasoning
The thinly sliced scallions add a fresh contrast to the soft potatoes. The listed salt amount is measured for the whole pot. Any extra salt, cheese or topping changes the nutrition estimate.
How to make Creamy Potato Soup with Cheddar and Scallions
Soften onion and celery in butter, coat with flour and add potatoes, water and thyme. Simmer until tender, mash part of the potatoes in the pot, then gently heat with milk. Melt in cheddar off the heat and finish the bowls with the remaining cheese and scallions.
1. Soften the vegetables and coat with flour
2. Simmer until the potatoes are tender
3. Mash part of the soup for body
4. Finish with milk, cheddar and scallionsWatch How To Make It
chefzelish.com
Creamy Potato Soup with Cheddar and Scallions
A cozy stovetop potato soup with tender potato pieces, a creamy milk base and sharp cheddar. A potato masher gives it body without a blender.
Ingredients
0 / 13 readyIngredient amounts for 6 bowls
Soup base
Cheddar and scallion finish
Let’s make it.
Soften the vegetables and coat with flour
Melt the butter in a large heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the diced onion and celery and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until softened without browning. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute so it coats the vegetables evenly. Keep the heat gentle so the garlic and flour do not scorch.
Simmer until the potatoes are tender
Add the water gradually, stirring and scraping the bottom to loosen the flour. Add the potato cubes, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and partly cover. Simmer for 18–22 minutes, stirring occasionally, until a fork slides easily through several potato pieces. The liquid should bubble gently rather than boil hard. If the potatoes are still firm, continue simmering until tender.
Mash part of the soup for body
Turn the heat off. Use a potato masher directly in the pot to crush roughly half the potato pieces, stirring between a few presses. Leave plenty of small chunks for texture. The starchy liquid should become thicker and pale. Do not use a high-speed blender or keep mashing after the soup has the texture you want.
Finish with milk, cheddar and scallions
Stir in the whole milk. Return the pot to low heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until hot throughout and just beginning to steam; avoid a vigorous boil. Turn the heat off and stir in 60 g of the grated cheddar a little at a time until melted. Divide the soup among six bowls and top evenly with the remaining 30 g cheddar and the sliced scallions. If it is too thick for your preference, stir in a small splash of water. Taste before adding any extra salt, because the cheddar contributes seasoning.
Nutrition per serving
1 bowl: one-sixth of the whole pot and the listed cheddar/scallion toppings. Estimates may vary with ingredients and brands.
- Calories
- 325 kcal
- Protein
- 11.3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 43.2 g
- Fat
- 12.6 g
- Saturated fat
- 7.3 g
- Fiber
- 3.4 g
- Sugar
- 7.9 g
- Sodium
- 556 mg
Checked 10/2/2026. Values are per the serving described above, regardless of recipe yield.
Notes from the kitchen.
Helpful tips
The 35-minute cooking estimate includes softening the vegetables, simmering the potatoes and warming the milk. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender; pot size, stove heat and cube size affect the timing.
Make it your own
Water is the specified cooking liquid. Broth can replace it, with different salt and nutrition. Whole milk, butter, flour and cheddar are included; the recipe is not dairy-free or gluten-free.
Storage & freezing
Refrigerate in shallow containers within two hours, or one hour above 90°F (32°C), at 40°F (4°C) or below. Use within 3–4 days. Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C) and bring soup to a rolling boil, then remove from the heat.
At the table
Makes six bowls. Nutrition is for one-sixth of the entire pot plus one-sixth of the listed cheddar and scallions. Bread, bacon, sour cream and extra seasoning are not included.
A little something delicious.
Keep this recipe close for the next time the craving strikes.
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