Easy Garlic Cheddar Potato Soup – Cozy One-Pot Dinner

Okay so everyone keeps asking me for this Garlic Cheddar Potato Soup recipe, and honestly? I keep putting it off because I was convinced nobody would believe how ridiculously easy it is. But after my 14-year-old made it by himself last week (and didn’t burn down the kitchen), I figured maybe it’s foolproof enough to share.

Look, I’m gonna be honest—my first attempt at Garlic Cheddar Potato Soup was back in February, and it was basically garlic-flavored milk with some sad potato chunks floating around. Disaster. Complete disaster. I followed this overly complicated recipe that had me roasting garlic for an hour like I was running some kind of fancy bistro.

This version happened when I got fed up and just started throwing stuff in one pot. Turns out, the secret is using enough fresh garlic (like, way more than you think you need) and not being stingy with the good cheddar cheese. Magic, honestly.

Why This Garlic Cheddar Potato Soup Recipe Actually Works :

Here’s the thing about most potato soup recipes—they either taste like nothing or they’re so complicated you need three pots and a degree in culinary arts. This Garlic Cheddar Potato Soup hits that perfect comfort food sweet spot where it’s creamy, garlicky, and actually tastes like something your grandma would make if she wasn’t obsessed with low-sodium everything.

The key is using the right potatoes and not being afraid of garlic. I learned this after making bland soup twice with russets that just fell apart into mush. Yukon Gold potatoes are your friend here—they get creamy without turning into paste, plus they actually taste like potatoes instead of starchy water.

My picky 12-year-old, who basically lives on chicken nuggets and complaints, cleaned his bowl and asked if there was more. That literally never happens. Even my mother-in-law, who has opinions about literally everything I cook, admitted it was “surprisingly flavorful for something so simple,” which from her is basically a Michelin star.

What I love most is that this truly is a one-pot meal. You sauté the aromatics, add everything else, simmer, blend a bit, add cheese, done. No separate pasta to boil, no complicated timing, no multiple dishes to wash later. Perfect for a Wednesday night when you’re tired and everyone’s hangry.

Shopping for Garlic Cheddar Potato Soup Ingredients :

Ingredient shopping for this is refreshingly straightforward, but there are definitely some things I learned the hard way:

The Potato Situation:

• 2.5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 1-inch pieces)
• Seriously, don’t use russets—they turn to mush. Trust me on this one.

The Garlic Glory:

• 8-10 garlic cloves, minced (yes, really, don’t be scared)
• Please use fresh garlic, not the pre-minced stuff from a jar

The Aromatics:

• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

The Liquid Base:

• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (vegetable broth works too)
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (don’t skimp on this—it’s what makes it creamy)

The Thickening Magic:

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• This is what keeps your soup from being thin and sad

The Cheese Situation:

• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated (please don’t use pre-shredded)
• Extra cheese for topping because obviously

Seasonings:

• Salt and pepper (you’ll need more salt than you think)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika for color
• Optional: 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes if you like a tiny kick

Speaking of shopping, good luck finding decent potatoes that aren’t sprouting or green. I’ve started buying them at the farmer’s market because grocery store potatoes are hit or miss. Also, please grate your own cheese for this—the pre-shredded stuff has weird coatings that make it not melt properly. Been there, learned that lesson the hard way.

How to Make Garlic Cheddar Potato Soup :

Step 1: Prep Everything First
Peel and cube your potatoes, dice your onion, mince your garlic. I know it seems obvious, but I’ve learned to do all this prep first because once you start cooking, things move fast and you don’t want to be frantically mincing garlic while your onions burn.

Step 2: Build the Flavor Base
Heat butter and olive oil in your biggest pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 5-6 minutes until soft and translucent. Then add all that minced garlic and cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant. Don’t burn the garlic—I did this once while helping with homework and the whole soup tasted bitter.

Step 3: Make a Quick Roux
Sprinkle the flour over the onion and garlic mixture and stir it around for 2-3 minutes. It’ll look like paste, but that’s totally normal. This is what’s going to thicken your soup later and keep it from being watery.

Step 4: Add Liquids Slowly
Here’s where most people mess up (including past me). Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, about a cup at a time, making sure each addition is smooth before adding more. Then add the milk and heavy cream. The key is going slow so you don’t get lumps from the flour.

Step 5: Add Potatoes and Simmer
Add your cubed potatoes, thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender. Stir occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom.

Step 6: The Blending Decision
Here’s where you get to choose your texture. I like to mash about half the potatoes right in the pot with a potato masher for a chunky-creamy texture. If you want it completely smooth, use an immersion blender. If you want it chunky, skip this step entirely.

Step 7: The Cheese Magic
Turn the heat to low (this is important) and gradually stir in the shredded cheddar cheese, about a handful at a time, until each addition is melted before adding more. If you add the cheese on high heat, it’ll get grainy and weird. Nobody wants grainy cheese soup.

Step 8: Final Touches
Taste and adjust seasoning—it probably needs more salt than you think. Let everything simmer together for another 5 minutes to thicken up and meld all the flavors. The soup should coat the back of a spoon but still be pourable.

My Hard-Won Tips for Perfect Garlic Cheddar Potato Soup :

After making this probably thirty-five times (my family’s completely obsessed), here’s what I wish someone had told me:

About the Garlic: Don’t be scared of using a lot of garlic. It mellows out as it cooks, and garlic is literally in the name of this soup. I’ve gone as high as 12 cloves and it was perfect. Also, mince it fine so you don’t bite into huge garlic chunks.

Potato Wisdom: Yukon Gold potatoes are absolutely crucial. I tried making this with russets once because they were on sale, and they turned into complete mush. Red potatoes work in a pinch, but Yukons give the best texture and flavor.

The Cheese Melting Trick: Add cheese off the heat or on very low heat. High heat makes cheese seize up and get grainy. If this happens anyway, whisk in a splash of warm broth and it usually smooths out.

Thickness Control: If your soup gets too thick (which it will as it sits), just thin it out with a splash of broth or milk when reheating. If it’s too thin, let it simmer uncovered for a few more minutes or mash more potatoes.

Storage Stuff: This soup is incredible fresh but gets really thick in the fridge. Just add liquid when reheating and stir well. Freezes okay for about 2 months, though the texture changes slightly—the potatoes can get a bit grainy and the cheese might separate a little.

What Makes This the Ultimate Cozy One-Pot Dinner :

This isn’t just soup—it’s like a warm hug in a bowl that happens to have an insane amount of garlic and cheese in it. The combination of creamy potatoes, mellow roasted garlic flavor, and sharp cheddar is basically everything good about comfort food but in a form you can eat with a spoon.

My kids fight over who gets to add the extra cheese on top of their bowls. Sometimes they’ll add some chopped chives if I’m lucky, but mostly it’s just more cheese. It’s become this whole production, but honestly, that’s half the fun.

I usually serve this with some crusty bread for dunking because obviously you need something to soak up every last drop. Sometimes I’ll make grilled cheese sandwiches if I’m feeling ambitious, but most of the time it’s just whatever bread I have lying around. Works perfectly.

The Real Talk About This Easy Recipe :

Look, I make this Garlic Cheddar Potato Soup at least twice a month now, especially when the weather gets cold. It’s become my go-to when I want something that feels indulgent but doesn’t require me to be in the kitchen for three hours or use every pot I own.

The best part is how impressed people get when they find out it’s homemade. My sister-in-law, who usually orders everything from Grubhub, asked me to teach her how to make it after I brought some over when she was sick. That’s when you know you’ve got a winner recipe.

Is it healthy? Absolutely not. Is it delicious and satisfying and exactly what you want on a cold Thursday night when everything feels hard? One hundred percent yes. Sometimes you need food that just makes you happy, and this soup delivers every single time.

My husband, who’s usually pretty diplomatic about my cooking experiments, told me this was better than the potato soup at that fancy restaurant downtown. Higher praise than any food blog review, honestly.

Variations I’ve Actually Tried :

Sometimes I throw in some crispy bacon bits during the last few minutes of cooking. Adds smokiness and makes it feel even more indulgent. I’ve also added some chopped fresh chives or green onions when I’m feeling like we need more color.

Once I made this with leftover roasted garlic from dinner the night before—just squeezed it right into the soup. Different texture but even more intense garlic flavor. My garlic-loving family was obsessed.

I’ve experimented with different cheeses too—sharp cheddar is my favorite, but I’ve done it with a mix of cheddar and Gruyere when I was feeling fancy. Even threw in some cream cheese once when I ran out of heavy cream. Still good.

Make-Ahead and Serving Tips :

This Garlic Cheddar Potato Soup is perfect for meal prep, though it does get thick when refrigerated. I usually make a double batch on Sunday and portion it out for the week. Just add a splash of broth or milk when reheating and it’s good as new.

For parties or potlucks, I set up a little topping bar with extra cheese, chopped chives, bacon bits, and even some sour cream. People love building their own loaded bowls, and it makes a simple soup feel like something special.

So there you have it—my not-so-secret Garlic Cheddar Potato Soup recipe that’s basically saved my cold-weather dinner routine and made me the neighborhood soup lady. Try it on a night when you want maximum garlic and cheese with minimum effort.

Fair warning: once your family tries this, they’ll probably request it weekly. Mine does. At least it’s easy to make and uses one pot, right?

Happy cooking! (And may your garlic never burn and your cheese always melt smoothly!)