Creamy Cheesy Potato Soup (Gluten-Free)

This Creamy Cheesy Potato Soup is a real winner, packed with delicious flavors and textures. It’s getting to be time for a huge pot of soothing hot soup.

Our favorite soup I make is potato leek, but I thought it would be fun to do something different this time. Adding more vegetables to boost the flavors, and since it is fall, pump it up even more with cheese, cream and bacon. Oh yeah, this one is good!

To add a touch of heat and direct the flavors towards southwestern, I added some chiles and cumin. You could leave them out and add your favorite herbs to change the cheesy potato soup into something totally different.

If you are looking for ways to get your kids to eat their vegetables, this is a meal they will love. Cook the vegetables until soft and then puree them with an immersion blender. With the flavors from the cheese and chiles plus the bacon on top, your kids will never know it’s got good things for them in the bowl!

I love being able to put everything into one pot and let it cook with just a quick stir every once in a while. If you don’t already have one, you definitely should get a Dutch oven. They will last for many years, are a great investment, and you can pass them down to the next generation of cooks in your family!

With the big football weekends coming up, I know this Creamy Cheesy Potato Soup will be showing up on our table. And I can guarantee that many of them will be in our regular rotation until the weather turns warm again.

Have a wonderful weekend!

How to make Creamy Cheesy Potato Soup:

1. Cook the bacon until crispy and drain; set aside
2. Sauté the onions, carrots, celery, chiles, and cumin
3. Add the stock, potatoes, and seasonings
4. Cook until tender then puree partially or wholly
5. Stir in the cream and most of the cheese to melt
6. Serve garnished with chiles, green onions, and bacon

PRO Tip:

You can leave the soup chunky by using a potato masher to smash some of the potatoes to thicken the soup slightly, or use an immersion blender to puree it until completely smooth.

Key Ingredients for this Recipe

• Bacon
• Onions, carrots, celery
• Green chiles, such as Hatch
• Chicken or vegetable stock
• Potatoes
• Half and half
• Sharp cheddar or Colby cheese, grated
• Green onions

Kitchen Tools I Use to Make This Recipe

• Dutch oven
• Chef’s knife
• Slotted spoon
• Immersion blender
• Ladle
• Soup bowls

Other Soup Recipes You May Enjoy:

• Jack O’Lantern Black and Orange Soup
• Italian Cream of Tomato Soup
• Chile Tortilla Soup
• Yellow Split Pea Soup with Ham
• Roasted Ginger-Sweet Potato Soup
• Avgolemono Lemon Chicken and Rice Soup

Gluten-Free Tips:

Make sure the stock you use is gluten-free, or better yet, use homemade so you know for sure that it is safe for your family. Also, choose a gluten-free bacon – many processed meats contain gluten!

Yield: about 6 servings

Creamy Cheesy Potato Soup (Gluten-Free)

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Everyone will love this Creamy and Cheesy Potato Soup. Pure indulgence in every bite and the perfect meal on cold, rainy or snowy days.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 strips bacon, chopped
• 2 cups chopped onions (about 3 medium)
• 4 carrots, trimmed and chopped
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 to 2 tbsp mild green chopped Hatch chiles, or to taste (plus extra for garnish)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 3 cups (about 1 lb) peeled and diced Russet potatoes
• 1 tsp kosher or fine sea salt
• 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 14 oz sharp cheddar or Colby cheese, grated, divided
• Finely chopped green onions or chives, for garnish

Instructions

1. In a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a plate covered with paper towels.
2. Remove all but 3 tbsp of the bacon fat, then add the onions, carrots, celery, green chiles, and cumin to the pot. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes, salt, and thyme. Reduce the heat to medium and cook at a low boil until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
3. You can leave the soup chunky or use an immersion blender to puree it. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream and most of the cheese. Cook, stirring often, until melted, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.
4. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and garnish with the chopped chiles, green onions, and crisp bacon. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 716 Total Fat: 48g Saturated Fat: 23g Trans Fat: 1g Unsaturated Fat: 20g Cholesterol: 189mg Sodium: 1370mg Carbohydrates: 21g Net Carbohydrates: 0g Fiber: 3g Sugar: 7g Sugar Alcohols: 0g Protein: 50g

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Create a New Tradition Today!

This recipe is part of Food Network’s weekly Comfort Food Fest celebration. See the links below for this week’s inspiring recipes and check out our Pinterest page for even more! 

The Lemon Bowl: Slow Cooker Posole Rojo
Creative Culinary: Split Pea Soup with Carrots and Ham
Homemade Delish: Italian Cioppino Soup
Taste with the Eyes: Wintery French Lentil Soup with Beef, Carrots, Sherry Vinegar
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Tomato Soup
Dishing with Divya: Roasted Cauliflower and Carrot Creamy Vegetable Soup
From My Corner of Saratoga: Pressure Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup (in a slow cooker)
Red or Green: New Mexican Green Chile, Turkey & Posole Soup
The Heritage Cook: Creamy Cheesy Potato Soup (Gluten-Free)
In Jennie’s Kitchen: 14 Sensational Soups
Big Girls Small Kitchen: Winter Squash & Chickpea Ribollita
The Mediterranean Dish: Mediterranean Spicy Spinach Lentil Soup
The Mom 100: Spicy Thai Chicken and Rice Noodle Soup
Healthy Eats: 5 No-Brainers for Improving Chicken Soup
FN Dish: Soup’s On! 5 Warming Must-Make Bowls

First Published: 7 Jan 2016

Last Updated: 4 Oct 2019

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