Potato-Cheese Soup

This potato cheese soup gets blended completely smooth, so it pours like velvet and every spoonful tastes like the same rich, cheesy, creamy thing. No chunky bits, no starchy pieces, just a seamless bowl.

Sautéed onion and diced potatoes simmer in chicken broth until tender, then hit the blender. Back in the pot, a full cup of heavy cream and 1 ½ cups of sharp cheddar melt in, turning the soup into something thick enough to coat a spoon.

Fresh dill stirred in right before serving is the finishing touch that keeps this from tasting like generic cheese soup. A quarter cup of minced dill is generous, and the herby, slightly anise-like flavor cuts through the richness and gives each bowl a bright, fresh note.

Kitchen Tips

• Use sharp or extra-sharp cheddar. Mild cheddar melts fine but contributes almost no flavor. You need a cheese that can stand up to the potato and cream.
• Add the cheese off the heat or on very low heat. High heat causes cheddar to seize up and turn grainy instead of melting smoothly.
• Blend until truly smooth. A few pulses won’t cut it. Blend a full 30-60 seconds for that velvety restaurant-quality texture.
• Stir in the dill last. Cooking fresh dill kills its flavor and turns it drab green. Add it off the heat, right before serving.

Variations

• Loaded potato soup: Skip the blender. Leave the potatoes chunky and top with crumbled bacon, sour cream, and chives.
• Broccoli cheddar: Add 2 cups of chopped broccoli florets to the pot during the last 5 minutes of simmering before blending.
• Lighter version: Replace the cream with whole milk and reduce the cheese to 1 cup. Still rich, just not as indulgent.