Cheesy Potato Soup

Oh, a bowl of warm, comforting, thick, rich, CHEESY baked potato soup, you say? Yes please. I’ll have seven bowls.

Especially if they are in cute little pumpkin bowls like pictured above. I mean…if it doesn’t have pumpkin in the recipe, I gotta throw some fall in their somehow. No pumpkin? Pumpkin bowls. Seems legit.

Potato soup has always been one of my favorite meals. It was one of my mom’s go-to’s when I was growing up…my brothers and I were obsessed with it. She loved it because it is crazy simple/relatively quick, and we loved it because it gave us a perfect avenue to shove as much cheese, bacon, and green onions that we could into our bellies.

I mean…the soup is delicious, but it’s really all about dem toppings…feel me?

Cheese, bacon, onions, more cheese, maybe an extra crumble (or handful) of bacon – that’s where it’s AT, man.

This soup takes a regular baked potato soup (with a few delicious tricks thrown in [more on that later]) and adds an ingredient that takes the pot of goodness to a whole ‘nother level: cheese – YAS. Cheese is everything. If you don’t like cheese…GET OUTTA HERE!!! Just kidding, you can stay, internet frand.

But…fo reals…everything is better with cheese. Burgers? Yep. Sandwiches? Of course. Jewelry, so I can munch it off myself as the day passes (90s kids, where you at with my candy necklaces ?)? Sure!

But cheese with baked potato soup? D.e.f.i.n.i.t.e.l.y with a CAPITAL D. And when you are topping your soup with your goodies, you can even add more cheese if you want to be super rebellious. I like to live on the edge. In this case, the “edge” is defined by having a cheese that is dangerously teetering over the edge of being more of a queso than a soup. But it’s all good. You only live once, amIright?

So…those extra delicious tricks I mentioned earlier. I’ve got two for ya:

1. Chicken base in the potatoes. My mother-in-law taught this trick to me. She uses it when she makes mashed potatoes, and I have now borrowed stolen it and claimed it as my own, but not just for mashed potatoes. Any time I boil potatoes for any reason, I add a few tablespoon of chicken base to the water. It adds such amazing, deep, warm flavor to the potatoes, which brings flavor and complexity to your final dish, whatever that may be.
2. Nutmeg. Adding nutmeg is a secret little twist for any cream sauce, cheese sauce, or creamy soup. Not enough so that you really taste the nutmeg, but just enough so that you get an extra note of complexity and warmth in your final flavor.

Can we talk about the fact that it’s NOVEMBER FOURTH? Like…what happened.

Did October even happen? Is the world playing a trick on me and it’s actually October 10th right now? If so, hahaha….haha…ha…TELL ME NOW. It’s the only logical possibility that I can create in my mind for the fact that we have passed into November already.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, but have I posted one Thanksgiving recipe? Negative. Hopefully that will change next week. After I post some Pumpkin Spice Granola that I’ve had on the back burner for about a week, you can get ready to say hello to some Thanksgiving goodness.

I do love Thanksgiving, but what excites me more about the holiday is the fact that CHRISTMAS is right after it! I’m quite a large fan of Christmas. It is my favorite time of the whole year by far. But, but, but, but, BUT – I will give Thanksgiving its fair turn. Besides, it is a holiday that is basically centered around cooking, so how could I not absolutely love it??

I am mourning the passing of October with these adorable pumpkin bowls. Goodbye, October…?. Let’s go, Thanksgiving!

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Nutrition info is for 1.5 cups of soup topped with half a slice of bacon and a few tablespoons of green onions!

If you make this or any of my other recipes, be sure to Instagram it and hashtag #thegarlicdiaries!

In the mood for more potato recipes? Check these out:

Sausage Stuffed Twice Baked Potatoes

Crispy Potato Curry [vegan + gluten free]

Buffalo Chicken Potato Skins with Greek Yogurt Ranch