The Soup Market’s Potato Cheddar Soup
This recipe from The Soup Market is pure comfort. The key to this soup is caramelizing the onions; you want them slightly darker than peanut butter. Stir them often and don’t let them burn. Also, either sharp or extra-sharp cheddar works the best. Your patience will be rewarded with a deeply flavored, rich soup.
Recipe tested by Alysha Witwicki
Makes 10 servings
1⁄2 stick (2 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
2 medium yellow onions, diced
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 tablespoon kosher salt 1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 sprigs fresh thyme
6 cups chicken stock
6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
4-5 medium red potatoes, washed and cut into 1-inch dice
16 ounces shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
11⁄2 cups sour cream
In a heavy bottomed Dutch oven or an 8-quart stockpot, cook onions in butter over medium heat until very caramelized. If they start to burn or cook unevenly, lower the heat and/or add a few tablespoons of water. Add garlic, salt, cayenne pepper and thyme; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add russet potatoes and chicken stock; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until potatoes fall apart.
In a separate 2-quart saucepan, add diced red potatoes. Cover with water and add a teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil. Cook until tender but not falling apart, 12-15 minutes. Drain and reserve the water to thin the soup at the end if necessary. When the russet potatoes are tender, turn off the heat. Remove the thyme sprigs and puree soup using an immersion blender until smooth. If the soup is too thick, thin with water a little at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
Once smooth, add cheese in batches until melted; blend with the immersion blender. Add the sour cream until well incorporated and blend with an immersion blender again. Add drained, cooked red potatoes and taste for seasoning. Adjust the thickness, if desired, by adding more reserved potato cooking water.
Serve with crusty bread or a pretzel roll.