Save Time and Savor Flavor with Freezer-Friendly Potato Cheese Soup

Nothing warms you up like a bowl of Potato Cheese Soup on a chilly night. 🥣 This comforting dish is rich, creamy, and loaded with tender potatoes, cheddar, and a touch of smoky bacon. Perfect for busy nights or cozy weekends, this soup is freezer-friendly, making dinner easy and delicious. Try it today and make your kitchen smell amazing!

A white bowl filled with creamy Potato Cheese Soup, garnished with shredded cheese, bacon, and fresh herbs for added flavor.

This freezer-friendly potato cheese soup is one of my favorite recipes, and I first discovered it through Ree Drummond on The Pioneer Woman. In the culinary world, I most look up to her, not just because she makes amazing food, but because she does it while juggling a busy life on a ranch, homeschooling her children, and running a business. I have been watching her from the beginning and have never had a recipe of hers I didn’t like.

This recipe for freezer-friendly potato cheese soup is originally from her, but I made a few substitutions to keep the soup on the healthier side. Even with a few modifications, this soup still has deep flavor and a creamy kick. And what do I love most? It is freezer-friendly, making my life easier and conveniently delicious.

How to Make Freezer-Friendly Potato Cheese Soup

This freezer-friendly potato cheese soup is hearty, creamy, and perfect for busy nights. Follow these simple steps to create a dish that’s as convenient as it is delicious!

Step 1: Dice Your Vegetables

First, you will need to dice up 3 carrots, 3 celery stalks, and a medium-sized onion. Try to make them all of uniform size so that they will cook evenly.

Freshly diced carrots, celery, and onions piled together, ready to bring flavor to the Potato Cheese Soup base.

Step 2: Chop The Potatoes

Then chop up 6 peeled potatoes. Russets and red potatoes work great.

A close-up of freshly cubed potatoes, ready to add heartiness to the creamy Potato Cheese Soup recipe.

Step 3: Cook Your Bacon

Next, prepare your bacon. Ree’s recipe calls for frying the bacon in the same pan as you’ll make the soup so that you can use the grease as your cooking and flavoring agent. I have made the soup that way, and it is phenomenal! But if you want to save a few calories, make your bacon (or even turkey bacon!) in the oven using the easy clean-up oven-cooked bacon recipe.

All the grease will drip to the bottom, and you’ll be left with nothing but crispy pieces to chop up for the topping of your potato cheese soup. I did this with turkey bacon and didn’t regret it!

Crisp slices of cooked bacon lined up on a plate, ready to crumble over Potato Cheese Soup for a smoky, savory kick.

Step 4: Cook The Vegetables

Set the bacon aside and cook up the vegetables. If you cooked the bacon in the same pot, keep the grease, throw in the vegetables, and cook on medium to high heat for about 3 minutes. Use olive oil if you’re cooking the bacon another way.

Diced carrots, celery, and onions sautéing together in a pot, forming the aromatic base for the Potato Cheese Soup.

Step 5: Add The Potatoes And Seasonings

Add in the potatoes, 2 teaspoons of Creole seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of Kosher salt, and a pinch of pepper. Let it cook for about 5 minutes.

Seasoned cubed potatoes and mixed vegetables combined in the pot, getting ready to simmer into the Potato Cheese Soup.

Step 6: Prep The Cheese And Slurry

Meanwhile, get to grating a cup of Colby Jack cheese. You will also need a teaspoon of minced parsley and a slurry made of 1 cup of milk and 3 tablespoons of flour.

Shredded Colby Jack cheese and minced parsley prepared in a bowl, ready to enhance the Potato Cheese Soup’s creamy texture.

My friend Candice was the one who had me try this freezer-friendly potato cheese soup first. I remember the cold February night I spent at her house when my husband and I were on a house-hunting trip to Knoxville. It was about 20 degrees outside, and we were seriously doubting whether our warm California blood could handle a Tennessee winter.

Candice pulled out all the stops and served us this potato cheese soup in her warm kitchen. The soup and her hospitality won us over, and we moved to town a month later.

Step 7: Add Broth And Thicken The Soup

Head back to the vegetables to add your 8 cups of reduced-sodium chicken broth. Bring the broth to a gentle boil and then let it cook until the potatoes are tender. It will be about 10-12 minutes. When that is finished, pour in the slurry you made and allow the potato cheese soup to thicken for another 5 minutes.

A pot filled with chicken broth, diced vegetables, and potatoes simmering together to build the rich base of Potato Cheese Soup.

Step 8: Blend The Soup

When the potatoes are tender, ladle portions of the potato cheese soup into a blender or food processor. Blend it until it is smooth, and then pour it into a new pot. Process the rest of the soup the same way.

A blender filled with Potato Cheese Soup, blending until smooth and creamy, ready for its final transformation.

Step 9: Add The Final Ingredients

Heat up the pureed potato cheese soup slowly and add in 1/2 cup of heavy cream and the parsley. You may want to test the soup at this point to see if it is lacking any seasoning.

A pot of Potato Cheese Soup with heavy cream and fresh herbs stirred in for an extra creamy and flavorful finish.

Step 10: Serve With Toppings

Ladle portions into nice big bowls and top with a handful of the grated Colby Jack cheese. Chop up your bacon and sprinkle that on top as well.

Potato Cheese Soup topped with crispy bacon, shredded cheese, and fresh herbs, served hot for a delicious meal.

Why This Soup Is A Winner

Candice also made this recipe at our homeschool co-op’s Crockpot soup day. Every family brought a slow cooker full of soup to share, and we had a blast trying everyone’s recipes. I brought my hearty 3-bean vegetarian chili, but since about 12 other people also brought chili, it was totally overrated and unexciting. I went back for Candice’s soup twice!

This freezer-friendly potato cheese soup has a real depth of flavor. There are so many rich and creamy elements that your taste buds can’t get enough!

A bowl of Potato Cheese Soup topped with crispy bacon, shredded cheese, and fresh herbs, served hot for a delicious meal.

The best part about this meal is that it can be frozen. I made this soup for a friend who had knee surgery. She was able to have a fresh bowl the night I delivered it and then freeze the rest for another time. To thaw, simply heat it in a pan until smooth or let it thaw in the fridge overnight. I freeze it in a ziplock bag and thaw it under warm water. I love the kind of meals you make once and eat twice!

For more soup ideas, check out my recipe index or follow my slurpable soups board on Pinterest. Happy cooking, y’all!

A steaming bowl of Potato Cheese Soup garnished with crispy bacon, shredded cheese, and fresh herbs, ready for a cozy meal.
A bowl of Potato Cheese Soup topped with crispy bacon, shredded cheese, and fresh herbs, served hot for a delicious meal.

Freezer-Friendly Potato Cheese Soup

This creamy, comforting potato cheese soup is loaded with tender potatoes, cheddar, and a touch of smoky bacon. It's easy to prepare, freezer-friendly, and perfect for busy nights or cozy weekends. Make a big batch and savor the rich flavors any time!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Calories: 350

Ingredients
  

  • 3 medium carrots diced
  • 3 stalks celery diced
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 6 medium potatoes peeled and chopped, Russet or red potatoes recommended
  • 6 slices bacon or turkey bacon cooked and chopped, plus more for topping if desired
  • 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1 pinch black pepper
  • 8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup Colby Jack cheese grated, plus extra for topping
  • 1 tsp parsley minced, plus extra for garnish (optional)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil if not using bacon grease

Equipment

  • 1 Large Pot
  • 1 Blender
  • 1 knife
  • 1 cutting board
  • 1 Cheese Grater
  • 1 Measuring Cup
  • 1 Set Measuring Spoons
  • 1 bowl
  • 1 Ladle
  • 1 Baking Sheet

Method
 

  1. Dice the carrots, celery, and onion into uniform pieces.
  2. Peel and chop the potatoes into cubes.
  3. Cook the bacon until crispy. Set aside, and chop when cool. If using the same pot for soup, leave the bacon grease in the pot. If baking bacon in the oven, use olive oil for sautéing vegetables.
  4. Add the diced carrots, celery, and onion to the pot with bacon grease (or olive oil). Sauté over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes.
  5. Add the chopped potatoes, Creole seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  6. While the vegetables cook, grate the Colby Jack cheese and mince the parsley. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and flour to make a slurry.
  7. Add the chicken broth to the pot. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until potatoes are tender, about 10–12 minutes.
  8. Stir in the milk-flour slurry. Allow the soup to thicken, cooking for an additional 5 minutes.
  9. Working in batches, carefully blend the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth. Transfer the pureed soup to a clean pot.
  10. Slowly heat the pureed soup over low heat. Stir in the heavy cream and minced parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  11. Ladle the soup into bowls. Top each serving with grated cheese, chopped bacon, and extra parsley if desired. Serve hot.

Notes

  • To freeze: Cool soup completely, transfer to freezer-safe containers or bags, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or under warm water, then reheat gently on the stove.
  • For a lighter version, use turkey bacon and substitute half-and-half for heavy cream.
  • Red potatoes or Russets both work well; peel for a smoother texture.
  • For vegetarian soup, omit bacon and use vegetable broth.
  • Adjust Creole seasoning to taste for more or less spice.
  • Garnish with extra cheese, bacon, and fresh herbs for added flavor and color.
Heidi Davison

Head Baker & Owner

Hi, I'm Heidi, Head Baker and Owner of Heidi's Bakery in Knoxville, TN.

What began as a blog to share family recipes has become a thriving bakery, thanks to community support.
Many recipes here are from my family’s cookbook. Give them a try and leave a comment below!

Heidi Davison the Owner of Heidis Bakery

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