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Cheddar cheese soup.
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4.78 from 9 votes

Cheddar Cheese Soup Recipe

A cheddar cheese soup with 6 CUPS of cheddar cheese? I think yes! This is my ultimate cheese soup. It's thickened perfectly with a roux and made with minimal ingredients, so you can savor the taste of the sharp cheddar.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cheddar cheese soup
Servings: 6
Author: Emily Richter

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
  • ÂĽ small yellow onion minced
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 24 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided (~6 cups)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon cracked pepper

Quick Croutons

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2 slices sandwich bread chopped

Instructions

  • Heat a Dutch oven over low/medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and the minced yellow onion. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onions are soft and golden.
    a pan filled with food on a white background.
  • To make the roux, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and flour to the cooked onions. Whisk often for 1 to 2 minutes. The roux should be a blond color.
    a pot filled with a mixture of flour and water.
  • Remove from heat, and slowly whisk in the chicken broth and heavy cream. Continue whisking until all of the lumps are gone. Approximately 5 minutes.
    a white pot with a yellow liquid in it.
  • Stir in the hot sauce, kosher salt, and cracked pepper.
  • Next, fold in 5 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese. And return to heat to cook on low for 10 minutes.
    a pan with cheese in it on a white background.
  • While the soup is simmering, prepare the croutons.
  • Place a large skillet over medium/high heat. Add the 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan. Allow the butter to melt.
  • When the butter is completely melted, stir in the garlic powder and crushed red pepper.
  • Next, toss the chopped bread pieces into the butter mixture. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until all of the pieces are nicely toasted.
    a frying pan with a piece of bread in it.
  • Serve the soup topped with ÂĽ cup of shredded cheddar and the quick croutons.
    Cheddar cheese soup.

Notes

  • While it’s definitely okay to sautĂ© the onions over high heat, DO NOT add in the cheese over high heat. Cheese is finicky and drastic temperature changes can cause it to become clumpy and grainy.
  • Skip the crushed red pepper in the croutons to get rid of the heat.
  • Make this vegetarian by using vegetable stock.

Nutrition

Calories: 864kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 77g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g