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Mashed Potato Soup

Mashed potato soup made silky-smooth with cheddar and sour cream, simmered until velvety and heated through. Finished with a buttery swirl, bacon bits, and chives for a cozy American main-dish bowl.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 540
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Soup base
  • 3 cup leftover mashed potatoes Use freshly made if you don’t have leftovers.
  • 3 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup whole milk
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter Plus extra for serving.
  • 3 clove garlic Minced.
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
Seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp white pepper
Toppings
  • 1 bacon bits For serving (amount to taste).
  • 1 chives For serving (amount to taste).
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter Optional extra swirl.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté garlic
  1. Melt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large pot over medium heat, then sauté the minced garlic for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden.
  2. Keep the heat at medium so the garlic smells fragrant but doesn’t brown.
Build and simmer
  1. Whisk the mashed potatoes, chicken broth, heavy cream, and whole milk together in the pot until smooth with no lumps.
  2. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, whisking continuously for about 5 minutes until heated through and silky.
Melt in cheese and sour cream
  1. Stir in the shredded cheddar and sour cream and mix until fully melted and completely smooth.
  2. If it thickens too much, keep whisking and let it loosen over the same gentle heat for 1-2 minutes.
Season and serve
  1. Season with garlic powder, salt, and white pepper, stirring until evenly incorporated.
  2. Serve hot with a swirl of butter, bacon bits, and chives on top.

Notes

Pro tip: for the silkiest texture, whisk the soup until smooth right after adding the potatoes, then maintain a gentle simmer (not a hard boil) while heating. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove, whisking as needed. Freezing: not recommended because dairy can separate after thawing. Dietary swap: use half-and-half or low-fat milk for a lighter version, noting the soup may be slightly less rich.