This Cottage Cheese Potato Soup is thick, creamy, and cozy without needing a lot of heavy cream. The potatoes make the soup soft and hearty, while blended cottage cheese gives it a smooth texture and extra protein. It is simple enough for a weeknight but tastes like the kind of soup you want on a cold, slow day.
Why I Love This Recipe
A few things make this one worth keeping:
- It uses simple grocery store ingredients.
- Blended cottage cheese makes it extra creamy.
- Potatoes naturally thicken the soup.
- Cheddar adds a familiar, savory flavor.
- It takes about 45 minutes from start to finish.
- The leftovers heat up well.
- You can easily change the toppings.
Recipe at a Glance
- Servings: 6
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 30 minutes
- Total time: About 45 minutes
- Method: Stovetop
- Skill level: Easy
What You’ll Need
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion, diced, about 1 cup
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cups cottage cheese, preferably 4% milkfat
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup whole milk
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled, optional
How to Make Cottage Cheese Potato Soup
Step 1: Cook the Onion
Place a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. Once it melts, add 1 medium onion, diced, about 1 cup.
Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring now and then. The onion should become soft and a little clear. Do not let it get dark brown.
Step 2: Add Garlic and Seasonings
Add 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and ½ teaspoon dried thyme to the softened onion.
Stir for about 30 seconds. You only need enough time for the garlic and thyme to smell good.
Step 3: Cook the Potatoes
Add 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes, and 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth.
Stir well. Turn the heat up and bring the soup to a gentle boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and cover loosely. Simmer for 15 to 18 minutes.
The potatoes are ready when a fork slides into them easily.
Step 4: Blend the Cottage Cheese
While the potatoes cook, put 2 cups cottage cheese and ½ cup whole milk into a blender.
Blend until completely smooth. Stop and scrape the sides if needed. The mixture should look thick and creamy, with no large cottage cheese curds left.
Step 5: Make It Creamy
Turn the heat to low. Slowly stir in the blended mixture made from 2 cups cottage cheese and ½ cup whole milk.
Then add 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese a handful at a time. Stir until the cheddar has melted and the soup is creamy.
Keep the heat low and do not let the soup boil after adding the cottage cheese mixture.
Step 7: Finish and Serve
Taste the soup and add a little extra salt if needed.
Ladle the hot soup into round bowls. Top the full batch with 3 thinly sliced green onions and 4 slices cooked, crumbled bacon, if using. Serve while warm.
Why This Recipe Works (Quick Science)
Russet potatoes have lots of starch. As they cook, some of that starch moves into the broth. Mashing a few potatoes releases even more starch, which naturally thickens the soup.
Blending the cottage cheese matters. Cottage cheese starts with visible curds. Blending it with milk breaks those curds into much smaller pieces and gives you a smoother base.
Low heat keeps it creamy. Cottage cheese contains milk proteins. Very high heat can make those proteins tighten and give the soup a grainy texture. That is why the cottage cheese goes in near the end over low heat.
Cheddar adds fat and flavor. Adding it slowly gives the cheese time to melt into the warm soup instead of forming one big clump.
Pro Tips
- Cut the potatoes evenly. Aim for ½-inch cubes so they finish cooking at about the same time.
- Blend the cottage cheese well. Give it enough time to become completely smooth before adding it to the soup.
- Keep the final heat low. Once the cottage cheese goes in, avoid a hard boil.
- Shred your own cheddar when possible. Pre-shredded cheese has a coating that can make it harder to melt smoothly.
- Let everyone choose toppings. Put bacon, green onions, extra cheddar, and crackers in small bowls so each person can finish their soup their own way.
Tools You’ll Need
- Large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Vegetable peeler
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Wooden spoon
- Potato masher
- Blender
- Ladle
- Round serving bowls
Substitutions and Variations
- Broth: Vegetable broth can replace the chicken broth.
- Cottage cheese: Full-fat cottage cheese gives the creamiest result, but 2% also works.
- Milk: Use 2% milk instead of whole milk for a slightly lighter soup.
- Cheese: Try Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, or mild white cheddar.
- Bacon: Leave it out for a meat-free soup.
- Potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes can replace russets. The soup may be a little less thick.
- More vegetables: Stir in cooked corn, broccoli, or finely diced carrots.
- More heat: Add a pinch of cayenne or sliced jalapeños to individual bowls.
Common Mistakes
- Boiling the soup after adding cottage cheese: High heat can hurt the smooth texture. Keep it on low.
- Not cooking the potatoes long enough: They should be very easy to pierce with a fork before you mash them.
- Blending cottage cheese for too little time: Keep blending until you cannot see large curds.
- Mashing every potato: This can make the soup overly thick and pasty. Leave plenty of potato chunks.
- Adding all the cheddar at once: Add it gradually and stir between additions.
- Using huge potato cubes: Large pieces take much longer to become tender.
Make-Ahead Tips
You can peel and dice the potatoes a few hours ahead. Keep them completely covered with cold water in the refrigerator so they do not turn brown. Drain them well before cooking.
You can also dice the onion, slice the green onions, cook the bacon, and shred the cheddar a day ahead. Store everything separately in covered containers in the refrigerator.
The cottage cheese and milk can be blended ahead and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
What to Serve With Cottage Cheese Potato Soup
- Warm crusty bread
- Garlic bread
- Soft dinner rolls
- Grilled cheese sandwiches
- Simple green salad
- Roasted broccoli
- Roasted green beans
- Crackers
- Turkey or ham sandwiches
A warm piece of bread is especially handy for soaking up the thick broth left at the bottom of the bowl.
Macros Information
Approximate nutrition for 1 of 6 servings, including cheddar but before optional bacon:
- Calories: 390
- Protein: 23 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fat: 14 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Sugar: 6 g
These numbers are estimates. The exact macros will change based on the cottage cheese, broth, milk, cheddar, toppings, and brands you use.
Leftovers and Storage
Let leftover soup cool, then place it in an airtight container.
- Refrigerator: Store for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Warm slowly in a saucepan over low to medium-low heat, stirring often. Do not bring it to a hard boil.
- If it gets too thick: Stir in a splash of milk or chicken broth.
- Toppings: Keep bacon and green onions separate and add them after reheating.
- Freezing: Dairy-based potato soups can change texture after freezing, so refrigeration gives the best results. If you do freeze it, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently while stirring.
FAQ
Q: Can you taste the cottage cheese?
A: Not much. Once it is blended with the milk and mixed with potatoes and cheddar, it mainly gives the soup a creamy texture and mild tang.
Q: Do I have to blend the cottage cheese?
A: For the smoothest soup, yes. If you skip this step, small cottage cheese curds may remain visible.
Q: Can I blend the whole soup?
A: You can, but the texture will be different. Blending potatoes too much can make them gummy. Mashing only part of the potatoes gives the soup a better texture.
Q: Why did my soup turn grainy?
A: The heat may have been too high after you added the dairy. Add the cottage cheese mixture over low heat and avoid boiling the finished soup.
Q: Can I use an immersion blender?
A: Yes. Use it to blend the cottage cheese and milk in a tall container. Avoid aggressively blending the cooked potatoes.
Q: Can I make this vegetarian?
A: Yes. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and leave off the bacon.
Q: How can I make the soup thinner?
A: Stir in a little warm broth or milk until it reaches the thickness you like.
Q: How can I make it thicker?
A: Mash a few more of the cooked potatoes. Give the soup a few minutes to sit, too. It naturally gets thicker as it cools.
Final Thoughts
Cottage cheese may not be the first ingredient that comes to mind when you think about potato soup, but it fits right in once it is blended smooth. You get tender potatoes, melted cheddar, a thick creamy broth, and plenty of cozy flavor in one bowl.
Give this Cottage Cheese Potato Soup a try, add the toppings you love, and leave a comment with how your batch turned out or any questions you have.