Potato Cheese Soup
40 Comments Feb 04, 2024
Updated Jul 14, 2025
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If you love Marie Callender’s Potato Cheese Soup, you can now (easily) make a copycat version of it at home in the slow cooker! This potato soup recipe calls for just six ingredients, making it a low-maintenance and delicious meal to whip up for a cold night.
I don’t know if I mentioned before that I worked at Marie Callender’s for about five years as a hostess, pie server, and waitress. I was even the bookkeeper, too! Marie Callender’s Potato Cheese Soup was the most popular, so when our local restaurant closed, I had to figure out how to make this yummy cheddar cheese and potato soup at home. It’s as close to the original recipe as I could make it!
Other Marie Callender’s Recipes I’ve recreated are Sour Cream Lemon Pie, Spilt Pea Soup, French Onion Soup and Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches.
Ingredients for Potato Cheese Soup
Not many ingredients in this soup and so easy to make. Find the full ingredient amounts in the recipe card below the images.
- Chicken broth – Use a family-size box or two regular cartons; stock works too.
- Russet potatoes – About 6–7 cups, peeled and thinly sliced.
- White onion & celery – Add flavor and a subtle veggie base.
- Velveeta – The smaller box, cubed and stirred in at the end.
- Sharp cheddar – Freshly grated melts best; skip the pre-shredded kind
Cook’s Notes
- Slice the potatoes thin and evenly so they cook through and help naturally thicken the soup.
- Don’t use pre-shredded cheese—it doesn’t melt as smoothly and can make the soup grainy.
- Add the cheese at the very end and stir gently until it melts into a creamy base.
- If you want a thicker soup, mash some of the potatoes right in the slow cooker before adding the cheese (with a potato masher).
- American Style Cheese (velveeta) is how most restaurants make this style of soup, so if you want that flavor, don’t substitute this.
- Make this vegetarian by swapping out the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
My Serving Suggestions
Here is how we love to enjoy this soup:
- I made Krusteaz Southern Style cornbread, and honey butter to go with this. But you can pair it with any bread or roll of your choice.
- You can also top it with a bit of chopped green onions, and more cheese.
- Create a full meal by pairing this soup with a delicious side salad or half a sandwich.
Featured Comment
“I’m glad I found this recipe. I’m making it tonight. I love this recipe. Taste just like Marie Callender’s potato cheese soup. All I need is my messy burger from Marie Callender’s and it’s like being at the restaurant. Thanks again for the wonderful recipe.”
– Lisa
Potato Cheese Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 32 oz. chicken broth
- 7 cups potatoes, (6-7 cups), peeled and 1/4 inch sliced
- 1/2 cup white onion, diced
- 1 1/2 cups celery, diced
Add this add the end!
- 16 oz. velveeta cheese , (this is the smaller box)
- 8 oz. sharp cheese, grated (do not buy pre-shredded or it won't melt well)
Optional Serving Ideas
- cornbread
- honey butter
Instructions
- Add the chicken broth, potatoes, onion, and celery to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours.
- Cut the velveeta into small cubes, add that and the shredded sharp cheddar to the slow cooker, stir gently until the cheese melts. (Some potatoes will break apart, this is ok because it will help thicken the soup.)
- Serve with cornbread and honey butter, enjoy!
Sarah’s Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
More potato soup recipes:
Crack Potato Soup and Slow Cooker Baked Potato Soup are rich, creamy, and packed with comforting flavor.
For a twist on the classic, try Hashbrown Potato Soup or Ham and Potato Soup—both easy and satisfying.
If you’re craving something a little more savory, Steak and Potato Soup and Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup are hearty favorites with bold, savory depth.
I made this in my Instant Pot tonight, modified somewhat. I added about a half pound of baby carrots, cut smaller, and threw in a couple of pounds of turkey smoked sausage. I’m not sure how much chicken stock I used as I make large batches and freeze it in storage containers. (I love having home made stock on hand!) My wife loved it, and we have three containers of it in the fridge, 2 of which will be frozen.
I made this in my instant pot tonight and it translated over really well! 22 mins on manual and a quick release before mixing in the cheese. Thank you for the wonderful recipe, It was a winner for the vegetarian AND all the carnivores in my house (and that hardly ever happens)
I’m trying this tonight. I think I cut the potatoes too thick because it’s not done after seven hours on low. I used yukon gold potatoes, thinking they’d break apart better than russet, for instance. I’m leaving it on for another hour. Hopefully I won’t have to transfer it to a pot!
I sometimes have that problem with yukons. Crank it up to high and leave the lid on.
Making today for a rainy day & been cold at night. I did think it was weird not adding garlic so I added 1-2 pcs.
Thanks Sarah
Great idea on the garlic. I’m glad you are trying it.
You had me until I read “velveeta”. Bad bad.
That’s what they made it with! Make your own substitutions.
This is basically the same recipe I use to cook on the stove top and it takes about half an hour from start to finish. I seldom have fresh celery on hand as it perishes so quickly, so I substitute about half a teaspoon of celery seed for flavor and some dry parsley flakes. Thicken the soup with a little flour and butter or steam dumplings on top. Two or three tablespoons of shredded cheddar cheese on top of the soup in a bowl is plenty and melts quickly with the heat. This is absolutely our favorite soup and is even better the next day.
A trick to making celery last in the fridge is to wrap in in aluminum foil. Works great!
I found this soup too stiff and tasteless for my palate. Then my wife added a cup of bullion and it transformed the soup to delicious!!
Great tip! Thank you.
many stores around here no longer carry Velvet because it is processed. What can be used instead/
more regular cheese would probably work fine!
American cheese IS a processed cheese!
Large restaurants do NOT use velveeta. Food service suppliers (and sometimes Sam’s Club and Costco) carry large blocks of white and yellow american cheese slices (think Subway).
If you do not have Velveeta cheese, as I am in the UK can you use the pkts of slice cheese
Hi Carol. I don’t see why not! It would probably melt the same.
Thanks, Marie Callenders Potato Cheese was always my favourite in the restaurant.I will give it a try.
This sounds fantastic! Do you know if it will freeze? I know uncooked potatoes will not… We’re getting ready to become a household of 2 next week (our son leaves for college), and even though I’m a big fan of leftovers this would be way too many leftovers for the two of us! I may have to try to just cut in half if you don’t think it would freeze well. Thanks!
Amy, I’ve froze potato soup before, and it doesn’t do well. I’m sorry. Yes maybe you can halve the recipe, or make this when guest come over.
You can make this very easy soup much quicker in a Dutch Oven without the lid. Just simmer the potatoes, onions and celery in the Broth for 20 to 25 minutes. When they are tender add the cheeses. To make less just cut the ingredients in half. Doing it on the stove top saves about 6 hours of time! To store in the refrigerator top with the lid. The Soup will be good for several days after being made so I always use the larger recipe. Makes Lunch for a few days so yummy! However if you are serving 4 I doubt you will even have leftovers! Cheese usually turns “grainy” if frozen.
Another tip: this is even better using Fresh Chicken Stock! Make you own from simmering the bones from the carcass of a rotisserie chicken. Boil only the bones for 15 minutes with water to cover, Drain and rinse to get rid of scum, then add 8 cups water and 1 tsp. turmeric to cover, simmer for 1-2 hours. Can add aromatics like onion, garlic and carrot but not necessary. If you do not have 32 ounces then boost what you do have with “canned” stock. After the simmer, place a good clean hand towel in a colander and strain the liquid. Ready to use in the soup now! Complete with collagen, vitamins and minerals you do not get from canned broth!
This process takes about 2 hours longer, but still 4 hours shorter than slow cooker. I make the broth as soon as I take the chicken off the bone, then freeze and use it in my soups. The Bone Broth makes a much healthier and more nutritious soup!
Thanks for sharing your stove-top recipe!
About how many potatoes are 7 cups?
Depends on the size of your potatoes. I’d say about 2 pounds.