A crowd favorite, this cheesy, creamy vegetable soup is a one-pot meal that also cleverly disguises veggies from picky eaters. Win-win! Don’t let the long list of ingredients scare you away. With a little bit of prep work, this soup actually comes together with minimal effort. Perfect for small fingers to help peel and stir, this dinner will be fun for the kids to help prepare and eat. After all, kids are more likely to try and enjoy vegetables if they help out in the kitchen.

My Grandma used to make a cheesy potato soup with grated carrots that I deeply regret not getting her recipe for. By the time I realized the value of the treasure trove of recipes she possessed in her mind, her health had declined and my opportunity was lost. I am grateful for the few I collected from her over the years but am stuck with the arduous task of recreating those well-loved flavors by trial and error. And boy are there a lot of errors in this kitchen! Just ask The Hubby. I found this creamy soup’s flavor to be strikingly similar to her potato soup. It wasn’t the direction I was going but I was thrilled to be on the right path.

As with many of my recipes, this one is also highly versatile. Hankering for chicken or beef? Toss in some precooked chicken towards the end or fry ground beef with the onions, garlic and celery. Small chunks of tofu would also work well. Swap out veggies with some of your favorites. Use a different flavor of broth, add some hot sauce for a kick. Alter it to your own unique tastes or keep it the same. You won’t be disappointed!

Give this Cheesy Creamy Vegetable Soup a try and let me know how you like it in the comments. Pair it with a side salad, crusty bread or satisfy your sweet tooth with this Caramel Apple Pie. Enjoy!

Cheesy Creamy Vegetable Soup

You won't miss the meat with this loaded, creamy vegetable soup. Hearty enough to be a stand alone meal, or add some crusty bread and a side salad.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Equipment

• 1 Dutch oven or large heavy bottomed pot

Ingredients

  

• 2 tbsp oil olive or any oil of choice
• 1/2 cup chopped onion or minced for picky eaters
• 1 cup chopped celery include the leaves if there are any
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 5 cups water or vegetable broth use low-sodium if using broth
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 3 cups shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup thinly chopped parsnips
• 1 cup chopped cauliflower small bite-sized pieces, approx. 1/2 head
• 1 cup chopped broccoli small bite-sized pieces, approx. 1/2 head
• 3 cups peeled, diced potatoes can use white or sweet potatoes
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 cup half and half whole milk works as well
• 1 cup cubed Velveeta
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Combine the oil, onion, celery and garlic in the Dutch oven or pot. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes or until the onion softens.
• Add the water/broth, basil, thyme, carrots, parsnips, cauliflower, broccoli, and potatoes. Cover and increase the heat to high. Stirring occasionally, bring the soup to a boil. Keeping lid on, reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
• Mix the cornstarch with the half and half and stir into the soup. Add the Velveeta. Allow the mixture to thicken and the cheese to melt. Should take about 5 minutes.
• Turn off the heat. Add pepper and more salt if desired.

Keyword cheesy, comfort food, dinner, easy, easy weeknight, potluck, soup, vegetables, vegetarian