Marie Callender's Potato Cheese Soup

Submitted by Nana Lee

"The original recipe is large, so you may want to halve the recipe or make the whole thing and freeze the rest. Good freezing recipe. From: Marie Callender's Restaurants Source: Ask Your Neighbor; Orange County Register 02/24/99 Marie Callender's is a chain of restaurants in the southwest (US). Sister companies are: Chi-Chi's restaurants, Taco Bell, Claim Jumper, El Torito and the Cheesecake Factory."

 

• Ready In: 50mins
• Ingredients: 8
• Serves: 8-10

ingredients

• 8 cups peeled and cubed potatoes
• 2 cups peeled and chopped onions
• 4 cups chopped celery
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 cups half-and-half
• 6 tablespoons butter or 6 tablespoons margarine
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, garnish (optional)

directions

1. Place potatoes, onions, celery and salt in water to cover in a large pot.
2. Simmer until tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Puree just until chunky in blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade.
4. Return to soup pot; add half-and-half, butter and cheese.
5. Stirring, simmer until piping hot. (Do not boil.).

6. Presentation:

7. Garnish with parsley if desired. Good served with cornbread.

Reviews

[ginafarrar]

Great recipe, but I do make changes to this. I worked my way through undergrad as a waitress, so I know that at the rest. they use chicken stock somewhere, because I had to tell vegetarians about that when I waited on them. So, I boil the potatoes and veggies in chicken stock. I pour most of the liquid out when I puree, and I think this might solve the "too thin" problem described by the other reviewer. I also don't puree everything because the real thing has some pretty good size potato chunks in it.

 

[tracieknits]

DON'T make this recipe without substantial changes. It's a terrible recipe. First off you sautee the onions and celery -- add some finely chopped carrot and some garlic as well. It's in the restaurant's soup and part of the reason the real thing is so yellow. USE CHICKEN STOCK just barely to cover all the veggies. Don't use water and definitely not that much water. Do not puree the whole thing -- the real thing has chunks of potato in it. Blitz with an immersion blender briefly. I would not freeze this -- the texture will be awful.

 

[ttcherrick]

I used some other reviewers suggestions and got a very good result. With some more tweaking it could go five stars. My recommendations: 1. Wilt/saute the veggies in the pot with butter/olive oil before throwing in the potatoes to simmer. 2. Simmer potatoes/veggies in stock (chicken or vegatable) rather than water. 3. Use ONLY enough stock *to cover*, and just barely. 4. Pour off most of the liquid and reserve before putting in the blender. Adjust soup's thickness by stirring liquid back in at the very end. 5. Puree 1/4 to 1/3 potatoes to silky fine texture. Leave the rest chunky 6. Cut butter and half-and-half in half! It just dulls the veggie taste and makes you fat to boot! This lesser amount should still make the cheese blend well (you need the milk fat). 7. MORE CHEESE. I used four cups and could have used six. Forget the butter/cream and splurge on CHEESE! Good luck!

 

[lorihoney]

I have made this recipe many times. I follow it as written except for adding chunks of potato at the end. I have never had a problem with it being too thin at all, I just barely cover the vegetables with water when cooking and have never had that much liquid left. This soup is wonderfully rich and creamy, good potato flavor, cheese does not overpower. Tastes as I remember it at Marie Callender's.

 

[JPEKA]

The soup is delicious. Thankfully I did read the reviews prior. Definately save some potatoes and only use enough liquid to puree the potatoes, celery, and onion. Also, I added about 3 more cups of cheese as suggested. Great for a cold night like today. Thank you everyone for your suggestions.