Cold Weather Recipe: Cheesy Potato Soup

When you’re tired and chilly after a rainy hike or day of backcountry skiing, this hearty soup is a perfect way to refuel. A classic from the iconic NOLS Cookery, our favorite potato soup is guaranteed to warm you up. Even your grumpiest pal can’t stay hangry with a bowl of cheesy goodness!

Watch: How to Make Cheesy Potato Soup

Ingredients

• ½ cup powdered milk
• 2 tbs. flour
• 2 tbs. dried onion
• 4 cups water
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. oil
• ½ cup potato pearls
• 1 cup crumbled cheddar
• Optional: cayenne, hot sauce, or dry mustard powder

Note: Serves three.

Instructions

1. Put all the ingredients except potato pearls and cheese into a pot. Bring to a boil, stirring often.
2. Put potato pearls into a bowl and add enough of the hot soup to form a thin paste.
3. Pour the paste back into the soup; stir.
4. Then, add the cheese, stirring until melted.
5. Serve hot, with bread.

Variations

• Try adding a dash of cayenne, hot sauce, or dry mustard powder.
• When in doubt, add bacon bits!

Pro Tip: Pre-package Your Soup

If you’re planning to make potato soup on your next backpacking trip, try preparing it beforehand. Your future self will thank you!

To package your soup as a backcountry meal, store pre-measured powdered milk, flour, dried onion, salt, and pepper together in a freezer bag. Pack the other ingredients separately (hint: olive oil packets are a handy invention!).

Check out NOLS Cookery for more of our favorite backcountry recipes.