Cheddar Rice Soup with Leeks

Velvety, cheesy, aromatic cheddar rice soup with leeks is the perfect cold-weather comfort meal.

This cheesy cheddar rice soup is stick-to-your-ribs comfort.

I developed this recipe four years ago and revisited it when I was craving something comforting and cheesy. You ever have one of those days? When the only cure is cheese? Yep, that was my day.

This soup will fix you right up. It’s loaded with aromatic leeks, thyme, garlic, and celery. Potatoes are added for good measure to make it even heartier. Rice makes this soup extra thick, and freshly grated cheddar cheese makes it salty, creamy, and so flavorful.

How to make this cheddar rice soup with leeks:

You don’t need many ingredients for this creamy, cheesy cheddar rice soup.

What you need

• Aromatics: The soup starts with a base of leeks, celery, thyme, and garlic.
• Potatoes: I add cubed Yukon gold potatoes. You could make this with russet potatoes. I’ve also made this soup with diced carrots and parsnips. Both are exceptional!
• Rice: I used medium-grain white rice, but I’ve also made this with long-grain white rice. Any white rice, like jasmine or basmati, will work here. You could also use short-grain white rice like arborio.
• Water: You could use vegetable stock, but I prefer this with water that I salt generously.
• Cheddar cheese and cornstarch: I use a sharp cheddar cheese that I grate by hand. I toss it with cornstarch for a foolproof way to melt it into the soup without it becoming gritty. Don’t use pre-grated cheese, as the cellulose coating can become gritty.

How to make it

• Step 1: Prep your ingredients. Thoroughly wash the leeks, halve them lengthwise, and thinly slice crosswise. Dice the celery, mince the garlic, and chop the thyme. Peel and cube the potatoes.

• Step 2: Start the soup. Sauté the leeks. Then, add the celery, thyme, and garlic. Add the potatoes and season everything with salt and pepper.

• Step 3: Add the rice and simmer the soup. Add rinsed white rice to the pot and sauté for one minute. Cover with water and season well with salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes until the rice is very tender.

• Step 4: Prepare the cheese. Grate the cheese and toss with cornstarch to coat it evenly.

• Step 5: Add the cheese to the soup. Once the soup finishes simmering, add the cheese and stir until melted and incorporated.

From there, you’re ready to serve it up. It’s delicious with freshly minced chives or parsley. I added a pinch of freshly grated pepper jack cheese as we enjoyed a bit of heat, but you can top it with more grated cheddar if you like.

Cheddar Rice Soup with Leeks

This cheddar rice soup with leeks is so creamy, cheesy, and so comforting. It's a perfect cold day recipe!

5 from 8 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Inactive Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 358kcal

Equipment

• Large pot
• Fine mesh sieve

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3 small leeks (white and light green parts only)
• 3 ribs celery (with leaves; celery ribs diced and leaves minced)
• 4 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme (chopped)
• ½ pound Yukon gold potatoes (peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 1 cup white rice (See Note 1)
• 6 cups water
• 8-ounce block sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• Salt and pepper to taste

For garnish, optional:

• ¼ cup parsley (minced)
• ½ cup pepper jack cheese (or cheddar cheese, grated)

Instructions

Prepare the leeks:

• Remove the tough leafy greens from the leeks and discard. Trim off and discard the roots of the leeks. Slice the bodies of the leek in half lengthwise and rinse under cold water. Peel back the layers to scrub out all of the dirt. Once clean, slice the leeks into thin half-moons crosswise. You can add the slices to a sieve and rinse them again under cold water to ensure any grit and dirt have been removed.

Sauté the leeks:

• Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the leeks and cook for 5 minutes until they soften. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook the aromatics:

• Add the celery, garlic, and thyme to the leeks. Sauté for 3 minutes. Add the potatoes and toss to coat. Cook for 1 minute and then season with salt and pepper.

Toast the rice:

• Add the rice to the pot and sauté for 1 minute to toast it lightly.

Simmer the soup:

• Pour the water into the pot and bring to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until the rice is tender. Taste and season once more with salt and pepper.

Prepare the cheese:

• Place the cheese and cornstarch in a large bowl and toss to coat.

Add the cheese to the soup:

• Add the cheese to the soup and stir to incorporate. Continue stirring until the cheese is completely melted. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference. Turn off the heat.

To serve:

• Ladle the soup into bowls. Finish with grated pepperjack or more grated cheddar cheese. Garnish each bowl with a sprinkle of minced parsley. Enjoy!

Notes

Note 1: I used medium-grain white rice, but I’ve also made this with long-grain white rice. Any white rice, like jasmine or basmati, will work here. You could also use short-grain white rice like arborio.

Nutrition

Calories: 358kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 22g | Sodium: 272mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin C: 4mg

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