Caldo de Queso con Papas
Caldo de queso con papa is a traditional Sonoran soup made with soft cubes of queso fresco, tender potatoes, roasted green chiles, tomato, onion, and milk for a creamy, comforting finish. This vegan version captures all the cozy, savory flavors of the original caldo de queso, only it’s made completely dairy-free using plant-based cheese and milk.
What is Caldo de Queso
Caldo de queso means “cheese broth” in Spanish, and it’s a beloved soup from Hermosillo, Sonora in northern Mexico.
Traditionally it’s made with a simple broth of potatoes, sautéed onions, tomatoes, roasted green chiles (typically Anaheim or California chiles), oregano, stock or water, warmed milk, and soft chunks of Mexican queso fresco, added at the end so it softens even though it doesn’t fully melt.
Other names for this soup are sopa de queso, caldo de queso y papa, caldo de queso con papa, caldo de papa con queso.
If you love comfort food and soup, but no longer eat dairy, this vegan twist will help you enjoy all the same comforting flavor of the traditional version.
Why You’ll Love This Mexican Cheese and Potato Soup
• Made with budget friendly ingredients you probably already have everything in your pantry and fridge.
• A flavorful and hearty soup that’s perfect for lunch or dinner.
• Easy to make fully plant-based and dairy-free without losing flavor.
• Kid-friendly and satisfying for non-vegans, too!
• Can be adapted for vegan or vegetarian diets with just a few swaps.
Traditional Ingredients in Caldo de Queso y Papas Recipe
Queso: Traditionally queso fresco or panela are used for this soup. Neither of these cheeses melts completely when warmed, instead they become soft and chewy.
Papas: The type of potato traditionally used is papa blanca or Yukon Gold potatoes.
Cebolla: White onion is the most commonly used onion in Mexico and in this Sonoran recipe.
Jitomate: Fresh Roma tomato is the best one to use in this recipe.
Chile: The traditional chili pepper used is Anaheim pepper and for optimal flavor it needs to be fire-roasted first. The chile adds smokiness and delicious savory flavor. A variation to this chile verde would be roasted poblano peppers or green Hatch chiles.
Caldo: Traditionally chicken broth or stock is used but many people also use vegetable broth or stock. There are others that will only use water, but I think the broth yields better flavor. Make sure to use one with strong and delicious taste.
Warm Leche: Part of what makes this soup so creamy is the use of milk, but don’t worry below I have the dairy-free option. The milk needs to be warmed before adding to the soup so it doesn’t curdle.
Seasonings: This soup is kept quite simple and you only need garlic, salt, black pepper, and Mexican oregano. Some people like to add cumin too, it’s up to you. I also add bay leaf and a squeeze of lime juice when serving to bring a pop of flavor.
Ingredient Swaps to Make Vegan Caldo de Queso
This soup can easily be made completely dairy-free and vegan, it only requires minimal adjustments. And I promise that you and your family won’t be able to tell the difference.
Queso Swaps: Instead of the dairy queso fresco use a vegan cheese that softens a little but doesn’t melt completely. My personal favorites are VioLife Feta cheese or if you can get the VioLife Panela they both work perfectly!
Look for a vegan cheese that comes in a block and can be cubed because shredded cheese won’t work the same. You want a texture that softens in the hot broth without turning gooey or stringy.
Leche Swaps: I recommend using your favorite, and most neutral tasting, plant milk. I have used unsweetened oat milk and homemade cashew milk with good success.
Another alternative to the plant milk options would be to use dairy-free crema. But just like the milk, make sure to warm it up before adding it to the soup.
Nancy’s Tips
• Remember to warm the milk before adding it to the broth to prevent curdling.
• For the best texture, find a dairy-free cheese that softens slightly but doesn’t completely melt.
• To ensure that the potatoes cook evenly, make sure to cut them into even-sized pieces.
• Make it spicy by topping with chiltepin peppers.
• If you can’t find chiltepin peppers you can crush some chile de arbol or use red pepper flakes.
• Instead of Anaheim peppers you can use poblanos or New Mexico green chile.
• This soup can be made ahead of time and it’s perfect for meal prepping too.
How to Make Caldo de Queso
Step 1: Heat the oil and once hot, sauté the onion until soft. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes, then add the chopped potato and cook until it’s just beginning to soften.
Step 2: Mix in the chopped tomato and spices then allow to simmer until the tomato breaks down.
Step 3: Pour in the vegetable broth, cover the pot, and simmer until the potato has cooked through.
Step 4: While the potato is cooking fire roast the Anaheim peppers until evenly charred. Sweat them in a covered bowl, scrape away the blackened bits, remove the stem and seeds, slice into rajas or strips.
Step 5: Mix in the roasted pepper strips into the pot once the potatoes are cooked through. Stir in the warm milk and simmer for about 5 minutes just to heat it through.
Step 6: You can either mix in the cubed cheese directly into the pot and simmer just to warm it through, or you can serve the soup and top with the vegan cheese cubes.
How to Serve
Garnish with cilantro, sprinkle some chiltepin peppers, serve with warm corn tortillas or bolillo, and a squeeze of lime juice if you’d like.
This soup is delicious on it’s own as an appetizer or as a main meal. If choosing appetizer you could pair it with tacos, gorditas, tlacoyos, or even a simple mollete to create a filling meal.
Any agua fresca goes well with this soup but my favorites are agua de jamaica or horchata.
Storing and Reheating
Allow leftovers to come to room temperature before storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
I don’t recommend freezing this soup because potatoes don’t freeze well.
It’s easy to reheat this soup and you can do so on the stove top or in the microwave.
More Meatless Mexican Soups to Try
- Sopa de Lentejas
- Meatless Caldo de Res
- Also try this other classic Mexican caldo
- Mexican Macaroni Soup or Sopa de Coditos
- Caldo Tlalpeño
- Vegan Birria Pozole
Gracias
I’m so happy you stopped by. If you have any questions or want to let me know how you liked this recipe, do leave a comment. Muchas gracias, I appreciate you!
Caldo de Queso con Papas (Mexican Cheese and Potato Soup Made Dairy-Free)
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ½ to ¾ cups white onion finely chopped
- 4 whole garlic cloves finely minced
- 1.5 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes peeled and chopped into even-sized pieces*
- 3 medium Roma tomatoes roughly chopped
- ¾ Teaspoon salt adjust to taste start with ½ teaspoon
- ¼ Teaspoon ground black pepper adjust to taste
- 1 pinch Mexican oregano
- 1 large bay leaf or 2 small
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 4 large Anaheim peppers fire roasted
- 1 cup dairy-free milk*** warmed in microwave for 20 seconds at a time I did total 40 secs
- 1 to 1 ½ cups cubed queso
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot. Once hot sauté the onion until soft and translucent.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Then add chopped potatoes and sauté for about 5 minutes, to let them begin to cook a bit.
- Now add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they have broken down.**
- Sprinkle in the seasonings, pour in the broth, cover the pot, and simmer until potatoes are cooked through.
- While the potatoes are cooking in step 2, fire roast the Anaheim peppers until evenly charred. Place in a bowl for a few minutes to sweat, then peel off charred skin, cut off the steam, deseed, and slice into strips.
- Once the potatoes are cooked through, add the pepper strips and cook for 5 minutes.
- Remember to warm the milk then add it to the pot, mix well, simmer another 5 minutes.
- Add the cheese right before serving or place it in the bowl then scoop the soup over it. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes & Pro Tips
Nutrition
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Nancy Lopez is a Mexican-born food writer and author of Mexican Tamales Made Meatless. Raised in the U.S. and now living in Southern Mexico, she creates authentic vegan and vegetarian Mexican recipes rooted in tradition and tested for real home kitchens.Read more…
