Slow-Cooker Potato Soup

This cozy, creamy Crockpot potato soup recipe has all the good stuff from a loaded baked potato, in soup form. Serve it with a big green salad for a simple lunch, or eat it alongside baked lemon chicken or another easy-to-prepare protein at dinnertime.

Using a slow cooker for this potato soup makes preparation easy: The potatoes cook slowly until perfectly tender, without any supervision from you, then when you’re ready to serve, simply stir in the dairy and add the toppings.

Ingredients for Slow-Cooker Potato Soup

• Potatoes: Peeled and cubed potatoes are the star of this dish, cooked until they’re fall-apart tender so they blend seamlessly into the soup.
• Onion: One finely chopped onion slow-cooks with the potatoes so its flavor is infused throughout the dish.
• Chicken broth: Store-bought or homemade chicken broth adds more to any soup than plain water.
• Garlic: Minced garlic combines with the onion and minced chive garnish to give a boost of allium flavor.
• Cream cheese: Soft and silky cream cheese adds body to the broth, combining with the potatoes for a thick and luscious soup.
• Half-and-half: Using half-and-half cream makes this soup super decadent, but whole milk would work well too.
• Butter: Just like a baked potato right out of the oven, this soup is finished with butter.

Toppings:

• Bacon: Crispy, cooked, salty bacon is everyone’s favorite topping.
• Cheddar cheese: Whether you prefer sharp or young, orange or white, cheddar cheese sprinkled on at the last minute melts and makes each spoonful gooey and delightful.
• Chives: Minced chives add a bright green pop and some mild onion-y goodness to the finished soup.

Directions

Step 1: Slow-cook the potatoes

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Add the potatoes to a 6-quart slow cooker, along with the onion, chicken broth, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, until potatoes are fall-apart tender.

Step 2: Mash the potatoes and add dairy

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Mash the potatoes as much as you like—leave them a little chunky for more texture, or go for a smoother soup. Stir in the cream cheese, half-and-half and butter. Cook on low, covered, for another 15 minutes, until everything is heated through.

Step 3: Garnish and serve

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When you’re ready to serve, give the soup a whisk to combine all the ingredients, then ladle it into bowls and top each with bacon, cheddar cheese and chives, as desired.

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Recipe Variations

• Heat things up: If you like things a little spicier, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the potatoes while they’re cooking, and add sliced fresh jalapeno peppers to the topping options.
• Cheddar isn’t the only cheese: While cheddar cheese and baked potatoes are a popular pairing, other flavorful cheeses are delicious too. Try spicy pepper jack or nutty Swiss cheese.
• Add broccoli: Steam broccoli florets just before dishing up the soup, and include them in the toppings for more color and nutrition.

How to Store Slow-Cooker Potato Soup

Baked potato soup can be stored without the toppings for three to four days and gently reheated.

Can you make slow-cooked loaded potato soup ahead of time?

If you want to make a Crockpot loaded potato soup ahead of time, hold off on the dairy until you’re ready to serve. Slow-cook your potatoes and store them in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve, bring the broth up to a simmer, mash the potatoes, reduce the heat and stir in the cream cheese, half-and-half and butter. Cook until heated through, and serve with toppings.

Slow-Cooker Potato Soup Tips

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What are the best potatoes to use in this soup?

A classic baking russet potato works best here, because they will fall apart when cooked and make a thick and creamy soup.

What’s the simplest way to mince chives?

Chives are easiest to mince after they’ve been washed and completely dried. A sharp knife will mince well, but if your knife isn’t the sharpest, try using kitchen shears to snip chives.

Can I make this on the stovetop?

Yes, you can make this easy crockpot potato soup on the stove. Just combine potatoes, onions, garlic and broth in a 6-quart saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.