This slow cooker loaded baked potato soup is incredibly delicious and comforting, a perfect winter dinner recipe. It requires just 15 minutes of prep time and 4 hours in the slow cooker. Slow cooker potato soup is loaded with all of your baked potato favorites: bacon, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and onions + garlic!
I've made this at least 5 times since finding the recipe! Family favorite in our house for sure.
I'd tried potato soup a handful of times in the past, but never liked it - this recipe is AMAZING!
Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup is a delicious recipe made with all your loaded baked potato favorites- cheddar cheese, sour cream and bacon! It's a delicious cheese-filled recipe, like our broccoli cheddar soup and ultra creamy macaroni and cheese dinner.
It has simple and quick preparation, uses easy ingredients and tastes incredible. Potato soup can be pureed into a thick and creamy soup or kept brothy with diced potatoes. This is a fantastic and easy recipe for a cool fall or winter evening and can be served as a full dinner with a refreshing salad and a side of crusty garlic bread or parmesan rosemary bread for dipping.
I love my slow cooker because it can make a huge batch of soup. This recipe makes enough soup to fill a 6 quart crock pot, so it's great for big families. Or, for those of you like me that like having extra to eat throughout the week. It's one of my favorite recipes for the fall and winter, along with crockpot pepper steak and stuffed cabbage casserole.
Ingredients
Potatoes: I prefer buttery gold potatoes, but russet is a good choice, too
Onions + garlic: the perfect base for any soup; serves as your veggies here!
Chicken broth: or substitute with vegetable broth
Herbs + spices: salt, pepper, parsley
Sour cream + plain yogurt: these help to thicken the broth and give it incredible flavor; use Greek yogurt for the best results
Sharp cheddar cheese: because everything needs cheese!
Bacon (optional): because everything's better with bacon! Make it easy by air frying your bacon.
And, my secret ingredient: Lawry's garlic salt with parsley I seriously love this stuff. I use it whenever I can. Plus, you'll need cornstarch to amp up the thickness, as much as you desire. For the toppings, you can use chives or green onions, and always more cheddar.
Instructions
- Put the diced potatoes, onions, garlic, salt, pepper, garlic salt, parsley, and chicken broth in the slow cooker and set to high for 4 hours. If using bacon, add it now, but reserve a bit for serving.
- When the 4 hours is done, mash the potatoes until you reach your desired consistency. Or use an immersion blender to puree the soup until it's smooth. Stir in sour cream and yogurt, mixing until well blended into the soup. Add shredded cheddar cheese and whisk until melted and the broth is smooth.
- Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Serve topped with cheddar, green onions or chives, and bacon bits.
Chef's Tips
- For a thicker soup, mix the cornstarch with a small amount of cool water and add to the slow cooker. Let simmer for 30 more minutes.
- I only peel a little skin off my potatoes. I think the skin adds more flavor, plus it's full of nutrients. Including the skin also adds heartiness to the soup. But you can peel yours entirely if you'd like.
Variations
- Make it vegetarian by eliminating the bacon and using vegetable broth.
- Use heavy cream in place of the cornstarch to thicken.
- Mix up the cheeses: use a combination of sharp cheddar and another, like gruyere, asiago, or parmesan. We love a 4 cheese combination in macaroni and cheese, and I think it'd be great in this soup too.
Storing
Store slow cooker potato soup in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for 3 months. To defrost, put in the fridge overnight. The soup may separate while being stored but when heated and stirred, the consistency will go back to normal.
Recipe
Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Equipment
- slow cooker
- masher or immersion blender
Ingredients
- 3 lbs gold potatoes peeled and chopped
- 10 slices cooked bacon broken into pieces
- 1 large onion diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley or 3 tablespoon fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 ⅓ cups sour cream
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 4 tablespoon cornstarch optional for thickening
- green onions for serving
Instructions
- Put the diced potatoes, bacon pieces, onions, garlic cloves, chicken broth, parsley, salt, garlic salt and pepper into the slow cooker. Reserve a bit of bacon for serving. Set to HIGH for 4 hours.
- When the 4 hours is complete, mash the potatoes until you reach your desired consistency. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth.
- Stir in the sour cream and yogurt, mixing until well blended into the soup. Add shredded cheddar cheese and stir until melted and the broth is smooth. (see Tip 1 in the notes for thickening options)
- Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Serve topped with cheddar, green onions or chives, and bacon bits.
Instant Pot Directions
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the inner pot and set to saute on high for 3 minutes. Add onions and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently. Turn off saute.
- Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze the pot thoroughly. Add the potatoes, salt, pepper, parsley, and garlic salt. Close and seal the lid. Set to pressure cook on high for 8 minutes.
- Allow a 10 minute natural release, followed by a controlled quick release of the remaining pressure. Remove the lid and stir.
- Add sour cream and yogurt and stir to incorporate. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup to your desired consistency, leaving some diced potatoes. You can also remove some potatoes prior to blending and add them back when you're finished.
- Set the Instant Pot back to saute on high for 3 minutes. Mix the cornstarch with a small amount of water and mix until smooth. Add to the soup, mix, and saute for 3 minutes until thickened. Stir frequently.
- Turn off saute and transfer the inner pot to a heat-proof surface. Wait 1 minute, then stir in the cheddar cheese until a smooth soup has formed.
- Serve topped with bacon, chives, and extra cheese.
Samantha
I just made the recipe, flavors were great but it separated for some reason and had an odd look.. not sure what I did wrong. I’ll definitely make again though
Jennifer
I mashed half the potato mixture and left half in tact. Absolutely delicious!
Jlbvk
I like potato chunks in my soup. Can you mash 1/2 and keep the other half in chunks?
Kristina Tipps
Absolutely! I like it with some potato chunks too. You can mash it to the consistency that you like, whether that's really smooth or very chunky. Enjoy!
Meghan
Are you adding uncooked bacon to the pot as it cooks? Or did you cook it before?
Kristina Tipps
Hi Meghan- the recipe calls for adding already cooked bacon (listed in the ingredients). Uncooked bacon would let out a lot of fat into the broth.
Kati
Is there a way to incorporate carrots & celery into this bc that is what I have on hand and want to get rid of as well
Kristina Tipps
Absolutely! Just diced them up and add them to the crockpot at the beginning.
Alisha
Be careful mashing the potatoes. It's really easy to over mash them. The cornstarch was not needed as it was pretty thick after mashing! I would suggest to add cornstarch without mashing the potatoes. It was good day of but the leftovers are like mashed potatoes!
Bree
What time do you set it on in the crack pot? For both high and low please
Kristina Tipps
It should cook on high for 4 hours. If using low setting, cook for 6-8 hours.
Dee
Made this tonight and everyone loved it!
Dee
Made this tonight and we loved it!
Noreen von Borstel
So good and easy, great for potluck!
Dianna DeMoss
Can this soup be frozen?
Kristina Tipps
Yes it can be frozen.