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Table of Contents
- π½οΈ A Quick Look at the Recipe
- Why Youβll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Useful Tools
- How to Make Crockpot Loaded Potato Soup
- Pro Tips and Troubleshooting
- Make-Ahead, Storage and Reheating
- What to Serve With Loaded Potato Soup
- Variations and Substitutions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More AB Recipes
- Save This Recipe
This crockpot loaded potato soup brings tender potatoes, melted cheddar, and smoky bacon together in one creamy bowl. The slow cooker handles the long simmer, and a quick mash gives the soup body without a separate flour-thickened sauce.
The key is adding the cream and cheese after the potatoes are tender, then giving everything a final 30 minutes to come together. Finish with bacon and green onions right before serving so every bowl has a little crunch and freshness.
🍽️ A Quick Look at the Recipe
Recipe Name: Crockpot Loaded Potato Soup
⏱️ Ready In: About 6 hours 40 minutes on LOW, including the creamy finish; about 3 hours 40 minutes with the HIGH option
👨👩👧👦 Serves: 6
🥣 Main Ingredients: Russet potatoes, chicken broth, cheddar, heavy cream, bacon
📖 Dietary Info: Contains dairy and pork; check packaged broth and seasonings for allergens
🔥 Flavor Profile: Creamy, savory, cheesy, and smoky
⭐ Best For: A hands-off comfort-food dinner
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Mostly hands-off cooking: Once the potatoes, onion, and broth are in, keep the lid closed and let the slow cooker work.
- Creamy with some texture: Mash part of the potatoes instead of blending the entire pot.
- Classic loaded-potato flavor: Cheddar, cream, bacon, and green onions each have a job.
- A flexible schedule: Choose the LOW or HIGH potato-cooking option, then allow time for the creamy finish.
Key Ingredients
Russet potatoes: These are the potatoes I use in the video. Their starch helps thicken the soup when you mash some of the tender pieces.
Onion and chicken broth: They build the savory base while the potatoes cook. Chicken stock also works; taste the finished soup before adding more salt.
Heavy cream and cheddar: Add them near the end rather than at the start. Freshly shredded cheddar melts more smoothly, and the cream rounds out the texture.
Cooked bacon and green onions: Keep these for the bowls, not the long simmer. That preserves the contrast between the creamy soup and the toppings.
The recipe is seasoned with salt and pepper. If you want an optional all-purpose seasoning, A-Rub, The Level Up from my shop is a choice for vegetables; taste as you go and reduce additional salt as needed. It is optional, not a required replacement for the recipe’s seasoning.
Useful Tools
You’ll need a slow cooker large enough for the ingredients without exceeding its recommended fill level, a cutting board, a knife, a potato masher, and a spoon or spatula.
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- Chef Knife from my shop helps you cut the potatoes and onion into even pieces. A steady board and consistent dice matter more than using a specialty cutter.
- A KitchenAid Gourmet Stainless Steel Wire Masher lets you thicken the soup while leaving plenty of potato pieces. Mash gently rather than puréeing.
- SnG Food Thermometer from my shop is useful when reheating leftovers so you can check that the soup reaches 165°F throughout.
How to Make Crockpot Loaded Potato Soup
1. Prep the Potatoes and Onion
Peel and dice the potatoes into evenly sized, bite-size pieces, then finely chop the onion. If the cut potatoes sit in water while you finish prepping, drain them before they go into the slow cooker; do not add the soaking water.
2. Add the Broth and Start Cooking
Combine the potatoes, onion, and chicken broth in the slow cooker. Season lightly with salt and pepper, cover, and cook on LOW for about 6 hours or HIGH for about 3 hours. Keep the lid closed during cooking. The potatoes should yield easily when pierced with a fork; if they are still firm, give them more time before adding dairy.
3. Mash Some of the Potatoes
Lift the lid away from your face to release the steam safely. Use a potato masher to break down part of the potatoes right in the cooker, leaving some pieces intact. This gives you a thicker base without losing the soup’s chunky texture.
4. Add the Cream and Cheddar
Stir in the heavy cream and shredded cheddar until the cheese starts melting into the hot soup. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Cover and cook on HIGH for another 30 minutes, as shown in the video, until the soup is hot and creamy. Avoid extending this finish into a hard, prolonged boil.
5. Finish the Bowls
Stir once more, then ladle into bowls and top with the cooked, crumbled bacon and chopped green onions. The soup thickens a little as it cools. Keep the toppings separate if you are saving some for later.
Watch the Recipe
Pro Tips and Troubleshooting
- Still thin? Mash a few more fully tender potato pieces and stir them back through the soup. Let it stand briefly before deciding it needs more thickening.
- Too thick? Stir in a little broth until it reaches the consistency you like, then taste again.
- Grainy cheese? Use freshly shredded cheddar and avoid prolonged boiling once the dairy goes in.
- Uneven potatoes? A consistent dice helps them finish together. Doneness matters more than the clock.
- Too salty? Broth, cheddar, bacon, and optional seasoning all contribute salt, so make the final adjustment after the cheese melts.
Summarize and Save
Crockpot Loaded Potato Soup
Ingredients
Soup
- 6 medium russet potatoes peeled and evenly diced
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 4 cups chicken broth or chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup cheddar cheese freshly shredded
- salt and black pepper to taste
Toppings
- 1/2 cup cooked bacon crumbled
- green onions chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Peel and dice the potatoes into evenly sized, bite-size pieces. Finely chop the onion. If the cut potatoes were held in water, drain them before cooking.
- Add the potatoes, onion, and chicken broth to the slow cooker. Stir and season lightly with salt and black pepper. Cover and cook on LOW for about 6 hours, or HIGH for about 3 hours, until the potatoes yield easily when pierced with a fork. Keep the lid closed during cooking; if the potatoes are still firm, continue cooking until tender.
- Lift the lid away from your face to release the steam safely. Mash some of the potatoes directly in the slow cooker, leaving some chunks for texture.
- Stir in the heavy cream and shredded cheddar until the cheese begins to melt. Taste and adjust the salt and black pepper. Cover and cook on HIGH for another 30 minutes, until hot and creamy. Avoid prolonged boiling.
- Stir the soup and divide among six bowls. Top with the cooked, crumbled bacon and chopped green onions. Keep toppings separate from any leftover soup.
Notes
- Cut the russet potatoes evenly and mash only part of the cooked potatoes to keep a creamy base with some chunks.
- Freshly shred the cheddar and add it after the potatoes are tender; keep the final HIGH-heat finish to about 30 minutes rather than boiling the dairy for hours.
- Add the cooked bacon and green onions to individual bowls just before serving so the toppings keep their texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Make-Ahead, Storage and Reheating
Make ahead: You can make the soup up to 2 days ahead. Refrigerate the soup and toppings separately, then reheat only the portion you need.
Refrigerate safely: Divide leftovers into shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below and use the soup within 3–4 days.
Reheat: Use a saucepan or microwave, stirring frequently and adding broth if needed. Heat to 165°F throughout, checking more than one spot. Do not use the slow cooker to reheat cold leftovers.
Freezing: This dairy-rich soup is best refrigerated for texture. If you freeze it, use airtight portions and thaw in the refrigerator; the potatoes may become grainier and the dairy can separate. Stir well while reheating. For better quality when planning ahead, freeze the cooked potato-and-broth base before adding the cream, cheese, and toppings.
What to Serve With Loaded Potato Soup
Choose a bread for dipping or a vegetable side to balance the rich soup—you do not need a whole second comfort-food dinner.
- Garlic and Herb Bread adds a crisp, buttery edge for dipping.
- Buttermilk Cornbread Muffins are an easy individual bread choice.
- Buttermilk Biscuits give you a flaky alternative to cornbread or toast.
- Garlic Butter Creole Green Beans add a vegetable side with some bite.
- Oven Roasted Zucchini and Squash work when you want roasted vegetables instead of more starch.
For another optional side, AB’s Hushpuppy Mix from my shop makes crisp cornmeal bites to serve alongside the soup. Prepare the mix according to its directions; it does not go into the soup.
Variations and Substitutions
- Vegetarian variation: Replace the chicken broth with Homemade Vegetable Broth, omit the bacon, and choose a vegetarian cheddar. The flavor will differ from the version in the video.
- Cheese swap: Monterey Jack gives a milder finish. Keep the cheese freshly shredded and add it at the end.
- A little heat: Add hot sauce at the table so each person can control the spice.
- Toppings: A little sour cream or extra cheddar can go on individual bowls. These optional additions are not included in the nutrition estimate.
Want a different recipe rather than a direct substitution? These have their own ingredient lists and methods:
- Smokin’ Broccoli Cheddar Soup for another cheddar-forward bowl.
- The Ultimate Corn Chowder for potatoes with sweet corn.
- Creamy Tuscan Soup with Sausage and Kale for a hearty sausage-and-greens option.
- Loaded Baked Potatoes for similar toppings without making soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need to Cook the Bacon First?
Yes. The recipe calls for cooked, crumbled bacon. Raw bacon is not added to the slow cooker; cook it separately until crisp, then use it to finish the bowls.
Can I Leave the Potato Skins On?
The video uses peeled russets for a smoother base. Leaving the skins on changes the texture and appearance, so peel them if you want the same result.
Can I Double the Recipe?
Only if your slow cooker can hold the larger batch within its manufacturer’s recommended fill level. Otherwise, use two cookers. More soup does not automatically mean doubling the cooking time; check that the potatoes are fully tender.
Do I Need an Immersion Blender?
No. A hand masher is enough for this method. Blending everything can erase the potato pieces and overwork the starch, leaving a gluey texture.
More AB Recipes
More Creamy and Vegetable-Forward Bowls
- Marry Me Tuscan Chicken Soup — chicken, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and pasta in a creamy broth.
- Shrimp and Corn Chowder — a seafood change of pace for soup night.
- Homemade Chicken and Dumplings — a comforting pot with tender dumplings.
- Roasted Basil Tomato Soup — a tomato-forward bowl when you want a different flavor.
- Southern Style Collard Greens and Potatoes Stew — greens and potatoes in another hearty combination.
Hearty Pots for Cool Evenings
- Navy Bean Soup with Ham — tender beans and smoky ham.
- Cajun Ham and Sausage Bean Soup — a seasoned mixed-bean option.
- AB’s Ultimate Chili — a beef-and-bean comfort bowl.
- Comforting Crockpot Chili — another hands-off slow-cooker dinner.
- Hearty Chicken Stew — chicken, potatoes, and vegetables for a cozy meal.
Save This Recipe
Made this crockpot loaded potato soup? Leave a comment below and tell me how you finished your bowl.
Perfect blend!
This was soo good! Thank you π