Easy Slow Cooker Potato Soup is the ultimate comfort food, made super simple! It's a bowl of creamy, cheesy, bacon-topped goodness no one can resist. Serve this delicious creamy soup with Bacon Cheddar Scones for a hearty meal the whole family will love.
You'll also love this recipe for crockpot hashbrown soup!
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During the colder months, I use my slow cooker every week, sometimes twice! This loaded potato soup recipe is just the thing when you need a warm comforting and hearty meal.
This is a hearty soup that can be prepped on the weekend if you like, so it's great for busy families. It's also pretty cheap when you consider the ingredients. It does have some richer ingredients, but not a huge amount of them, so it's still an economical choice.
I love a good slow cooker meal, but this one reminds me of my mother. During a crazy blizzard one year, the kids and I holed up with my parents while Mr. Juggling Act stayed home to tend to the generator. We made potato soup, played games and stayed warm while the blizzard blew outside. This great recipe was the absolute perfect meal for the occasion!
My mom taught me just about everything I know about using a slow cooker. As a working mom of four, she took all the help she could get when it came to getting yummy inexpensive meals on the table quickly.
🧂 Ingredients
- chicken broth or vegetable stock
- bacon
- sweet onion
- celery
- fresh garlic
- red bliss potatoes
- heavy cream
- Gruyere cheese
- sour cream (optional)
from the pantry: dry mustard, dried tarragon, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper
Optional Toppings: sharp cheddar cheese, fresh parsley, chives or scallions (green onions).
This is meant to be a brief overview of the crockpot potato soup recipe. For step-by-step instructions and a full printable recipe card with ingredients, please scroll down to the teal box below or Jump to Recipe.
🔪Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a heavy skillet until crispy.
- Move the bacon with a slotted spatula to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon fat. and discard the rest.
- In the skillet with the bacon fat, cook the diced onions and celery until tender. Add the minced garlic and cook another minute. Remove from heat.
- Into the slow cooker, add the chicken stock, cooked vegetable mixture, and seasonings, along with the peeled potatoes.
- Cook the soup on low for 7-8 hours.
- Carefully use the immersion blender, or a potato masher, to make the soup as smooth as you like - personally I like a more creamy texture so I break up about half the potatoes or maybe just a little more.
- Just before serving, stir in the heavy cream, Gruyere cheese and sour cream (optional).
- Serve with crumbled crispy bacon and cheddar cheese.
Equipment
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Here is what you will need to make this easy recipe:
- Vegetable Peeler
- Cutting Board
- Santoku Knife
- Measuring Spoons
- Liquid Measuring Cup
- Dry Measuring Cups
- Box Grater
- Skillet
- Slow Cooker
Be sure to check out my Juggling Act Mama Storefront on Amazon where you'll find all kinds of great products to make your life easier! Thanks so much for being a part of Juggling Act Mama ❤
If you're new to using a slow cooker or CrockPot, you'll want to check out a post I wrote on How to Use a Slow Cooker Like a Boss. It's got tons of tips for making the most of this awesome kitchen appliance - plus lots of slow cooker recipes you'll love.
💭 Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions (and answers!) readers often ask about this creamy potato soup recipe.
Yes, instead of bacon grease, cook the celery and onions in 2 tablespoons of butter or olive oil. Instead of topping the soup with crumbled bacon, use cheddar cheese, fresh parsley, chives or scallions.
For a little crunch, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet on medium heat, add ½ cup of panko bread crumbs and toast. Add to the top of the soup in lieu of bacon.
Cook the bacon and vegetables a couple of days ahead of time. Both should be kept in their own airtight containers or resealable bags. On cooking day, all you'll need to do is peel the potatoes and toss everything into the slow cooker.
If you like meal prepping, you might also like to check out my Menu Planner and Grocery List Printable Set to plan out your meals and keep track of groceries you need to order.
I love the creamy nutty flavor that Gruyere adds to this soup. It melts beautifully and works really well with the potatoes. However, most good melting cheeses will work. Mozzarella tends to be mild, so if you choose this, add a little extra salt. Some of my favorite cheeses for this soup are Gouda or Colby Jack.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
Our creamy soup is certainly hearty enough on its own, but it's super tasty served with Bacon Cheddar Scones, Rosemary Focaccia Bread or Cheesy Cornbread.
You can also serve a smaller portion of soup along with a Toasted Caprese Sandwich or Chicken Cobb Salad.
You could also top this soup recipe with my Cheesy Tater Tots and bacon!
📖 Variations
We recommend that you try our slow cooker soup recipe for the first time just as it is written for the best results, because that is how the recipe has been tested.
However, the next time you make it, you might consider one of these different ways of making this great recipe.
- For a lower fat version, use turkey bacon.
- While we used red potatoes, you can use any waxy potato like Yukon gold. Some readers have told us that they like the texture of russet potatoes in this soup as well.
😋 Similar Recipes
Next time, try one of these other awesome soup recipes:
- Creamy Tomato Basil Soup + Croutons
- Italian Style Chicken Sausage Soup
- Healthy Sweet Potato Soup
- Busy Day Soup
🥔More Potato Recipes
- Bacon Cheddar Potato Skins - these are the ultimate in game day grub.
- Make-Ahead Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar - you'll want to make a double batch for Thanksgiving.
- Easy Baked Potato Casserole - kids love this!
📋 Easy Slow Cooker Potato Soup
With the cheese and cream, this isn't necessarily the healthiest of recipes, but it sure is scrumptious. Moderation in all things, I say! If you are watching your weight, you might prefer this Healthy Sweet Potato Soup, which has less fat.
Not ready to make our slow cooker potato soup recipe yet? Don’t forget to pin the recipe for later! When you do make it, please be sure to tag me on Instagram @jugglingactmama or #jugglingactmama – I’d love to see your pictures! And finally, if you get a chance, please comment and leave me a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below!
Slow Cooker Potato Soup
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon diced
- 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat
- 1 cup onion, diced
- ½ cup celery, diced
- 1 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced
- 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoons white pepper
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 2 teaspoons dried tarragon
- ¼ teaspoons garlic powder
- 4 cups red bliss potatoes, peeled and diced
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 6 oz Gruyere cheese, shredded
- 2 tablespoons sour cream (optional)
Instructions
- In a large skillet, fry the bacon and place onto paper towels to drain. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease and discard the rest.
- In the reserved bacon grease, cook the onions and celery until tender. Add the minced garlic cook 1-2 minutes more.
- To the slow cooker, add the stock, vegetable mixture, salt, pepper, dry mustard, dried tarragon, and garlic powder. Whisk to combine.
- Add the potatoes and set the slow cooker for 8 hours on low until the potatoes are tender.
- Just before serving, use an immersion blender to smooth out the potato soup to desired taste.
- Stir in the heavy cream and shredded Gruyere cheese. If desired, add in the sour cream.
- Serve with crumbled bacon pieces and cheddar cheese for topping.
Notes
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Alina says
Sounds easy and delicious to make!
Kelley @Miss Information Blog says
I can't wait to try this, thanks for being so awesome!
Joy says
This slow cooker potato soup recipe was really good. I had a little bit of sweet potato leftover and added that to use it up. Thanks for sharing!
Cindy B says
This sounds perfect for an after football practice supper! Thanks for the recipe.
debbie c says
It was so cold here today so I tried this recipe - PERFECTION!!! Thank you so much for sharing this 🙂
Lilia Kharabora says
I am pregnant and wanting this so much! Thanks for the recipe, I look forward to trying it!
Eymi says
this looks sooo good!!! i want to try it all.
Heather S says
I love cooking in my slow cooker!
Kathleen says
We love potato soup, but I've never made it in the slow cooker before. What a great idea!
Maria Iemma says
As a working woman, I appreciate my slow cooker and use it often. Thank you for posting this delicious potato soup recipe. It is super easy and I love that it's a time-saving recipe. I had a little panchetta so I used that instead of bacon - so good!!
Melissa George says
i love this recipe, it always comes out really good. i love potatoes!! i used gouda cheese instead one time and now that's my favorite. i always make salads with mixed veggies to go with this soup.
Debra C. says
Oh my goodness potato soup is totally my meal! This looks delicious, hearty and perfect for dinner. Love the prepared directions too - thank you!!
Ang Paris says
It's just SO good! Hope you get a chance to try it soon 🙂
Sonja says
The Gruyère cheese is what makes this so unique. I used half and half instead of heavy cream and boiled the potatoes and made in a dutch oven instead. It was amazing and so much flavor!
Ang Paris says
So glad you enjoyed it! Gruyère is so good in this - I also like it with fontina or gouda.