Crockpot Potato Soup
Crockpot Loaded Potato Soup is a creamy slow cooker soup that eats like a loaded baked potato in a bowl. A quick morning at the stove buys you the coziest dinner of soup season.
Tender gold potatoes simmered with crispy bacon and finished with heavy cream and sharp cheddar.
This is the soup that empties the slow cooker at our house. Everyone builds their own bowl, extra bacon here, double cheddar there. The pot scrapes clean by the end of the night.
Recipe Highlights
- Set it in the morning, done by dinner
- Feeds six from one slow cooker
- A build-your-own toppings bar for the table
- Hearty enough to be the whole dinner
- Leftovers reheat beautifully all week
Ingredient Notes
Please check the recipe card below for a detailed, printable ingredient list.
GOLD POTATOES – Any bag labeled gold or yellow works, and Yukon Gold is the best-known name. Thin skins make peeling optional. Half-inch cubes cook evenly.
|
Potato Type |
How It Cooks Up |
Best For |
|
Gold (this recipe) |
Soft, with a naturally rich mash |
Thick soup without extra thickeners |
|
Russet |
Fluffy, breaks down fast |
Extra-thick, rustic bowls |
|
Red Potato |
YesWaxy, holds its shape |
Chunky, brothy soup |
BACON – Chop the slices before they hit the skillet. The pieces cook flat, crisp up in about 10 minutes, and fit in one load.
CHEDDAR – Shred it from a block so it melts in nicely, but pre-shredded is fine when you are short on time.
BUTTER – I cook with unsalted butter, and the salt here is measured for it. Using salted? Start with half the salt and adjust at the end.
HEAVY CREAM – Stir it in for the last 30 minutes. Half-and-half works if that is what is in the fridge.
How To Make Crockpot Loaded Potato Soup
Please check the printable recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
- Crisp the bacon in a skillet, then chop it. Melt the butter and soften the onion and garlic.
- Add the onions, potatoes, broth, bacon, chives, salt, and pepper and stir.
- Once the potatoes are fork-tender, mash a few right in the pot to thicken the soup.
- Add the cream, cheese finish cooking, serve and add toppings.
Leftovers and Storage
STORE – Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. The soup thickens as it chills, which makes tomorrow’s bowl even better.
FREEZE – This one is happiest in the fridge. Cream and potatoes turn grainy in the freezer, so plan on enjoying it within the week.
REHEAT – Warm it gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of broth or milk. Stir as it heats and the cheddar melts right back in.
MAKE AHEAD – Cook the soup a day early and hold the toppings. Reheat, ladle, and top just before serving. It tastes like you fussed.
More Potato Soup Recipes
Serving Suggestions
GAME DAY – Ladle it into mugs, set out the toppings, and nobody leaves the couch.
SOUP AND BREAD NIGHT – Warm Oatmeal Dinner Rolls for dunking and dinner is done.
SUNDAY SUPPER – A pan of Cornbread on the table turns this into a slow, cozy evening.
SOUP SEASON ROTATION – When this pot runs dry, Crockpot Broccoli and Cheddar Soup is next in line.
Recipe Success Tips
MASH LEVEL – A few passes with the masher keeps it chunky, more makes it thick. An immersion blender takes it completely smooth.
FORK TEST – The potatoes are ready when a fork slides in with no push-back. If it resists, give the pot another 30 minutes and test again.
CHEESE AT THE END – Stirring the cheddar in at the very end keeps it smooth and melty. Low heat is all it needs.
SAVE SOME BACON – Stir most of the bacon into the pot and hold a handful back. The pieces on top stay crisp and make every bowl look like the photo.
Commonly Asked Questions
Is This the Same as Loaded Baked Potato Soup?
Yes, this Crockpot Loaded Potato Soup a loaded baked potato soup made in the slow cooker. All the baked potato flavors, bacon, cheddar, sour cream, and chives, simmer into one rich pot. The only thing missing is the oven. Some menus call it loaded potato soup, some add baked, same cozy bowl.
How Do I Make Crockpot Loaded Potato Soup Thicker?
Crockpot loaded potato soup thickens right in the pot with a potato masher. Mash more potatoes for a thicker soup, fewer for chunky. For extra body, leave the lid off for the last 20 minutes. The stirred-in cheddar tightens it up too.
Can I Use a Different Cheese?
Yes, any good melting cheese works in this soup. Colby Jack and Monterey Jack melt smoothly, and a smoked Gouda is wonderful with the bacon. Shred it off the block and stir it in at the end. Save the sharpest cheddar for the toppings bar.
Can I Make It Without the Bacon?
Yes, the creamy potato base stands beautifully on its own. Skip the bacon step and start with the butter and onion. That version is exactly my Crockpot Potato Soup, where the toppings bar does the talking. Either way, the slow cooker handles the hard part.
Can I Cook It on High Instead?
Yes, high for 3 to 4 hours works when the morning gets away from you. The fork test is still the gate, potatoes should give with no push-back. Mash, then finish with the cream and cheddar for the last 30 minutes, just like the low version.
More Cozy Potato Recipes
Potatoes never let you down. Here are the ones my readers come back to all fall and winter.
Twice Baked Potato Casserole – All the loaded flavors, baked into one bubbling dish.
Ham and Potato Casserole – A hearty dinner that stretches leftover ham beautifully.
Funeral Potatoes – The cheesy potluck classic with the crunchy topping.
Cheesy Mashed Potatoes – The side dish that disappears first at every holiday.
Crockpot Chicken and Potatoes – Another set-and-forget dinner for busy weeks.
Crockpot Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 6 cups gold potatoes cut into ½-inch cubes
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 12 ounces bacon cooked, chopped, reserve some for serving
- 2 teaspoons dried chives
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese add a little extra for serving
For the Toppings
- cheddar cheese shredded
- bacon reserved, cooked and chopped
- chives chopped
- sour cream
Instructions
Cook the Bacon and Onions
- Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until crisp. Drain on paper towels, then chop.
- Pour off the bacon grease. Melt the butter in the same skillet. Add the onion and cook for about 4 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
Load the Slow Cooker
- Add the onion mixture, potatoes, broth, bacon, dried chives, salt, and pepper to a slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Finish and Serve
- Mash the potatoes a few times to thicken the soup, leaving plenty of chunks.
- Pour in the heavy cream and stir. Cover and cook on LOW for 30 more minutes.
- Ladle into bowls. Top with cheddar, bacon, fresh chives, and sour cream, if desired.
- Ladle into bowls. Top with cheddar, bacon, fresh chives, and sour cream, if desired.
Notes
SLOW COOKER TIMES
ON LOW: 6 to 8 hoursON HIGH: 3 to 4 hours
Nutritional Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Cheerful Cook team members are not trained nutritionists or medical professionals. Calorie information and nutritional values are estimates. If you have nutritional concerns, we recommend using a nutritional calculator.
Maike Corbett grew up in German kitchens learning to cook and bake alongside her Omas before spending over a decade running full-service restaurants in the US. She founded Cheerful Cook in 2017 to share practical, tested comfort food recipes that actually work on busy weeknights, drawing on both her American restaurant experience and her German home-cooking roots. Her work has been featured on MSN, Yahoo, the Associated Press, and other major media outlets.