Slow Cooker Creamy Loaded Baked Potato Soup
A rich, comforting, and hearty slow cooker soup that tastes exactly like a loaded baked potato. Russet potatoes simmer all day until tender, finished with a luscious cream base and topped with crispy bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, and fresh chives.
Equipment
- Slow Cooker (6-quart or larger)
- Potato Masher
- Cutting Board
- Chef's Knife
- Skillet (for bacon)
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 3 lbs Russet potatoes — peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
- 4 cups Chicken broth — low sodium preferred
- 1 medium Yellow onion — finely diced
- 3 cloves Garlic — minced
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt — adjust to taste
- 0.5 teaspoon Black pepper — freshly cracked
Cream Base
- 8 oz Cream cheese — softened and cut into cubes
- 0.5 cup Heavy cream — or half-and-half
Garnishes
- 6 slices Bacon — cooked until crispy and crumbled
- 1.5 cups Sharp cheddar cheese — freshly shredded
- 0.25 cup Fresh chives or green onions — chopped
Soup Base
| 3 lbs | Russet potatoes | peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes |
| 4 cups | Chicken broth | low sodium preferred |
| 1 medium | Yellow onion | finely diced |
| 3 cloves | Garlic | minced |
| 1 teaspoon | Kosher salt | adjust to taste |
| 0.5 teaspoon | Black pepper | freshly cracked |
Cream Base
| 8 oz | Cream cheese | softened and cut into cubes |
| 0.5 cup | Heavy cream | or half-and-half |
Garnishes
| 6 slices | Bacon | cooked until crispy and crumbled |
| 1.5 cups | Sharp cheddar cheese | freshly shredded |
| 0.25 cup | Fresh chives or green onions | chopped |
Instructions
-
In a 6-quart or larger slow cooker, combine the diced potatoes, chicken broth, diced onion, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to combine.
~5 minMake sure the potatoes are cut to roughly the same size so they cook evenly. -
Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the potatoes are very fork-tender.
~6hAvoid opening the lid during cooking to maintain the heat. -
Remove the lid and use a potato masher to roughly mash about half of the potatoes directly in the slow cooker. This will naturally thicken the soup while leaving some chunks for texture.
~5 minFor a completely smooth soup, you can use an immersion blender instead. -
Stir in the softened cream cheese cubes and heavy cream. Cover and cook on HIGH for an additional 15-20 minutes until the cream cheese is completely melted.
~20 minWhisk gently to help incorporate the cream cheese smoothly into the broth. -
Stir the soup well. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
~2 min -
Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top generously with crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, and fresh chives.
~3 minYou can also stir a handful of cheddar directly into the soup before serving for extra cheesiness.
Tips & Storage
- Using freshly shredded cheddar cheese is highly recommended over pre-shredded, as it melts much better.
- If the soup is too thick after adding the cream, thin it out with a splash of extra chicken broth or milk.
- To make it vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth and omit the bacon, using smoked paprika or vegetarian bacon bits for a smoky flavor.
- Storage: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave, adding a splash of milk if the soup has thickened too much in the fridge. Freezing is not recommended as the cream and potatoes may separate and become grainy.