Using your slow cooker, you can transform a bag of russet potatoes into the most decadent and comforting baked potato soup you will ever taste. We love to top this soup with bacon, cheese, chives, and sour cream.
This recipe makes a big batch of soup, great for the entire week! My other favorite big-batch soup recipes are French Dip Soup and Buffalo 15 Bean Soup.
Why we Love this Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe
Loaded potato soup is my all-time favorite; I order it at every restaurant when it is available. You can’t beat how creamy this soup is and how great the toppings blend in. You will see in this recipe, I peel and dice raw potatoes; we don’t bake the potatoes. I’ve made baked potato soup before with leftover baked potatoes, which can be gluey.
This baked potato soup recipe has some prep work, but it is really worth the time. This soup is the ultimate comfort soup. Hands down one of the best and easiest slow cooker recipes you will try. This soup tastes just as good as loaded homemade baked potatoes!
How to make Loaded Baked Potato Soup in the Crockpot
Ingredients
- Russet Potatoes – Buy cheap russet potatoes for this recipe, it works the best.
- White Onion – Diced white onion flavors this soup, if you have people who don’t like chunks of onions, don’t worry, they will get blended up in this recipe.
- Seasonings – Whole garlic cloves and pepper. The whole garlic cloves will get blended up, so don’t fret.
- Chicken Broth – May be strange to use chicken broth in a soup with no chicken, but chicken broth adds so much flavor. You can use vegetable broth if needed.
- Cream Cheese – Lots of cream cheese in this recipe. Along with blending the potatoes, this will help thicken the soup and make it ultra creamy.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Peel and dice the potatoes, add them to the crockpot. Add the onion, whole garlic, and black pepper.
Step Two – Pour over chicken broth. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 5 hours. You’ll want to cook this until the potatoes are tender.
Step Three – When the cooking time is up, cube the cream cheese.
Step Four – Add the cubed cream cheese into the soup.
Step Five – Using an immersion, blend up the soup. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a regular blender; you will need to blend the soup in batches.
Step Six – Keep blending until the desired texture is achieved. I do not leave any chunks of potatoes in my soup; you can leave some if you prefer. Taste the soup and add salt and pepper to taste.
What do I top the soup with?
Serve this loaded potato soup recipe buffet style right out the crockpot because not every guest will like all the toppings. Serve these toppings as a choice along with the soup:
- Sour cream – Buy the squeezable sour cream for easy clean up.
- Green onions or chives – This will add an onion flavor to each bowl, we don’t ever skip on this.
- Cooked and crumbled bacon – You can buy precooked bacon or bacon bits if desired.
- Shredded cheddar cheese – Bagged or freshly grated works well.
Recipe FAQS
When you think of baked potatoes, naturally, you think of using russet potatoes. The concept is no different for this recipe. Grab a cheap bag of russets for this soup.
You can substitute fat-free or low-fat cream cheese. Top with turkey bacon and low-fat sour cream and low-fat cheese (or leave off, still good without).
You can put most of my recipes in the freezer after cooking, but sadly this recipe does not work well. The texture of the potatoes turns grainy and mealy, and cream turns foamy after being thawed If this potato soup recipe seems too big for you to finish up, cut the recipe in half. Or package up right away for a family who lives in another household.
I often make this recipe for a large crowd, and cooking enough bacon is almost impossible; it goes quickly as a topping for this soup. My solution is to cook and crumble one pound of bacon and stir it into the soup after cooking (instead of serving on the side), then everyone gets an equal amount.
You can peel and dice your potatoes the night before; place them in water, and refrigerate. Drain off the water before starting the recipe. I do this in a large bowl.
More baked potato inspired recipe you will love!
- Twice Baked Potatoes – Recipe by Spend with Pennies
- Loaded Baked Potato Pizza – Recipe by Nutmeg Nanny
- Loaded Potato Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole – Recipe by the Country Cook
- Slow Cooker Baked Potato Casserole
- Loaded Baked Potato Salad – Recipe by the Southern Bite
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Loaded Baked Potato Soup in the Crock Pot
Equipment Needed:
- Immersion blend or regular blender
Ingredients:
- 5 lbs. russet potatoes
- 1 white onion diced
- 3 whole garlic cloves (keep them whole) or 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 7 cups chicken broth (or 7 cups water and 5 chicken bouillon cubes)
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 16 oz. cream cheese 2 blocks total, ADD AT THE END OF THE COOKING TIME
- additional salt and pepper to taste
Loaded Toppings (optional but necessary)
- sour cream
- cheddar cheese grated
- green onion or chives sliced
- cooked bacon crumbled (or bacon bits)
Instructions:
- Peel, and dice your potatoes in a small dice. Add potatoes, garlic, onion, black pepper and chicken broth to slow cooker.
- Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for 5 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time. You'll want to cook this until the potatoes are tender.
- Add the cream cheese to the slow cooker, you can cube it if you like, but it's not nescessary. Using an immersion blend up the soup. If you don't have an immersion blender you can use a regular blender, you will need to blend the soup in batches.
- Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with desired toppings.
How to Video:
Recipe Notes:
- Fat-free or low-fat cream cheese
- Turkey Bacon
- Low-fat sour cream and cheese (or leave off, still good without!)
- Most of my recipes can be put in the freezer after cooking but sadly this recipe does not work well.
- The texture of the potatoes turn grainy and mealy and cream turns foamy.
- If this recipe seems too big for you to finish up, cut the recipe in half. Or package up right away for a family member who lives in another household.
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Hi- Is there a substitute for the cream cheese to make this dairy free?
If you can find vegan cream cheese or vegan half and half.
I love the soup as it is with the toppings but would make a perfect start for a corn chowder!
If I wanted to add venison to this recipe, would you change anything?
Unsure. It will be very liquidy if you do a venison roast.
I don’t understand how you call this ‘baked’ potato soup?
It’s MUCH easier than using baked potatoes (less gummy, too) and it has the “loaded” toppings you’d put on a baked potato.
I agree. You can’t call it ‘Baked Potato Soup” if you aren’t baking the potatoes.Misleading.
You mentioned that this recipe doesn’t freeze well. What about canning?
I’m not a canning expert. You’d have to look up if the ingredients are safe to can. It may be too thick.
I am not seeing in the directions on when to add the cream cheese and for how long to be cooking with that in the crockpot. Thanks.
Add after cooking and blend with an immersion blender or regular blender.
i have a hand mixer is that okY
I have not tried. Do you have a hand potato masher? That may work better.
Can I use Yukon Gold instead of Russet potates?
yes. they will work fine.
Made this tonight, exactly as the recipe states…. It was amazing! Husband had fourths! Cooked on high for 4 hours. Used the immersion blender and left the soup a little chunky. Topped with cheddar, chopped bacon and fresh chives. It was fantastic, thank you!