Loaded Baked Potato Soup in the Crockpot


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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.

Close up of baked potato soup in slow cooker
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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 slow cooker baked potatoes!

How to make Loaded Baked Potato Soup in the Crockpot

Ingredients

ingredients for baked potato soup on table
  • 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

 images of ingredients for baked potato soup in slow cooker.

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.

 image collage on how to blend the baked potato soup

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.

baked potato soup topped with cheese, bacon and green onions

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.
bowl of baked potato soup with sour cream, bacon, cheese and sour cream on top

Recipe FAQS

What are the best potatoes to use for this soup?

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.

How can I make loaded potato soup lower in fat

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).

Can I freeze this soup?

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.

Feeding a large crowd?

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.

Can I prep potatoes the night before?

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.

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baked potato soup topped with cheese, bacon and green onions

Loaded Baked Potato Soup in the Crock Pot

5 from 5 votes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 10
Transform bag of cheap potatoes into a decadent and comforting soup. Make this soup loaded by topping with bacon, cheese, sour cream, and chives.

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

Sarah’s Notes

Can I prep the potatoes the night before?
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.
Feeding a large crowd?
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 for that is to cook and crumble one pound of bacon and stir it into the soup after cooking, then everyone gets an equal amount.
How can I make this recipe low fat?
  • Fat-free or low-fat cream cheese
  • Turkey Bacon
  • Low-fat sour cream and cheese (or leave off, still good without!)
Can I freeze this?
  • 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

Calories: 247kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 824mg | Potassium: 1016mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 250IU | Vitamin C: 22.7mg | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.

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94 Comments

  1. Dorothy Boszak says:

    I have a problem with using chicken broth โ€ฆโ€ฆIโ€™m 91 years old and have enjoyed my mothers and my own potato soup for most of those years. We used onions and celery boiled with the potatoesโ€ฆ.added milk or 1/2 and 1/2 and a large dab of butter, with cooked chopped bacon added as the main ingredients for our soup. It was / is delicious. I tried using broth one time and my family didnโ€™t care for the flavor. It just seems an extra expense to use broth when it tastes so good without. Does this seem reasonable?

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      Thatโ€™s sounds delicious your way!

  2. Shari Krauk says:

    Hi- Is there a substitute for the cream cheese to make this dairy free?

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      If you can find vegan cream cheese or vegan half and half.

  3. Alexis says:

    5 stars
    I love the soup as it is with the toppings but would make a perfect start for a corn chowder!

  4. Alison says:

    If I wanted to add venison to this recipe, would you change anything?

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      Unsure. It will be very liquidy if you do a venison roast.

  5. Adele L Chicken says:

    I don’t understand how you call this ‘baked’ potato soup?

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      It’s MUCH easier than using baked potatoes (less gummy, too) and it has the “loaded” toppings you’d put on a baked potato.

      1. Pat says:

        I agree. You can’t call it ‘Baked Potato Soup” if you aren’t baking the potatoes.Misleading.