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 slow cooker 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
- Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes
- 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:
Sarah’s 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.
Karen Fein says
Can I use regular cream cheese?
Sarah Olson says
Yes!
Scott says
What may I use in place of the cream cheese? Not a big fan of it?
Sarah Olson says
Heavy cream will work. Won’t be as thick but will work.
Stacy Kyle says
If I use heavy cream in replace of the cream cheese, how much should I use?
J says
This soup is so easy and yummy!
Mary says
Hi I have a 4 qt crockpot how would you recommend adjusting the recipe quantities?
Karen says
What is a serving size amount?
pat white says
Can I add oysters in a jar when I put in the potatoes, etc?
Sarah Olson says
I would stir them in towards the end. After it’s been blended together.
Faye says
Hi Sarah, Can I cook this on high for six hours rather than low at 8-10 hrs?
Faye says
Saw your earlier post and switched to high for 6 hours
Heather Carranza says
What about cooking it in an instant pot? How much time?
Sandy Sola says
So many soups call for low sodium chicken broth so as not to be too salty. Would this soup taste better with low sodium broth or regular? So anxious to try it!
Sarah Olson says
Hi Sandy! If you are concerned I would do low sodium, then you can add a touch of salt at the end if needed.
lynne essig says
Any idea how to convert this to the instant pot? So much faster
Pam S Evans says
Can you add cheddar cheese to the potato soup, in addition to the cream cheese?
Sarah Olson says
yes! that would be really good!
Pam S Evans says
Can half and half be used instead of cream cheese? If so, how much?
Will the soup be thinner with half and half?
Sarah Olson says
Yes it will be thinner, you can more potatoes and blend up a bit more at the end to get more thickness.
Faye says
When would I add the cheddar cheese? During the six hour cook time?
Sarah Olson says
I would at the end after the cream cheese.
Monica says
I actually only had a block and a half of cream cheese when I made this soup, so I substituted the other half block of cream cheese with Velveeta and let it cook for another hour. It turned out SO GOOD!!!
Nichole says
This recipe was amazing, I was worried since I’m not a huge cream cheese fan- I used 95% fat free cream cheese and it was filling which was great but no weird cream cheese taste, just the promised delightful baked potato flavour and texture. It also lasted really well the next day for lunch and more leftovers a couple nights later which surprised me. I still have some in the freezer, i’m hoping might be ok when thawed out to but it’s pretty much the perfect recipe!
Wendy says
This may have been asked but is it possible to cook it on high for 4 hours instead of low for 8 hours?
Sarah Olson says
I think this would work Wendy. I’ve never tried this, but I would think 4 hours on high, if the lid wasn’t opened would cook the potatoes.
Monica says
I cooked on high for 4 hours, then used an immersion blender. I also substituted half a block of cream cheese with Velveeta. Very happy with the results!!