Slow Cooker Baked Potato Soup
Slow cooker baked potato soup that’s rich, creamy, and loaded with flavor. An easy comfort-food classic perfect for cozy nights.
Ingredients
- Russet potatoes (about 3 pounds), peeled and diced
- Yellow onion, finely chopped
- Garlic, 3–4 cloves, minced
- Chicken or vegetable broth, 4 cups
- Milk, 1 cup (whole or 2%)
- Sour cream, 1/2 cup
- Sharp cheddar cheese, 1 1/2 cups, shredded (plus extra for topping)
- Bacon, 6 slices, cooked and crumbled (optional but recommended)
- Unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons
- All-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons (for thickening, optional)
- Salt and black pepper
- Smoked paprika or paprika, 1/2 teaspoon
- Green onions or chives, sliced, for topping
- Optional add-ins: cream cheese, hot sauce, cooked ham, or steamed broccoli
Instructions
- Prep the potatoes. Peel and dice the russets into 1/2-inch cubes. Smaller pieces cook faster and mash more easily.
- Load the slow cooker. Add potatoes, onion, garlic, broth, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Dot with butter.
- Cook low and slow. Cover and cook on Low for 6–8 hours, or on High for 3–4 hours, until the potatoes are very tender.
- Crisp the bacon. While the soup cooks, fry the bacon until crisp. Drain and crumble. Set aside for topping and stirring in.
- Thicken (optional). For a thicker soup, whisk flour with the milk until smooth. Stir the slurry into the slow cooker. Cook 20–30 more minutes on High to thicken.
- Mash to your liking. Use a potato masher to mash some of the potatoes right in the pot. Leave some chunks for texture, or blend briefly with an immersion blender for extra creaminess.
- Finish creamy. Stir in sour cream and 1 cup of the shredded cheddar. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. If you like it richer, add a splash more milk or a few cubes of cream cheese.
- Serve and top. Ladle into bowls. Top with bacon, extra cheddar, and green onions. Add hot sauce if you want a little kick.
