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Slow Cooker Potato Soup

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This Slow Cooker Potato Soup recipe is easy to make in the crock-pot, and it’s perfectly thick and creamy and flavorful (without having to use heavy cream)!

Slow Cooker Potato Soup -- so delicious, and made extra-easy in the crock pot! | gimmesomeoven.com

Alright everyone, I think this one tops the charts as our most requested recipe on the blog ever, so I hope you like it. :)

That’s right, I finally made you a recipe for Slow Cooker Potato Soup!!!

The keywords, of course, being slow cooker.

Many of you have already discovered my classic Potato Soup recipe on the blog, which will forever and always be my favorite. But nearly every other comment we have received about this soup is from all of you slow cooking fans, asking if you can make the soup in your crock pots. As someone who shares a deep and undying love of all things potato soup and slow cooking, I was right there with ya! Unfortunately, the traditional recipe wasn’t one that that easily converted to slow cooking. Or at least, you couldn’t just dump all of the ingredients in and expect thick and creamy and delicious potato soup afterwards.

But I tested out a few different slow cooker approaches and finally figured out one that I think we’re all going to love. Just like my classic potato soup recipe, this one is super rich and creamy (but made a tiny bit lighter without heavy cream – yay!), it requires less than 20 minutes of prep time (mostly just chopping those potatoes), and it’s wonderfully comforting and delicious. But unlike my classic potato soup recipe, your crock pot gets to be the one to slow cook this soup to perfection.

Alright, let’s do this.

 

Slow Cooker Potato Soup Recipe Video (1 Minute)

 

The first step in this Slow Cooker Potato Soup recipe is probably the most time consuming — chopping up a storm. Chop up lots of potatoes (I strongly recommend Yukon golds), a big onion (white or yellow), and lots of cooked bacon (you can fry or microwave the bacon while you chop, or buy it pre-cooked).Slow Cooker Potato Soup -- so delicious, and made extra-easy in the crock pot! | gimmesomeoven.com

Then toss everything in the slow cooker (<– this is the one I use!), along with lots of good-quality chicken (or vegetable) stock.

And then set the timer for 3-4 hours (on high) or 6-8 hours (on low), and walk away and let the slow cooker do its thing.

Slow Cooker Potato Soup -- so delicious, and made extra-easy in the crock pot! | gimmesomeoven.com

Then once everything has slow cooked, you’ve gotta do the final step on the stovetop. I know, I know, this recipe isn’t 100% slow cooker. But in order to have a soup that’s nice and thick and avoid using heavy cream, we need to make a quick and easy creamy roux on the stove.

So just melt your butter (or you can use reserved bacon grease, if you fried the bacon on the stove, which will be way more flavorful) and whisk it together with some flour to form a roux. Then whisk in a can of evaporated milk. And once the mixture comes to a simmer, it will thicken up into a really thick gravy-like mixture. Add that to directly to the slow cooker, and give everything a stir.

Slow Cooker Potato Soup -- so delicious, and made extra-easy in the crock pot! | gimmesomeoven.com

And then if you’d like an even thicker soup (which I recommend), use a potato masher to mash up about half of the potatoes in the soup. Or you can just leave them all chunky. Up to you.

(Or, some of you have asked about a slightly healthier soup. If you’d rather leave out the roux entirely and just have a brothy-er soup, you can do that, and/or just mash some of the potatoes if you’d like to thicken it up a bit.)

Slow Cooker Potato Soup -- so delicious, and made extra-easy in the crock pot! | gimmesomeoven.com

And then…ta da! A big crock pot full of delicious, creamy Slow Cooker Potato Soup will be yours to enjoy!
Slow Cooker Potato Soup -- so delicious, and made extra-easy in the crock pot! | gimmesomeoven.com

 

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Slow Cooker Potato Soup

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 265 reviews
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 250 minutes
  • Total Time: 260 minutes
  • Yield: 8 -10 servings 1x

Description

This Slow Cooker Potato Soup recipe is thick and creamy (without using heavy cream), wonderfully flavorful, and made extra easy in the slow cooker!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 slices cooked bacon*, diced
  • 34 cups good-quality chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes**, peeled (if desired) and diced
  • 1 medium white or yellow onion, peeled and diced
  • 4 tablespoons bacon grease* (or butter)
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 (12-ounce) can 2% evaporated milk
  • 1 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt or low-fat sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, or more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
  • optional toppings: thinly-sliced green onions or chives, extra shredded cheese, extra bacon, sour cream

Instructions

  1. Add bacon, 3 cups chicken stock, potatoes and onion to the bowl of a large slow cooker, and stir to combine.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, or until the potatoes are completely tender and cooked through.
  2. Once the soup has slow cooked and is about ready to serve, cook the butter in a small saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat until it has melted.  Whisk in the flour until it is completely combined, and then cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.  Gradually add in the evaporated milk while whisking it together with the flour mixture, and continue whisking until the mixture is completely smooth.  Let the mixture continue cooking until it reaches a simmer, stirring occasionally, and then it should get really thick.
  3. Immediately pour the milk mixture into the slow cooker with the potatoes, and stir until combined.  Add in the cheddar cheese, Greek yogurt (or sour cream), salt and pepper, and stir until combined.  If you would like the soup to be even thicker, you can use a potato masher or a large spoon to mash about half of the potatoes (while the soup is still in the slow cooker) to thicken the soup up.  If you would like the soup to be thinner, add in an extra 1-2 cups of warmed chicken or vegetable stock.  Stir to combine, then taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
  4. Serve warm, garnished with desired toppings.  Or transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.  (This recipe will not freeze well.)

Notes

*You can either fry the bacon, cook it in the microwave, or buy pre-cooked bacon.  If frying or microwaving, I recommend dicing the bacon before cooking it.  And if you are frying it, I highly recommend saving the bacon grease for later and then using it to make your roux (instead of butter).

**I highly recommend using Yukon gold potatoes, which have the perfect texture and buttery taste for this soup.  But Russet potatoes or red potatoes would also work just fine in this recipe.

***If you would like to make this recipe vegetarian, use vegetable stock, omit the bacon, and I would recommend adding in 2-3 teaspoons of Old Bay seasoning for extra flavor.

This post contains affiliate links.

Slow Cooker Potato Soup -- so delicious, and made extra-easy in the crock pot! | gimmesomeoven.com

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1,135 comments on “Slow Cooker Potato Soup”

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  1. I used a small amount of instant potatoes to thicken it up to watch calories. It was delicious!

  2. With some slow cooker soups u can slowly add instance potatoes to thicken it up abit. I’ve been told to eat what I want as I have 4 types of stage 4 cancer, none is operatable. So to encourage me to eat I keep trying different recipes to keep my appetite up. These recipes are a god send to me .

  3. Wow!  I am the soup queen and this is one of the best ever! Thank you for this great recipe!

  4. I was looking for a gluten-free version in the comments (cornstarch instead of flour?), but didn’t see one. Any ideas? I love it just as it is, but have a gluten-intolerant friend who would love some sometime. Thanks!

    • Hi Jo Anne! To make this gluten free you can use cornstarch or arrowroot powder instead of the flour, or you can try a gluten-free all purpose flour blend. We hope this helps and that your friend enjoys the soup!

  5. You can also use a spoon of corn starch mixed in cold water (must be mixed in cold or it will clump) to thicken a soup. Just mix in a bit until you get it to the consistency you want. It cuts lots of calories, and it makes it gluten free as long as the bacon is. Being from Louisiana, I love a traditional roux, but I have since made things like this with gluten free all purpose flour, and that works too. So, this changes will help those cutting calories (corn starch) or wanting to cook gluten free (gf flour). Potato soup recipe sounds great!

    • Thanks for sharing with us, Kim — we think that’s a great idea! We hope you enjoy this recipe!

    • So instead for the roux add little water and table spoon for corn starch instead sounds like good way to healthy it up a bit I’ll have to try it that way

  6. Before serving, how about adding a few dollops of sour cream.  It makes it that more delish!

  7. Best thing on a cold snowy day

  8. Tried it but potatoes turned brown and we didn’t like the flavor at all

    • Did the potatoes burn somehow? We can’t think of why they would have turned brown, unless they oxidized (but that’s only if you cut them in advance and then let them sit too long before doing anything with them).

  9. What about the rivels? Can I get a recipe for them and when to put them in thank you

  10. I accidently poured the evaporated milk and onion in the crockpot pot. Is there any way to fix this ? I got carried away and started throwing everything in the crockpot pot ?

    • We’re not sure, Jenna, but please let us know how it turned out — we hope it was still salvageable!

  11. This soup is always a big hit when I make it.. I have made it both in the crock pot and on the stove top…. Stove top if I in a hurry…. Both ways equally as good… I prefer the gold potato, however the red worked well too….  Sometimes I add tiny bits of chopped carrot if I have on hand for a color…. If looking for a little extra zing add a tiny dash of cayanne pepper to your bowl….     Yum! 

  12. This recipe is also fast and easy in my Cuisinart electric pressure cooker. Yummy!

    • Thanks, Pat — we’re happy you enjoyed it and that it worked well in your pressure cooker!

  13. Great recipe for potato soup I have found ever. Now, my husband won’t quarrelling with me. I must try these at home.

    Thanks for sharing an awesome recipe

  14. It would be great if you included the nutritional information with your recipes as well.

    • Hi Sherry! We currently are not publishing nutrition facts on the site, as the nutrition calculators available are not 100% accurate, and we never want to publish anything that might be misleading. However, a lot of our readers love the My Fitness Pal nutrition calculator, so feel free to try that for an estimate. We hope that helps!

  15. I use frozen cut up onion, and fryed potatoes. No cutting for me

  16. I can’t wait to get the ingredients for this soup. It sounds absolutely amazing. And it received great reviews. I love soups and slow cooked ones are the way to go! Thank you

  17. Delicious! Cooked chicken breast in the pot, did not add Greek yogurt or sour cream, still so good!

  18. Today I cooked the potato soup,recipe above,
    It came out awesome,I did add more sour cream/cheese,big hit with my grandson, who is a pain in the tush to cook for,so glad I found it on fb
    Thank You

  19. This soup is so delicious! Make it!!!

  20. Just wondering… do you prefer using the bacon grease for the roux or butter?

    • We’ve tried it with both and love either way, but probably the bacon grease (or you could do 1/2 and 1/2). :) We hope you enjoy!

  21. May try this w/pressure cooker…. I’m more of a fast person & I have the time. I actually have everything in house!

  22. It’s also nice with some creamed corn added.

  23. My go-to potato soup recipe! Love it. Added some diced carrots and about a tsp of cajun seasoning this time. Perfection!






  24. So how would I make this in a regular pot? Just boil the potatoes in the stock on the stovetop?

    • Hi Nicole! Yes, exactly! Bring them to a boil, then turn the temp down to a simmer and cook them for about 15-20 minutes (until fork-tender). And you’ll want to use regular milk for the stovetop version (1 1/2 cups). We hope you enjoy!

  25. Easy, delicious. I’m one to always change a recipe, this is perfect as is!!






  26. All I can say is Yummy! I initially intended to use the crockpot but instead sautéed the garlic and onion in the butter in a large pot on the stove, added the main ingredients plus some chopped celery and simmered until potatoes tender. After mashing added the remaining. Many compliments. If the outcome in a pot after a few hours can only imagine after a slow cooking process. I also used a little parsley and onion salt.






    • Thank you for sharing with us, Marilyn, we’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe! :)

  27. Can we make this vegetarian? I am married to a pure veggie…..I would love to have him enjoy a good potato soup. this ones heavenly but with bacon I cannot really serve to him






    • Hi Sindh! Yes, you could use vegetable stock, leave out the bacon, and use butter instead of bacon grease. We hope you both enjoy!

  28. I love this soup. So tasty and easy to make. I make it for my husband and I but it makes so much we can share with our neighbors and their 3 little ones to help give them a break. I was wondering if this soup could be frozen?






    • Thank you, Laura, we’re so glad it’s a hit! :) Technically you could freeze this soup, though it’s not totally ideal for freezing since it has so much dairy in it (it may cause the soup to split and the texture to be off).

  29. Hi. I had to make this gluten free and dairy free, meaning I used white rice flour and almond milk in the roux and gluten free vegetable broth and it was still very good.
    Thank you!
    (Oh, and I couldn’t/didn’t use the yogurt; that brand is gluten free but not dairy free, plus the soup didnt need it!!)






    • Hi Jeannette, thanks for sharing with us — we’re so glad this turned out well gluten-free! :)

  30. This is the best potato soup ever! Whenever I make it the kids devour it so we never have leftovers. Thank you for the great recipe.






  31. Hi Ali,
    I’m looking forward to making your soup but I have a question.
    As for me, I love onions but my wife doesn’t how can I get around this…what about dehydrated onions? Would that work? Or what would you recommend. Thanks, Rich

    • Hi Rich! Hmmm, we haven’t tried dehydrated onions in this, so that’s hard to say. You could give it a shot though! Or, you could stir in a bit of onion powder or garlic powder at the end. We hope you both enjoy!

    • I am not an onion person, but I do put in onion, but I cut it in half or quarters and that way I can pick it out or use onion powder. You do need the taste of onion, but this way I don’t bite into them and it does not over power with onion flavor.

  32. What can you substitute evaporated milk with?

    • Hi Brianna! We actually used evaporated milk in this to make it slow-cooker friendly (adding dairy products like regular milk or cream to a slow cooker, especially early on, can cause curdling).

  33. Potato soup looks delicious

  34. It’s just the Hubby and I…. is there a rule for splitting the recipe in half? Do I cook it differently or is it all the same? Thanks!

    • Hi Ashlie! We would recommend cooking this on low for 6 hours, and then checking it. It may need a little more time, but we think this would be your best bet. We hope you both enjoy!

  35. Can’t wait to try this tomorrow.. Sounds really delicious and something my 5 year old will eat ..

  36. Loved this recipe it was delicious! What are the calories information?






    • Thanks, Susan, we’re so glad to hear that! As for the calories though, we’re sorry but we don’t have that information. We currently are not publishing nutrition facts on the site, as the nutrition calculators available are not 100% accurate, and we never want to publish anything that might be misleading. However, a lot of our readers love the My Fitness Pal nutrition calculator, so feel free to try that for an estimate. We hope that helps!

  37. The video showed something orange. Shredded carrots or 2nd type cheese?

  38. can you give the carb, sodium and fat grams?

    • Hi Franella! We’re sorry but we are unsure of the nutrition facts in this recipe. We currently are not publishing nutrition facts on the site, as the nutrition calculators available are not 100% accurate, and we never want to publish anything that might be misleading. However, a lot of our readers love the My Fitness Pal nutrition calculator, so feel free to try that for an estimate. We hope that helps!

  39. I will be trying this soup. Thanks for the recipe.

  40. Can I use regular ingredients instead of fat free and 2%, or is there a reason for the fat free ingredients? Is it just to decrease caloric intake?

    • Hi Sara! Yes, feel free to use whole milk yogurt or full fat sour cream if you like. As for the evaporated milk, we actually use that versus regular milk to make it slow-cooker friendly (adding dairy products like regular milk or cream to a slow cooker, especially early on, can cause curdling). We hope this helps!

  41. I make this soup often. It is hands down the best potato soup and so good on a winter or rainy day. To shorten the prep time, I always use a bag of frozen chucky hash browns. Easy peasy






  42. Does this freeze well?

    • Hi Erin! Technically you could freeze this soup, though it’s not totally ideal for freezing since it has so much dairy in it (it may cause the soup to split and the texture to be off).

  43. I use instant Potato’s to thicken mine….






  44. Looks and sounds good. Since I’m a potato soup lover from way back, I’ve printed it and now have to get the ingredients so I can TRY IT !!!! ?

  45. This soup was perfect!!! The only thing I woukd suggest is a little more bacon ?Thank you for a great recipe!!!






  46. This was so simple and yet SO YUMMY!!!






  47. Can’t wait to try looks great

  48. My family DEVOURED this soup! It was so yummy! I used Greek yogurt instead of sour cream since that’s all I had on hand and I loved the flavor it gave! I def would make this again–adding it to the rotation!

  49. Look forward to making it.

  50. Soooo good!!!!!!! Added a little creole seasoning and some hot sauce. Will definitely make this again