Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup (Creamy, Cheesy, Bacon Topped)

Slow cooker loaded potato soup is a loaded baked potato turned into a bowl of comfort. Tender russets simmer in broth all day, then get mashed into a thick, creamy soup and finished with sharp cheddar, sour cream, crisp bacon and green onions.

It is rich without being heavy, because the body comes mostly from the potatoes themselves rather than from cream. A modest amount of dairy at the end is all it takes to make it silky.

The morning work is peeling and cubing potatoes and dicing an onion. Everything else happens in the last 20 minutes before dinner.

It is a soup that pleases everyone at the table, and it reheats beautifully for lunch the next day.

Why this recipe works

• Russet potatoes break down into a fluffy, starchy base that thickens the soup naturally.
• Cooking the potatoes in broth rather than water means every spoonful is seasoned from the inside out.
• Mashing about half the potatoes and leaving the rest in chunks gives you a creamy soup with real texture.
• Dairy goes in at the end so it never curdles or separates over the long cook.
• Bacon is cooked separately and added as a topping, so it stays crisp instead of turning soft in the soup.

Ingredients you’ll need

Potatoes, broth, onion and garlic form the base. Russets are the right choice because their starch is what makes the soup creamy.

For the finish, you want sharp cheddar, sour cream, a little heavy cream or half and half, and butter. A small amount of flour or cornstarch is optional insurance for thickness.

The toppings are what make it loaded: crisp bacon, more cheddar, green onions and a spoonful of sour cream. A pinch of black pepper on top is not optional.

The ingredient list looks long because of the toppings, but the soup itself is only about eight items, most of which you probably have on hand. A single trip for potatoes, bacon and a block of cheddar covers the rest.

Ingredient notes and smart substitutions

Potatoes

Use 3 pounds of russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes. Russets are high in starch and fall apart into a creamy base. Yukon Golds work and give a slightly buttery flavor, but they hold their shape more and produce a less thick soup. Avoid red or waxy potatoes, which stay firm and turn gluey when mashed.

Broth

Use 4 cups of low sodium chicken broth. Vegetable broth makes the soup vegetarian if you skip the bacon. Because the potatoes soak up salt, you will likely add more at the end than you expect.

Cheddar

Sharp cheddar gives the most flavor for the least cheese. Grate it from a block. Pre shredded cheese is coated with starch that keeps it from melting smoothly. Use 1 1/2 cups in the soup and reserve more for topping. Colby Jack, Gruyère or smoked Gouda are all good swaps.

Sour cream and cream

Sour cream adds tang and thickness. Full fat is best because low fat versions can break in the heat. The heavy cream can be replaced with half and half or whole milk. If you use milk, stir it in over low heat and do not let the soup boil afterward.

Bacon

Eight slices of thick cut bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled, is enough for topping 8 bowls. Turkey bacon works. You can also skip the bacon and use smoked paprika in the soup for a similar smoky note.

Thickener

The mashed potatoes usually make the soup thick enough. If you like it very thick, whisk 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into the cream before adding it. Flour works too, but must be cooked into a butter roux first, so cornstarch is simpler here.

How to make it

1. Load the slow cooker

Add the cubed potatoes, diced onion, minced garlic, broth, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to a 6 quart slow cooker. Stir once so the seasoning is distributed and the potatoes are submerged.

2. Cook until the potatoes are very tender

Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. Keep the lid on. Opening it releases the heat that has built up and slows the cooking noticeably. The potatoes are ready when a fork slides in with no resistance and the edges look soft.

3. Mash part of the soup

Use a potato masher directly in the slow cooker to mash about half of the potatoes into the broth. Leave the rest in chunks. An immersion blender works too, but pulse it only a few times. Over blending makes potato soup gummy.

4. Add the dairy

Stir in the softened butter, the sour cream and the heavy cream. If you want a thicker soup, whisk the cornstarch into the cream first. Then add the grated cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until each addition melts before adding the next.

5. Warm through

Cover and cook on HIGH for 15 to 20 minutes until the soup is hot and glossy. Do not let it boil after the dairy goes in. Taste and season with more salt and pepper.

6. Cook the bacon

While the soup finishes, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes, or bake it on a rack at 400°F for 18 to 20 minutes. Drain on paper towels and crumble.

7. Serve loaded

Ladle the soup into bowls and top each with a spoonful of sour cream, a pinch of cheddar, crumbled bacon and sliced green onions. Finish with black pepper.

If you want the bowls to look as good as they taste, warm them for a minute under hot water first, then dry them. The soup stays hotter longer and the cheese on top melts into it rather than sitting in a cold clump.

A last drizzle of the bacon fat from the skillet over each bowl is a small indulgence that adds a lot of smoky flavor. Use a teaspoon per bowl at most.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

The soup is gummy. The potatoes were over blended. Stir in extra warm broth to loosen it, and next time mash by hand or pulse the blender only two or three times.

The soup is thin. Mash more potatoes, or stir in a slurry of 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 3 tablespoons cold water and cook on HIGH for 10 minutes. It will also thicken as it sits.

The cheese is stringy or clumped. Pre shredded cheese or cheese added all at once is usually the cause. Grate from a block and add gradually while stirring. Make sure the soup is hot but not boiling.

The dairy curdled. The soup boiled after the sour cream or cream went in, or low fat dairy was used. Stir in a splash of cream to help smooth it, and keep the heat gentle from here on.

The soup tastes bland. Potatoes absorb a surprising amount of salt. Add salt 1/2 teaspoon at a time, tasting between additions, and finish with a good amount of black pepper.

Timing and make ahead plan

Morning prep is about 15 minutes. Peel and cube the potatoes, dice the onion and mince the garlic. If you cube the potatoes the night before, keep them fully submerged in cold water in the refrigerator so they do not brown, and drain before using.

The bacon can be cooked up to 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Reheat it briefly in a skillet or the microwave to bring back the crispness.

Grate the cheddar and slice the green onions in the morning so the final step is quick. Store them covered in the refrigerator.

The finished soup holds on WARM for up to 2 hours. Stir occasionally and add a splash of broth if it thickens too much. For longer holds, refrigerate and reheat gently.

On a workday, set a programmable slow cooker for 8 hours on LOW in the morning. When you get home, the potatoes will be waiting on WARM. Mashing and adding the dairy takes 10 minutes, and the bacon cooks in the time it takes the cheese to melt. You can have this on the table 25 minutes after walking in the door.

Tips for the best slow cooker loaded potato soup

• Cut the potatoes evenly. Uniform 3/4 inch cubes cook at the same rate, so you do not end up with hard bits next to mush.
• Let the sour cream and cream sit out for 20 minutes before adding them. Cold dairy into a hot soup is what causes curdling.
• Grate the cheese yourself. It melts smoother and tastes better than anything in a bag.
• Season aggressively at the end. This is a mild soup by nature, and salt and black pepper are what make it taste like a loaded potato.
• Keep toppings separate and let everyone load their own bowl. The bacon stays crisp and picky eaters stay happy.

Variations

• Broccoli cheddar potato: Add 2 cups of small broccoli florets for the last 30 minutes on HIGH.
• Ham and potato: Stir in 2 cups of diced cooked ham with the dairy and skip the bacon.
• Buffalo: Add 3 tablespoons of buffalo wing sauce with the dairy and top with blue cheese crumbles.
• Lighter: Use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream and whole milk in place of cream. Add them over low heat and never let the soup boil.
• Corn chowder style: Stir in 1 1/2 cups of frozen corn and 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika with the dairy.

Equipment that makes this easier

A 6 quart slow cooker gives the potatoes room to cook evenly. A programmable model that switches to WARM is helpful if your day runs long.

A sturdy potato masher is the best tool for the texture you want. An immersion blender is faster but easy to overdo. A box grater for the cheddar and a Y shaped peeler for the potatoes speed up prep.

If you cook bacon often, a wire rack set in a sheet pan lets you bake a whole pound at once with no splatter and no flipping.

None of this is required beyond the slow cooker. A fork can mash the potatoes, any grater will handle the cheese, and bacon cooks fine in whatever skillet you own.

Scaling up or down

To halve the recipe, use 1 1/2 pounds of potatoes, 2 cups of broth and half of everything else in a 3 or 4 quart slow cooker. Cook time stays about the same.

To double it, use an 8 quart slow cooker and keep it no more than two thirds full. Add about an hour on LOW because the larger volume heats slowly. Mash in batches so the texture stays even.

The recipe makes about 8 servings of 1 1/2 cups, or 10 smaller starter portions.

What to serve with it

A crisp green salad with a sharp vinaigrette is the best partner for this rich soup. Crusty bread or soft dinner rolls are welcome for dipping.

If you are planning a week of cozy meals, this fits nicely next to broccoli cheddar soup and slow cooker chicken noodle soup. For a heartier menu, a small bowl before sheet pan chicken thighs with root vegetables makes a satisfying fall dinner.

How to store, freeze and reheat

Refrigerator: Cool the soup within 2 hours and store in airtight containers for up to 4 days. It thickens considerably as it chills.

Freezer: Potato soup with dairy can turn grainy when frozen. For the best result, freeze the soup after mashing but before adding the dairy and cheese, for up to 3 months. Thaw, reheat, and finish with the dairy fresh. If you freeze the finished soup, stir well while reheating and expect a slightly looser texture.

Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium low heat, stirring often, until it reaches 165°F. Add broth or milk a splash at a time to loosen. In the microwave, heat in 60 to 90 second bursts and stir between each.

Store the bacon and green onions separately and add them fresh to each reheated bowl.

Leftover ideas

Thick leftover soup makes an excellent sauce for baked potatoes or a topping for roasted broccoli. Spread it over a split baked potato, add cheese and broil for 3 minutes.

Whisk a cup into scrambled eggs for a rich breakfast, or use it as the base for a quick potato and ham casserole with a crumb topping.

Nutrition notes

One 1 1/2 cup serving with a modest amount of bacon and cheese topping lands roughly between 380 and 460 calories, with 12 to 15 grams of protein. The range depends on your dairy choices and how heavy handed you are with toppings.

Swapping Greek yogurt for sour cream and whole milk for cream trims about 60 to 80 calories per serving with only a small change in texture.

Frequently asked questions

What potatoes are best for slow cooker potato soup?

Russets. They are high in starch and break down into a creamy base. Yukon Golds work but hold their shape more, and waxy red potatoes turn gluey when mashed.

Why is my potato soup gummy?

It was over blended. Potato starch turns gluey when it is worked too much. Mash by hand or pulse an immersion blender only two or three times, and loosen a gummy soup with warm broth.

Can I freeze loaded potato soup?

Yes, but dairy can turn grainy when frozen. Freeze the mashed soup before adding sour cream, cream and cheese, then finish with the dairy after reheating. Frozen finished soup is still safe, just a little looser in texture.

How do I thicken potato soup without flour?

Mash more of the potatoes, or whisk 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into the cream before stirring it in. The soup also thickens noticeably as it cools.

Can I add raw bacon to the slow cooker?

It is better to cook the bacon separately. Raw bacon in the slow cooker turns soft and releases a lot of grease into the soup. Cook it crisp and add it as a topping.