Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup

This slow cooker baked potato soup is loaded with cheese, bacon, chives, and sour cream, just like your favorite twice-baked potato.

This slow cooker loaded baked potato soup is so creamy and flavorful, and tastes just like a twice-baked potato. I've got to say, it's probably the best potato soup I've ever tried. Plus, it's so easy because you make it in the Crock Pot. 

P.S. If you love using your Crock Pot for soups, I have lots of recipes you will love, including this Lasagna Soup, this Italian Chicken and Orzo Soup, and this Chicken and Corn Chowder. They're all easy and delicious. 

Tips for making loaded baked potato soup in the Crock Pot:

• Instead of russet potatoes, use a less starchy potato. The first time I made this soup, I used red potatoes. The second time I made this soup, because I had some extra Yukon Gold potatoes, I used a 50/50 combination of Red Bliss and Yukon Golds. 
• For extra twice-baked potato deliciousness, sauté the onions in the soup base in bacon fat. Yes, bacon fat! It adds a wonderful smoky flavor.
• Use an immersion blender (affiliate link) to puree the soup before adding the cheese. It's so much easier than transferring hot soup to 

My favorite slow cooker (an older version of the affiliate link) was kind of pricy, but I was able to use the insert on the stove top to cook the bacon and sauté the onions. While this is not necessary, it was sure convenient. 

Plus, at the end, rather than transfer the soup to a Dutch oven before adding the cheese, you can move the insert to the stovetop. Less dishwashing! 

How to make slow cooker baked potato soup:

• First, cook the bacon garnish, drain it, and set it aside for later. 
• Next, cook some onions in some of the bacon fat on the stove top. 
• After that, pour some chicken broth over the cooked onions and pour the mixture over peeled and sliced potatoes in your slow cooker and cook in the slow cooker for several hours. 
• Once you've cooked cooked the potatoes and onions in the slow cooker, puree the mixture with your immersion blender. 
• Move the mixture to the stove top and simmer while stirring in cheddar cheese, cream, and chives. 
• Finally, serve garnished with bacon and sour cream. You can also add a few more chives or scallions as garnish. 

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Make-ahead tips for loaded Crock Pot baked potato soup: 

You can cook and puree the potatoes, onions, and chicken broth a day in advance, and then reheat the mixture in a Dutch oven the next day.  At this point, stir in the cheddar cheese and heavy cream.

Leftovers of the fully cooked soup also refrigerate and reheat very well, making this a totally make-ahead soup. Plus, it's totally comforting, hearty, and delicious.

Save the cooked bacon in the refrigerator, and reheat in the microwave for about 20 seconds before garnishing the soup.

With the last bits of the soup, I improvised and stirred in some shrimp sautéed in butter and Old Bay. Delicious.

This week's From Our Dinner Table theme is hearty soups. I'm excited to see everyone's recipes!

• Best Chicken Noodle Soup by Jersey Girl Cooks
• Chicken BLT Soup by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Chili Relleno Soup by Art of Natural Living
• Creamy Cauliflower Soup by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Dandelion Green Soup by That Recipe
• French Dip Onion Soup by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Quick Homemade Ham and Bean Soup by Our Good Life

We share Recipes From Our Dinner Table! Join our group and share your recipes, too! While you're at it, join our Pinterest board, too!

Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup

This is one of my all-time favorite soups. I love how the flavors of loaded baked potatoes, particularly cheese and bacon, come through in this slow cooker soup. 

I originally posted this soup recipe in March of 2015. I've added new photos, instructions, and printable recipe card.

Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Yield: 8 servings

Author: Karen Kerr

This slow cooker baked potato soup is loaded with cheese, bacon, chives, and sour cream, just like your favorite twice-baked potato.

ingredients:

• 8 slices bacon, cut width-wise into half inch slices
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 5 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 3 pounds red potatoes (or a combination of red and Yukon Gold potatoes), peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp pepper, plus more to taste
• 8 ounces white sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup minced chives
• Sour cream for serving

instructions:

How to cook Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup

1. In a 6 to 8 quart saucepan or Dutch oven, cook the bacon until just done, but not too crispy. Move the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve the soup.
2. Pour most of the bacon fat out of the pan, reserving two tablespoons.
3. Add the onions to the fat and cook for about 10 minutes over medium low heat. Add the garlic and thyme and stir for about 30 seconds. Add the broth and deglaze the pan. Bring to a boil.
4. Combine the sliced potatoes and the 1 1/2 tsp salt in a 5 to 7 quart slow cooker. Pour the hot onion and broth mixture over the potatoes and stir.
5. Cover and cook on high for about 5 to 6 hours, or on low for about 6 to 7 hours.
6. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until completely smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, blend the soup in batches in a standard blender.
7. Transfer the mixture to a Dutch oven and keep warm over low heat on the stove top.
8. Stir in the black pepper, grated cheese, and heavy cream until the mixture is smooth.
9. Add the chives, plus more salt and pepper to taste.
10. Reheat the bacon in the microwave for about 20 to 30 seconds, until hot.
11. Serve the soup garnished with sour cream, more chives, and the hot bacon.

Calories
361.09

Fat (grams)
20.17

Sat. Fat (grams)
11.05

Carbs (grams)
31.98

Fiber (grams)
2.94

Net carbs
29.03

Sugar (grams)
4.63

Protein (grams)
13.49

Sodium (milligrams)
1184.10

Cholesterol (grams)
61.90

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2015/03/slow-cooker-loaded-baked-potato-soup.html

Karen's Kitchen Stories

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Soup, Slow Cooker, potatoes

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Adapted from the December/January 2015 edition of Cook's Country