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Slow Cooker Potato Soup

Slow cooker potato soup made with tender russet potatoes, partial mashing for a chunky-creamy texture, and a melted cream cheese + cheddar base. Finished with a sour cream swirl, extra cheddar, bacon bits, and green onions for a rich American main dish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Soup base
  • 3 lb russet potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 1 onion diced
  • 4 garlic minced
  • 4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 8 oz cream cheese cubed
  • 1.5 cup shredded cheddar
Toppings
  • sour cream for topping
  • extra cheddar for topping
  • bacon bits for topping
  • green onions sliced for topping

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Slow cook the potatoes
  1. Add cubed potatoes, diced onion, minced garlic, broth, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to the slow cooker.
  2. Cover and cook on Low 6-8 hours (or High 3-4 hours) until the potatoes are very tender, with a visible thickened soup texture.
Mash and melt in dairy
  1. Use a potato masher to partially mash the soup to your desired consistency, leaving some chunks so the texture stays rustic.
  2. Stir in cream cheese and heavy cream, then keep stirring until the cream cheese melts completely and the soup looks smooth and creamy.
Add cheddar and season
  1. Add shredded cheddar and stir until melted, then taste and adjust seasoning so the flavors are balanced.
Serve with toppings
  1. Ladle into bowls and top each with sour cream, extra cheddar, bacon bits, and sliced green onions for a layered finish.

Notes

Pro tip: partially mash while the soup is hot so you get creaminess without losing chunky potato texture. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days. Freeze yes—cool completely, then freeze up to 2 months; reheat gently to prevent the dairy from separating. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and half-and-half instead of heavy cream (texture will be slightly less rich).