Creamy Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup

Is there anything that feels more like a warm hug on a cold day than a steaming hot bowl of soup? Well, maybe an actual warm hug – but you can’t eat that. So when you’re looking for a cozy, comforting dinner to make at home this fall or winter, slow cooker soups are where it’s at. Including this creamy slow cooker loaded potato soup, which is just about the most comforting bowl of soup we’ve ever had!

Eating this soup is like eating a loaded baked potato, but in liquid form. Although that might sound kind of gross when you put it that way, it’s delicious. It’s almost like a thick and creamy chowder, with soft chunks of potato, peppers, and onions to scoop up in every bite. With the added saltiness from the bacon crumbles and the fresh crunch of scallions on top, it’s simply irresistible.

Creamy Loaded Potato Soup Ingredients

Our creamy potato soup recipe is made with simple ingredients you likely already have in your pantry! It gets its flavor from jalapeno peppers, onion, and a few different seasonings, while its creamy texture comes from a combination of butter, heavy cream, and a cornstarch slurry.

Here’s the full list of ingredients you’ll need to make our slow cooker loaded potato soup:

• Russet potatoes
• Jalapenos
• White onion
• Low-sodium chicken broth
• Garlic powder
• Ground red cayenne pepper
• Paprika
• Salt & pepper
• Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• Butter
• Heavy cream
• Milk
• Cornstarch
• Toppings: crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, scallions

Be aware that the jalapeno pepper does give this soup a very slight amount of heat. It’s just enough to be noticeable, but this potato soup is far from spicy. However, if you’re not a fan of anything even remotely spicy, we recommend swapping the jalapenos for bell pepper (1 small bell pepper = about 2 medium jalapenos).

How To Make Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup

It couldn’t be any easier to make our creamy slow cooker potato soup. It’s basically a “set it and forget it” recipe, with some work on the side during the last hour to prepare the toppings. Just note that you’ll want to start this in the morning if you’re planning to serve it for dinner, since it will take a little over 8 hours to prepare, from start to finish.

Here are step-by-step instructions for how to make our loaded potato soup in a crock pot:

1. First, add the cubed potatoes, diced jalapenos and onion, and chicken broth to a slow cooker or crock pot. Then, stir in garlic powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, salt, and pepper.
2. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours, or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
3. Next, roughly mash the potatoes until they break up into smaller chunks. You don’t want to completely pulverize them like you’re making mashed potatoes, but you want them to be roughly bite-sized pieces.
4. Then, add the shredded cheddar, butter, and heavy cream to the slow cooker.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and cornstarch to create a slurry. Pour this into the slow cooker, whisking as you pour to keep it moving (otherwise it will harden). Then, stir to combine and cover the slow cooker. 
6. Continue cooking on LOW for about 1 more hour, until the soup has thickened. The consistency should now be very creamy, almost like a chowder.
7. Serve hot, optionally topped with crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar, sour cream, and scallions.

The great thing about slow cooker recipes is that you’re free to prepare other ingredients while the main dish is cooking. During the last hour of cooking, while the soup is thickening, you can fry up the bacon, shred extra cheddar cheese, and slice the scallions. Then, all your toppings are fresh and ready to go by the time dinner is served.

We also love how easy it is to keep soups warm in the crock pot until dinner time. This is especially handy for parties and holiday dinners, when it can be difficult to time all your food perfectly! Know that you can put this creamy loaded potato soup on whenever it’s convenient for you in the morning, and then it can safely sit there on your slow cooker’s “warm” setting until it’s time to eat.

Creamy Loaded Potato Soup Serving Suggestions

Inspired by a classic loaded baked potato, it’s a no-brainer what to add on top of our loaded potato soup for serving! Here’s what we like to use:

• Crumbled bacon – chop up about a half pound of bacon (for one batch of soup) into small pieces and fry on the stove until crispy
• Shredded cheddar cheese – shred it fresh from a block for the best texture (so creamy!)
• Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt – drop a dollop of this in your soup for true loaded baked potato flavor (plain Greek yogurt is a great healthy substitution for sour cream)
• Scallions – sliced scallions bring a ton of freshness to this savory and heavy soup

For a vegetarian-friendly version of our loaded potato soup, omit the bacon crumbles as a topping and swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth.

Storing & Reheating Leftovers

Store leftover potato soup in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Before reheating, stir the soup in its container since it may separate slightly.

You can reheat the soup a few different ways:

• In the microwave – Reheat single servings for about 2 minutes, stirring halfway through.
• On the stove – Add the soup to a saucepan and reheat over medium-low until it’s steaming and warmed through. Depending on the amount, this may take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes. Stir occasionally as it reheats.
• In the slow cooker – Add the soup back to the slow cooker or crock pot and cook on the lowest setting until the soup is steaming and warmed through. Depending on the amount, this could take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour.

Note that reheating on the stove or in the slow cooker works best for larger volumes. For single servings, we recommend using the microwave for the quickest reheating time and best results.

When To Make Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup

This easy slow cooker potato soup is perfect for many different occasions, including:

• Fall or winter gatherings with friends and family
• Holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter
• Game days, especially if you’re hosting a crowd and need an easy meal to keep everyone satisfied
• Cozy dinners at home on a cold evening

To sum it up: if you’re craving something hearty and comforting (like a loaded baked potato, perhaps), try our creamy slow cooker loaded potato soup recipe! It’ll hit the spot and warm you right up on a cold night. Leave a rating and a comment below to let us know what you think, and check out more of our favorite soup recipes here.