Crock Pot Potato Soup
This Crock Pot Potato Soup is rich, creamy, and comforting; everything you want in a bowl of potato soup. The slow cooker does the work, so dinner is ready when you are. Topped with crispy bacon, cheddar cheese, and green onions, it’s the kind of cozy meal that never disappoints!
This has been one of our family favorites on chilly nights, and I love that it’s ready to go when dinner rolls around!
Before You Get Started
A few quick tips will help you get the best results every time.
- Pick the right potatoes. Russets are starchy and help thicken the soup naturally. Red or Yukon Gold work too, but give you a creamier, thinner texture.
- Don’t mash completely. Leave some potato chunks for texture, otherwise you’ll end up with mashed potatoes instead of soup.
- Make it extra creamy. Stir in 4 ounces of cream cheese just before serving for a richer, velvety finish.
Toppings matter. Bacon, cheddar, and green onions aren’t just garnish—they balance the richness with crunch, sharpness, and freshness.
How to Make Crock Pot Potato Soup
Here’s exactly how to make this soup creamy, flavorful, and perfectly textured. Recipe card is located at the bottom of the post.
1️⃣ Layer potatoes and veggies
Place 4 pounds of diced russet potatoes into a greased 6-quart slow cooker. Top with onion, celery, garlic, salt, and pepper.
✏️ Tip: Layering keeps garlic from scorching as it cooks low and slow.
2️⃣ Add broth
Pour in chicken broth. Don’t worry if it doesn’t fully cover the potatoes; steam and slow cooking will do the rest.
If using low-sodium broth, you will want to taste and adjust the salt before serving.
3️⃣ Slow cook until tender
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours until potatoes are fork-tender.
Short on time? Cook on high for 4–5 hours.
4️⃣ Mash for the right texture
Use a potato masher in the slow cooker to mash gently. Don’t puree completely. Leave small chunks for heartiness.
Want a smoother soup? Use an immersion blender on half the batch.
Too thick? Stir in more broth or milk.
Too thin? Add instant mashed potatoes or a cornstarch slurry (3 Tablespoons cornstarch + 3 Tablespoons water, add, stir then turn up to high until thickened.)
5️⃣ Finish with heavy cream
Add half and half, stir well, then cook on high for 20 minutes until heated through.
⚠️ Don’t add dairy too early—it can curdle during long cooking.
✏️ Tip: For a budget friendly option, try using evaporated milk instead of half & half.
6️⃣ Serve with toppings
Ladle into bowls and top generously with bacon, cheddar, and green onions. Serve with crusty bread or rolls for dipping.
Don’t be shy with the toppings—this soup loves a little extra cheese and bacon on top.
I love your recipe for this soup. It is simple with simple ingredients (my favorite kind of soup!)
– Amanda
Variations & Other Potato Soups
Looking for a twist on this classic? Try one of these favorites:
- Crock Pot Creamy Ham & Potato Soup
- Crock Pot Leek & Potato Soup
- Slow Cooker Potato Soup (with frozen potatoes)
Other ways to customize this version:
- Turn it into a loaded potato soup with cream cheese, sour cream, and chives.
- Make it heartier by stirring in leftover ham or rotisserie chicken.
- For a veggie-packed version, add frozen corn or broccoli near the end.
What to Serve With Potato Soup
This hearty soup shines with the right sides:
- Breads: Dutch oven bread, dinner rolls, or cornbread muffins.
- Salads: A fresh Caesar, spinach, or garden salad for balance (or my Italian Chopped Salad for something a little extra)
- Sandwiches: A BLT, grilled cheese, or ham and cheese melt.
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
Fridge (up to 3 days): Store in airtight containers. Soup will thicken; add milk or broth when reheating.
Freezer (up to 2 months, not recommended): Potatoes tend to turn grainy and dairy can separate after thawing. If freezing, cool completely, store in freezer-safe containers, and reheat gently with added broth or milk to improve texture.
Make-ahead (prep 1 day ahead): Chop potatoes, onion, celery, and garlic the night before. Store in the fridge so you can assemble quickly in the morning.
FAQs & Troubleshooting
▼ What’s the best potato to use for potato soup?
Russets work best for thickness; Yukon Gold or red potatoes will make it creamier.
▼ How do I thicken potato soup?
Stir in instant mashed potatoes or use a cornstarch slurry. (See Step 4 above.)
▼ Can I freeze potato soup?
It’s not recommended—potatoes don’t reheat well from frozen.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here’s what to grab at the store (with a few helpful swaps):
- Potatoes—Produce Section: Russet potatoes are the best choice since they’re starchy and help thicken the soup naturally. Yukon Gold or red potatoes give a creamier, less-thick soup.
- Onion, celery & garlic—Produce Section: These build the flavor base. If you want a sweeter flavor, use a yellow onion.
- Chicken broth—Pantry: Regular or low-sodium both work. If using low-sodium, taste and adjust salt before serving.
- Half and half—Dairy Section: Adds creaminess without being too heavy. You can use whole milk for lighter soup, or stir in cream cheese for a richer finish. Half and half is just half whole milk mixed with half heavy cream.
- Toppings—Meat, Dairy, Produce: Crispy bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, and sliced green onions aren’t just garnish, they balance the richness and add crunch and freshness.
More Cozy Slow Cooker Soups
- Crock Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Crock Pot Meatball and Tortellini Soup
- Crock Pot Taco Soup
- Crock Pot Cheeseburger Soup
- Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup
Crock Pot Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and diced
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- 2 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth (or one 28 ounce carton)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups half and half
Optional toppings:
- shredded cheddar cheese, cooked and crumbled bacon, sliced green onions
Instructions
- Put 4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and diced into the bottom of a 5-6 quart slow cooker.
- Top diced potatoes with 1/2 cup chopped onion, 2 cloves garlic, minced and 2 stalks celery, finely diced.
- Add 2 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Broth will not completely cover potatoes.
- Cover and cook on low setting for 8 hours or until potatoes are tender.
- Mash mixture with a potato masher. Don't mash completely, leave some potato chunks.
- Pour in 2 cups half and half and stir.
- Cover and cook on high setting 20 more minutes, or until mixture is thoroughly heated.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with shredded cheddar cheese, cooked and crumbled bacon, sliced green onions.
Video
Notes
- We usually eat this with a small side salad and some sort of crusty bread to dip into the soup.
- Russet or Yukon gold potatoes can be used in this recipe.
- For a touch more creaminess, try adding abut 1/2 a block (4 ounces) of cream cheese.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Originally published: September 2011
Updated & republished: September 2025
If you don’t have half and half can you use whole milk?
It won’t be as thick
haven’t made this yet but wondering if you have to mash the potatoes. my mom never did so that’s why I asking
Mashing helps to thicken it up. You’re not really mashing all of them – just a few to give it a thicker texture. If you prefer a thinner soup then you certainly don’t need to mash them 🙂
Hi! Can I add sliced carrots to this? If so, should I add them at the start or the end? Thanks in advance! Looking forward to making this soon!☺️
Sure thing! I’d put them in at the beginning so they have plenty of time to soften and cook 🙂
this soup is great for a cold rainy day; also like the suggestion to serve with a BLT – great, hearty complete meal. Thanks for sharing
Have you ever froze this recipe? This is my favorite soup recipe, but curious about making ahead then freezing.
Hi Elizabeth! I actually answer that very question in the Frequently Asked Question section above. I don’t recommend it and I give a more detailed answer up there 🙂
Do I need to peel the potatoes? I’d like to try and keep the skin. What are the cons to keeping the skin on?
Nope! That’s totally up to you! Just make sure you give them a good scrub with water first though 🙂
I love your recipe for this soup. It is simple with simple ingredients (my favorite kind of soup!)
Someone asked about when to add the CREAM CHEESE, but I don’t see it listed in the ingredients?
There isn’t any cream cheese in this recipe. Never has been. Not sure why they asked that. I mean, you could certainly add some in but it was never in this recipe.
You can add it whenever – at the beginning or near the end. There’s no specific time when you have to add it as long as it has time to heat up in the soup.
Loved this so much and was perfect for the cold weather – thanks for sharing it. I also appreciate that you say how much salt you use (when recipes say only “to taste” it’s not as helpful as I consider that is a given).
Just made this today… I was hesitant at first because it was so simple to make I figured it would be Bland tasting…I WAS WRONG!!! I enjoyed 3 bowls to myself (I’m pregnant) so my taste buds are picky and when I find a winner I run with it!!! Great recipe try it out and don’t forget the bacon it made it that much better!
Yay! So wonderful to hear and congratulations on your pregnancy!
I am making this today, it sounds so good. Would you add the cream cheese in the beginning? Or a the end?
Hi Chrystal – I would add it towards the end just to make sure it doesn’t curdle.
I accidentally added the heavy cream at beginning:( is that going to be a huge mistake? Thank you!
Hi i have no half and half here but i have heavy cream and Nestle table cream, would i use the same amount like you have written for the half and half, i have a 6 quart crockpot do i need to add anymore ingreidents for the 6 quart ?
This is my go to recipe for potato soup. I make it for my family of 3 and being leftovers to my pescatarian mom, so bacon crumbles are always on the side. We oven cook bacon for this to get it nice and crispy.
Is this soup good reheated?
Deb, we love this soup, and the leftovers! I keep the bacon separate so it stays nice and crispy and then heat that separately from the leftover soup, then you can add as much or as little as you like. There’s just three of us, so we always have some leftover and it makes a great lunch throughout the week!
When using frozen potatoes, should you thaw the potatoes first, before putting them in the slow cooker?
Since the temperatures here are suppose to be 70degrees tomorrow, it’s chilly here today… I’ll be making this tonight… I love a very chunky soup, so may not mash the potatoes to much… Or do I need to mash them a lot to get it to be thicken??? Thank You…
Since the recipe calls for 4 pounds of potatoes do I need 2 bags of frozen hashbrowns or just one?
Hi Pam – if it were me, I would probably just use one bag. But if you want lots of potatoes – go with two.
I made this today!! Awesome recipe!! However, instead of shredded cheese, I added Campbell’s Cheddar Cheese Soup to the soup mixture!!! Delicious!!!!
Can I use the stove? I don’t have 8 hours but love this soup!! How can I make it faster?
Hoping to make this today!! It looks totally wonderful. I have seen the question asked MANY times but No answers. How well does this soup freeze? It’s just my Husband and I, so we do usually have leftovers. Thank You. Anyone who has made it and frozen it that can answer would be helpful.
Potato soup in general does not freeze well. The potatoes just don’t work after freezing. I make this soup and have never had enough left to freeze. When I put potatoes, onions, celery and garlic I also add carrots and any other chopped veggies I want. It’s a delicious soup.
Has anyone ever doubled this recipe? I’m thinking of making it for a work pot luck, but would like to have enough for about 15 servings (30+ people). If you have doubled it, would it fit in a single crock pot?
Ann, you could definitely double it but make sure you have a large enough crock pot. You would probably want to use at least a 7 quart crock pot. 🙂
This recipe was so easy. The finished soup with garnish turned out amazing. My husband absolutely loved it! I will be making this again.
That is wonderful Lorrie, so glad you found a recipe to love and perfect for all the cool fall days ahead.
Thank you for the recipe. Does the soup freeze well?
I will be cooking this today! Simple ingredients, simple recipe! LOVE!!
This may sound crazy but this is awesome with canned coconut milk instead of the cream or 1/2 & 1/2,
started making my butternut squash soup with this and it is so lovely. Love your blog.
So many good comments from those who have tried this. I'm Pinning it!!
So sorry, I forgot to mention,that I did not use the crock pot….I cooked it on the stove top on a low simmer.When the potatoes were tender,the soup was done…saved me lots of time!
I made your soup last night and added ham, along with one glove of garlic. We enjoyed it very much…as my husband said "it's a keeper"!
So glad I found your site.tomorrow's dinner will be potato soup and salad…Thanks again for posting.
Could II use whole Lactaid milk in this instead of the cream due to dairy allergies?
Could I use heavy cream instead of half and half? I have some cream in my fridge I need to use up 🙂 thanks!
Can a person use whole milk instead of half and half? Trying to reduce my fat intake.
Egads! It's six a.m. and I'm standing in my kitchen staring at my frozen hash browns and wondering if they have to be thawed before making the soup. Yipes! I'm going to find a way to screw this up, aren't I? LOL If anyone knows, I would surely appreciate an answer… 🙂
Just found this recipe recently and pinned it. 🙂 I too am wondering if it could be done on High for 4 hours? I waited too long and want it for dinner tonight! 🙂
Thanks for posting!
I am in the process of making this right now, with my own little tweaks to account for food allergies, of course! I will be using Almond milk in place of the half and half, and nixing the pepper completely (an allergy to black pepper…who knew?)
How do you print it?