Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup
Life as a hockey mom (feel free to insert: lacrosse, soccer, field hockey, football, baseball, the list goes on)…One recent Saturday afternoon, I needed to make dinner at 3pm (pre-game) that my kids could self-serve around 6pm and then again around 7pm while Gary and I headed for a night out. So we are talking, fast, one-pot, make-ahead, staggered AND crowd-pleasing. Sure, no problem! To the rescue, Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup adapted from Slow Cooker Potato Soup over at Gimme Some Oven.
This soup is not going to win any healthy choice awards but it will make your family smile and warm their souls and pinky toes (I’m in a weird mood). Everything gets thrown into the slow cooker (why do I still think of it as a “crock pot?”) with the small exception of a quick roux that you make stovetop and add to the cooker just before serving. You can leave the soup chunky, mash it til it’s thick and creamy or leave it somewhere in-between. I mashed it pretty well and then added a bit more chicken broth to thin it out just a bit. You can play around with the consistency to end up with a soup that appeals to your family. Bottom line, this is an easy and forgiving recipe that will make your people happy. Enjoy!
Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup
- 6 slices cooked bacon*, diced (plus extra for optional garnish)
- 4 c good-quality chicken or vegetable stock (plus 1-2 c more to thin soup slightly, if desired)
- 3 lbs Yukon gold potatoes**, peeled (if desired) and diced
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
- 4 Tbls butter (or bacon grease*)
- 1/3 c all-purpose flour
- 1 (12-ounce) can 2% evaporated milk
- 1 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 c low-fat sour cream (or plain low-fat Greek yogurt)
- 2 tsp Kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp freshly-cracked black pepper
- sprinkle of cayenne pepper, optional
- optional toppings: thinly-sliced green onions or chives, extra shredded cheese, extra bacon, sour cream
- Add bacon, 4 cups chicken stock, potatoes and onion to the bowl of a large slow cooker, and stir to combine. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, or until the potatoes are completely tender and cooked through.
- Once the soup has slow cooked and is about ready to serve, melt the butter in a small saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour until it is completely combined, and then cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Gradually add in the evaporated milk while whisking it together with the flour mixture, and continue whisking until the mixture is completely smooth. Let the mixture continue cooking until it reaches a simmer, stirring occasionally, and then it should get really thick.
- Immediately pour the milk mixture into the slow cooker with the potatoes, and stir until combined. Add in the cheddar cheese, sour cream (or Greek yogurt), salt and pepper, and stir until combined.
- If you would like the soup to be even thicker, you can use a potato masher or a large spoon to mash about half of the potatoes (while the soup is still in the slow cooker) to thicken the soup up.
- If you would like the soup to be thinner, add in an extra 1-2 cups of warmed chicken or vegetable stock. Stir to combine, then taste and add more salt and pepper if needed and a dash of cayenne, if desired.
- Serve warm, garnished with toppings. Or transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 3 days--you may have to thin out a bit upon reheating. (This recipe will not freeze well.)
- *You can either fry the bacon, cook it in the microwave, or buy pre-cooked bacon. If you are frying it, I recommend saving the bacon grease and then using it to make your roux (instead of butter).
- **Yukon gold potatoes have the perfect texture and buttery taste for this soup.
- ***If you would like to make this recipe vegetarian, use vegetable stock, omit the bacon, and I would recommend adding in 2-3 teaspoons of Old Bay seasoning for extra flavor.