Baked Potato Soup Recipe
In a slow cooker or stove top
If you're craving something warm and hearty, this baked potato soup recipe is perfect for you. It's creamy, comforting, and loaded with flavor, making it a great go-to on chilly nights. With simple ingredients like potatoes, bacon, and cheese, this soup is easy to whip up and always satisfying. Plus, you can customize this baked potato soup recipe with your favorite toppings, like sour cream and chives, to make it your own.
Today, we're diving headfirst into the world of slow-cooked wonders with our spotlight on the legendary Loaded Baked Potato Soup. If your taste buds haven't experienced this heaven in a bowl, it's about time they do. Grab your slow cooker – we're about to embark on a journey that will redefine your soup standards- loaded baked potato soup in a slow cooker!
Don’t forget to PIN this one!
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You're craving the hearty goodness of loaded baked potato soup, but the thought of slaving over a hot stove is a deal-breaker. Fear not, my fellow kitchen rebels, for I’ve uncovered the secrets of achieving this comfort classic with minimal effort. Get ready to bask in the glory of loaded baked potato soup in a slow cooker. It's so easy, you might just feel like a culinary genius without breaking a sweat.
Garnish Loaded Potato Soup
Let's start with all the love for loaded baked potato soup in a SLOW COOKER! – the unsung hero of comfort food. Creamy, savory, and a hug in a bowl, this loaded baked potato soup in a slow cooker version takes it up a notch in ease. But let's talk garnishes – because we're not just cooking, but we are elevating and making it beautiful. I mean this is a company-worthy soup for sure.
So top your masterpiece with crispy bacon, a shower of shredded cheese, green onions, and or a dollop of sour cream. It's like dressing up your soup for a red carpet-event. You might catch yourself thanking your slow cooker for making you look like a culinary genius.
Get To-Gether Menu
Speaking of good enough for company, here’s what I’d serve:
Starter:
Pear and Gorgonzola Crostini. Have your crostini toasted and pears sliced in advance. Store your pears like I store my apples, and they won’t brown for several days. How do you prevent apples from browning?
Use a ratio of 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt for every cup of room-temperature tap water. Mix to dissolve salt water.
Soak the apples or pears in the solution for 5-10 minutes, then rinse. (if I'm being honest, I don't even rinse them because I like the mild salty flavor but either way is fine) and store them in a baggy or container in the fridge for over a week!
Main:
Nice light green salad with a lemon vinaigrette.
Well, this soup, of course. Or any of my delicious soup recipes! They are all a delicious and quick idea for dinner!
And if you're feeling extra festive, my No More Soggy Bread Bowl!
Dessert:
Keep it easy and buy a dessert!
Or an Affogato. A scoop of ice cream or gelato, and then pour hot coffee or espresso over the top! Perfection.
4-Ways to Thicken This Baked Potato Soup Recipe
Cornstarch is a great option as a thickening agent, but you'll want to be careful about how much you use. Start with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked together with cold water to create a slurry. Then, gradually add the slurry to the soup, letting it boil for one to two minutes before adding more. This method allows you to adjust accordingly as the soup is being thickened (you might not need the entire slurzry or you might need more, depending on the viscosity of the soup and the texture you're aiming for). You can also substitute potato starch or rice starch for the cornstarch.
Flour If you don't have cornstarch handy, flour is a great alternative that can be used to thicken soup (for a gluten-free option, you can also use arrowroot flour). Create a slurry by whisking 2 tablespoons of flour with cold water and adding it gradually to the soup. Bring to a simmer until thickened. Add more if needed to achieve the desired thickness.
White Beans Here is a healthy, high-protein option! When stirred into soup, mashed beans or mashed potatoes cook down to create a creamy, rich texture, all without adding cream. I love this option:)
Blending One easy way to thicken soup is by blending part of it. To do this, take half of the soup, and blend until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids; you can also use an immersion blender). Return the blended portion to the soup and stir before eating.
Cream Substitutes:
Cream, I mean cream…delicious. But if you are lactose-intolerant or want to lighten things up, fear not; there are cream substitutes.
Evaporated milk is a canned, shelf-stable milk product with less water than regular milk. Thus, it’s thicker and creamier than milk and can be an easy lower-calorie alternative to heavy cream in some recipes. It may also be fortified with vitamin D and other nutrients.
Cream cheese is a type of fresh cheese made from milk and cream. Though it’s most often used as a spread for bagels and a star ingredient in cheesecakes, it can also make a good substitute for heavy cream in some recipes.
Coconut Milk: You can substitute coconut milk for heavy cream in a recipe at a 1:1 ratio, making it an easy conversion if you keep a few cans of coconut milk on hand in your cupboard.
How to Store and Freeze Potato Soup
Imagine this: your freezer is stocked with a treasure trove of potato soup goodness. Portion it out, let it cool, and seal it tight. Just remember, label those containers unless you enjoy freezer roulette.
Potato soup recipe below, but here are a few others you may want to save or PIN.
Loaded Baked Potato Soup in Slow Cooker
Ingredients
Instructions
- Add cooked bacon, 4 cups chicken stock, salt, potatoes, onion, Better than Bouillon if using, to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- Once the potatoes are almost finished cooking, make a quick flour slurry by adding the flour and water to a small bowl and whisking together until smooth and there are no lumps. (see notes for other ways to thicken the soup)
- After the potato soup has cooked for 3 hours, ensure the potatoes are tender and can be easily pierced with a fork. Add the heavy cream, cheese, sour cream, and cornstarch slurry to the slow cooker. Stir well to combine, replace the lid, and continue to cook on high for an additional 10-15 minutes. This will thicken the soup.
- During that time, prepare any garnishes while thickening the soup.
- Optional Step for thicker soup: Remove the slow cooker lid, then use a potato masher to mash the potato chunks into smaller pieces, or use an immersion blender blend part of the soup and thicken the soup.
- Taste the soup and adjust the salt or black pepper to your liking. Garnish and serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
Bacon
- You can either fry the bacon, cook it in the microwave, or buy pre-cooked bacon.
Other ways to thicken the soup
- Cornstarch: Start with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked together with cold water to create a slurry. Then, gradually add the slurry to the soup, letting it boil for one to two minutes before adding more.
- You can also substitute AP flour, potato starch or rice starch for the cornstarch.
- White Beans: When stirred into soup, mashed beans and mashed potatoes cook down to create a creamy, rich texture, all without adding cream.
Cream Substitutes:
- Evaporated milk 1:1 ratio
- Cream cheese 4 oz
- Coconut Milk: 1:1 ratio, making it an easy conversion if you keep a few cans of coconut milk on hand in your cupboard.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
344.14Fat (grams)
20.26 gSat. Fat (grams)
11.12 gCarbs (grams)
30.56 gFiber (grams)
2.06 gNet carbs
28.5 gSugar (grams)
4.19 gProtein (grams)
11.32 gSodium (milligrams)
1300 mgCholesterol (grams)
60.47 mgNutrition varies based on ingredients added