Homemade Potato Soup Slow Cooker

slow cooker potato soup recipe with slow cooker in the background

Will Dickey

This easy slow-cooker recipe turns everything you love about the baked potato experience (bacon! cheese! sour cream!) into a rustic homemade soup. Leeks add a delicate and savory onion flavor, while thyme imparts earthy freshness to an otherwise heavy, albeit cozy, dish. And this, delightfully, all happens in the slow cooker, while you're busy doing something else. The only active prep work involved is frying the bacon and partially puréeing the soup. (Leaving some chunky bits adds a hearty, comforting vibe.)

Can you put raw potatoes in the slow cooker?

You bet. Here, the potatoes cook in chicken stock and aromatics until tender, about 4 hours on high or 6 to 8 hours on low.

What's the best way to blend soup?

The easiest and most efficient option is an immersion blender. To use the standard countertop variety, transfer about two-thirds of the soup into the blender. Remove the top insert from the lid and cover it with a kitchen towel before pureeing until smooth, about 30 seconds. Return blended soup to the slow cooker with the remaining potato mixture and stir to combine. Or, skip the electronics all together and grab your potato masher. The results won't be quite as smooth, but taste-wise, it doesn't matter.

Can I make this soup ahead of time?

Soup can be frozen up to 2 months. Let cool completely then transfer to an airtight container before freezing.

Yields: 6 - 8 servings

Prep Time: 0 hours 20 mins

Total Time: 4 hours 20 mins

slices bacon, chopped

2 lb.

russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

celery stalks, sliced

large leek, cleaned and chopped

garlic cloves, finely chopped

4 c.

chicken stock

1 tsp.

kosher salt

sprigs of fresh thyme

1/2 tsp.

ground black pepper

3/4 c.

sour cream, plus more for garnish

To serve: Shredded cheddar cheese, chopped chives, sour cream, reserved bacon

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Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon strips and cook until golden brown, 6-8 minutes. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Reserve 2 pieces for garnish. Crumble the remaining 4 pieces.
Place the crumbled bacon, potatoes, celery, leek, garlic, stock, salt, thyme sprigs, and pepper in the base of a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker. Put the lid on the slow cooker, and cook on high for 4 hours (or low for 6 to 8 hours) until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Remove the thyme sprigs and discard.
Use an immersion blender to blend the soup to a semi-smooth consistency, leaving small chunks of potato and vegetables for texture. Stir in the sour cream. (Add 1/4 - 1/2 cup of water, to thin the soup out to your desired consistency). Serve in bowls, garnished with cheese, chives, additional sour cream, and the reserved bacon slices crumbled over top.

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