A creamy, cheesy and decadent slow cooker potato soup that you will want to make over and over. This easy recipe is warm, rich, filling and wholly satisfying!
I know some people consider soup a cold weather dish. And I admit, I am guilty of treating it as such, from time to time.
However, every once in a while, I crave a bowl of soup in the summer and as I indulge i wonder - why? We eat hot steak, hot seafood, pasta and more all year long. Why does soup have such a winter connotation to it?
Having said that - this soup, while delicious anytime of year, does have a certain "stick to your ribs" quality to it that can really warm you from the inside out. So, while I will admit to indulging in soup year-round, this is one soup I particularly love in the colder months.
🍅Ingredients
To make this delicious soup, you will need:
- frozen potatoes - cubed or shredded
- mirepoix (or diced onion, carrots and celery
- garlic
- rosemary
- sage
- ground pepper
- salt
- veggie or onion broth/prepared soup base
- shredded cheddar cheese
- half and half
- sour cream
🥣Method
Start by adding the potatoes, vegetables, spices and liquid to slow cooker. Cook on low for 5 or so hours until the potatoes are soft. After cooking, remove lid and use an immersion blender to blend ingredients. For a smoother texture, I would recommend blending longer than you think you should.
After all is well blended, add shredded cheese and stir while the cheese melts to fully combine.
Next temper the half and half by mixing it in a small bowl with a few tablespoons of hot soup from the crockpot. Add tempered half and half mixture and sour cream to slow cooker. Stir, re-cover and allow soup to heat back up another 30 minutes or so before serving,
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🍽Serving suggestions
Certainly hard to do this part wrong! Creamy potato soup is great served in a bowl, a cup or a bread bowl. It is great topped with a little shredded cheese, some sliced green onion and (if you want to keep it vegetarian) some imitation bacon bits.
Serve with crackers, breadsticks or a wedge of thick crusty rolls because dunking is a must! It also can be complimented very well with a cool crisp salad served alongside of it. Or with a light, warm veggie dish like zucchini and squash Parmesan.
Storing
This soup can be stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator for about 5 days or so.
Many people recommend against freezing soups with cream or milk. I have never had a problem with it. They key is not to let the look of the soup deter you. The ingredients will separate upon freezing. It is best to let it defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
When you are ready to serve it, make sure to mix it up really well and reheat it either in the microwave or stove top. It will keep in your freezer for 2-3 months.
😉Hints & Hacks
- Potatoes can be grainy when they are first blended. The longer you blend them, the creamier the texture will become.
- Not a fan of cutting onion? Stay lazy like me and skip this step by buying frozen chopped onion in the frozen veggie section of your market. It is very inexpensive and saves a lot of tears!
- The cheddar cheese I use in this potato soup recipe was purchased already shredded. Some people have commented that cheese melts better when it is freshly shredded. This is true, but I have only made this soup with pre-shredded cheese and it has always worked perfectly well for me.
- I recommend using an immersion blender for this recipe. Much less messy and more "lazy" than pouring the soup into a blender.
- I always recommend using a slow cooker liner for easy clean up. This is a fully optional step. I usually buy liners in bulk for the best per-piece price.
- If you choose to use a liner, please keep in mind that it is easy to catch a piece of the liner on the immersion blender and chop it up – essentially ruining the entire soup. To avoid this, don’t allow the blade of the blender fully touch the sides or bottom of the slow cooker.
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📖 Recipe
Lazy Slow Cooker Potato Soup Recipe
Equipment
- 4 pt or larger slow cooker
Ingredients
- 1 lbs frozen hash brown potatoes I prefer the potatoes cut into cubes, but shredded will work as well
- 2 cups mirepoix or one large carrot, one large celery stalk and one small onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups onion broth or prepared onion soup base
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup half and half
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- chopped green onion (optional)
- chopped bacon or imitation bacon bits if you want to keep recipe vegetarian (optional)
Instructions
- Place slow cooker liner into slow cooker, if using.
- place potatoes, vegetables, garlic, rosemary, sage, salt and pepper into slow cooker
- add onion broth, cover and cook on low for 5 hours or so
- when potatoes and veggies are soft (after about 5 hours or so), carefully use an immersion blender to combine all ingredients. The longer you use it, the smoother the final soup will be.
- 30-45 minutes before serving, mix about 1 cup of half and half with a few tablespoons of hot soup in a separate bowl to temper the half and half. set aside.
- add shredded cheddar into slow cook and stir as it melts to fully combine
- Add sour cream and tempered half and half mixture into slow cooker, stir to combine and cover.
- keep on low for another hour or so and then set to warm until ready to serve.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Emily says
Yummmm love to come home to this after a long day!
Deb pauli says
Can chicken or beef broth be substituted for onion broth
admin says
Absolutely! I would probably go with chicken because it is a little more mild. I only use onion to keep it as a vegetarian option.
Carolyn says
What does mirepoix mean?
The Lazy Slow Cooker says
Mirepoix is a mixture of finely chopped vegetables. Usually carrots, celery and onion. Thanks for asking!! 😊.