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Easy Crockpot Potato Soup with Bacon and Cheddar

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This easy crockpot potato soup with bacon and cheddar is a creamy, comforting slow cooker meal that delivers loaded baked potato flavor with minimal effort. Perfect for busy weeknights, it uses simple pantry ingredients and comes together with almost zero hands-on time.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 pounds Russet potatoes (about 5–6 medium), peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into small cubes
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (from a block)
  • 8 slices bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled
  • 4–5 green onions, sliced thinly
  • Sour cream (optional, for serving)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme (optional)

Instructions

  1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Place the potatoes, onion, and garlic directly into the slow cooker.
  2. Sprinkle the salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and dried thyme over the potatoes. Pour in the chicken broth, making sure the potatoes are mostly submerged (liquid should come about halfway up the potatoes). Drop in the 2 tablespoons of butter.
  3. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
  4. While the soup cooks, cook the bacon. Bake at 400°F for 15-18 minutes until crispy, or cook in a skillet over medium heat for about 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels and crumble when cool.
  5. Once the potatoes are tender, use a potato masher to mash them right in the slow cooker to your desired consistency (leave some chunks for texture, or use an immersion blender for a smooth soup).
  6. Cut the softened cream cheese into small cubes and stir it into the hot soup until melted. Pour in the heavy cream and stir until combined and smooth. Let cook for another 10-15 minutes on low to heat through.
  7. Stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese until melted and fully incorporated. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the remaining cheddar, crumbled bacon, sliced green onions, and a dollop of sour cream if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

For best results, shred your own cheddar cheese from a block to avoid anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting. Add cream cheese and heavy cream at the end of cooking to prevent curdling. If the soup is too thick, stir in a splash of warm broth or milk. If too thin, mash more potatoes or let cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes. This soup tastes even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: crockpot potato soup, slow cooker potato soup, bacon cheddar potato soup, easy potato soup, creamy potato soup, loaded potato soup

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