This healthy slow cooker loaded baked potato soup is the best meal for a chilly, busy day. Made in the crockpot for a hands off meal, this soup can be put on in the morning and ready for dinner for a delicious bowl of comfort. Tender chunks of potato and vegetables are cooked in a seasoned chicken broth until tender and then enriched with evaporated milk and cheese for a super creamy soup.
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Best Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup
There’s something so warm and comforting about loaded baked potatoes, and they’re even better in soup form! This hearty soup will fill you up on those cold nights and will be a go-to through soup season!
Create a topping bar and let everyone doctor their own soup with their favorite toppings, like a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt, some cheese, and extra bacon.
This loaded potato soup would even be great to serve at a fall party or on game day!
Why We Love This Healthy Slow Cooker Potato Soup
- Simple: This recipe starts by adding your veggies straight to the slow cooker with broth and fresh thyme. It’s totally hands-off until right at the end, when you add the milk, cornstarch, and cream cheese! This makes it ideal for busy weeknights.
- Creamy: Although you might not think of creamy soups as healthy, this one is definitely a healthier option! We’ll add a deliciously creamy texture and flavor without heavy cream by using evaporated milk, cornstarch, and cream cheese. So satisfying!
- Lightened up: Loaded with vegetables and some healthy fats, this slow cooker potato soup recipe is lower in fat and sodium than most potato soups and you won’t even be able to tell!
Ingredient Notes
- Russet potatoes: I highly recommend using Russets for this loaded crockpot potato soup because they have a high starch content, so they’ll help give this creamy potato soup a fantastic texture.
- Vegetables: Onion, celery, and garlic will add a delicious aroma and extra nutrients and fiber.
- Broth: Stick with low sodium chicken or vegetable broth to keep the sodium content on the lower side.
- Fresh thyme: This infuses herb flavor in the vegetables while they slow cook for hours.
- Seasonings: You’ll need salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika to season this crock pot potato soup to your liking.
- Evaporated milk: Fat free evaporated milk will help reduce the total calorie count in this classic potato soup recipe without compromising on flavor.
- Cornstarch: Towards the end of slow cooking, you’ll add cornstarch with the other dairy products and it will help thicken the soup for the perfect texture.
- Cream cheese: Use reduced-fat cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese to add a thick, creamy texture without as many calories.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: Keep some shredded cheddar cheese to the side to top each bowl of soup before serving.
Optional Toppings
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt, crispy bacon crumbles (pork or turkey), shredded cheese, green onions, or chives for garnish
Step by Step Instructions
- In a slow cooker, mix together the potatoes, onion, celery, garlic, thyme, chicken stock, and spices. Cover with lid and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the potatoes become tender. Remove thyme sprigs.
- In a small bowl combine the evaporated milk with the cornstarch, add to the slow cooker along with the cream cheese cubes, cover and cook on high for 30-40 minutes, until the broth thickens.
- Stir in the cheddar cheese and use a fork or potato masher to mash up some of the potatoes for a thicker texture or pulse with an immersion blender for a smoother texture.
- Top with sour cream or Greek yogurt, bacon, chives and additional shredded cheese if desired.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Recipe Tips:
- All slow cookers cook differently so times may need to be adjusted to your specific slow cooker. You could also cook this soup on high for 3-4 hours to speed up the process. Just check to make sure the potatoes have become fork tender.
- Baby red potatoes are a good substitute for the russet potatoes and you can skip the peeling process. However, they will hold their shape more during cooking and might make for a slightly thinner soup, as not as much starch will be released from the potatoes.
- The neufchatel cheese can be omitted, but it adds lots of creaminess to the soup.
- If you prefer a really smooth slow cooker potato soup with cream cheese, you can use an immersion blender in the slow cooker to get a super smooth texture or use a potato masher to break down the potato chunks.
Recipe FAQs
Especially when you’re meal prepping, it can be handy to prepare the components for your easy meals ahead of time so you can just add everything together and go. Potatoes are a little bit different. Once cut, they will start to turn brown and milky, then begin to dry out.
If you would like to prep your potatoes a day or night before, submerge the cut potatoes completely in water. Place the bowl of potatoes in water in the fridge and use them within 24 hours, or they’ll change texture. Strain off the potato water before adding them to your crock pot.
Nope! The potatoes will soften and cook in the slow cooker, so you can skip this step completely. This makes this slow cooker loaded potato soup even more convenient!
That really depends on the type of soup you’d like to make. Potato skins are edible, so you can leave them on. However, they will start to fall off after cooking and add a papery texture and brown pieces to your soup. For a smoother consistency, I recommend peeling your potatoes completely. Especially for recipes like this slow cooker loaded potato soup, this extra step adds a bright white appearance that is really appetizing.
There are so many different types of potatoes that can be used for soup! Russets are a classic option for loaded potato soup because they are high in starch, so they’ll become soft and tender while cooking and can be mashed for a thick, creamy soup. You can also use red potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes, but any potato will work well in broth-based soups, like Italian wedding soup or minestrone.
Storage Guidelines
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I don’t recommend freezing potato soup, as the potatoes can have a strange texture when frozen and thawed.
Serving Suggestions
This crockpot potato soup with real potatoes can be enjoyed as a meal on its own. It would make a great lunch to take to school or work or a filling dinner on a cold day. It can also be served as the starch for a meal with roasted meats and a nice fall salad. Try it with any of the following:
Recipe Variations
- Add Southwestern flavor: Add 2-4 ounces of green chile to this easy recipe for a smoky flavor and a little extra heat.
- Make it vegan: To make this soup dairy-free, replace the evaporated milk with evaporated coconut milk and skip the cream cheese and cheddar. You can top with a dairy free cheese instead.
- Use mashed potatoes: If you have leftover mashed potatoes, use them to replace the raw potatoes. Slow cook the veggies without the potatoes, then add the mashed potatoes, cream cheese, evaporated milk, and cornstarch at the same time. So easy!
More Similar Recipes
- Turkey Sausage and Kale Soup
- Italian Cannellini Bean Soup
- White Chicken Chili with Salsa Verde
- Lazy Lasagna Soup
- One Pot Ground Turkey Chili
- Sweet Potato Coconut Soup
- 3-Ingredient Tomato Soup
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Healthy Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 3 ribs celery finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 12 ounce can fat free evaporated milk
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 ounces reduced fat cream cheese or neufchatel cubed
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
Optional Toppings
- Sour cream, greek yogurt, turkey or pork bacon crumbles, shredded cheese or chives for garnish
Instructions
- In a slow cooker, mix together the potatoes, onion, celery, garlic, thyme, broth and spices. Cover with lid and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the potatoes become tender. Remove thyme sprigs.
- In a small bowl combine the evaporated milk with the cornstarch, add to the slow cooker along with the cream cheese cubes, cover and cook on high for 30-40 minutes, until the broth thickens.
- Stir in the cheddar cheese and use a fork or potato masher to mash up some of the potatoes for a thicker texture or pulse with an immersion blender for a smoother texture.
- Top with sour cream or Greek yogurt, bacon, chives and additional shredded cheese if desired.
Notes
- All slow cookers cook differently so times may need to be adjusted to your specific slow cooker. You could also cook this soup on high for 3-4 hours to speed up the process. Just check to make sure the potatoes have become fork tender.
- Baby red potatoes are a good substitute for the russet potatoes and you can skip the peeling process. However, they will hold their shape more during cooking and might make for a slightly thinner soup, as not as much starch will be released from the potatoes.
- The neufchatel cheese can be omitted, but it adds lots of creaminess to the soup.
- If you prefer a really smooth slow cooker potato soup with cream cheese, you can use an immersion blender in the slow cooker to get a super smooth texture or use a potato masher to break down the potato chunks.
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