Loaded down with to-do’s, deadlines, and all the business of raising tiny humans, all of which are hungry and you still have to make dinner? Yeah me too. My solution? Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup! Check out the video to see how easy this comfort meal is to make!
Serving a hearty, robust meal after a long day is possible with the help of a slow cooker. It’s the mighty appliance that can cook while we sleep, work, are out at baseball games or soccer practice, and more.
If you are wondering, can this loaded baked potato soup be made in an instapot? It sure can! Follow the recipe’s instapot version below, and you’ll have a delicious meal in 15 minutes.
I love making this recipe year-round, it’s also gluten-free so my entire family can enjoy this meal. The kids love topping their bowl with bacon and a ton of cheese!
That’s another reason this is a family favorite! Just like our taco night, Cobb Salad Bar, Easy Nachos, and other family style meals found in our Classic Meal Plans; everyone can participate and make this meal their own!
Since I make this Loaded Baked Potato Soup recipe often, I make sure to double the batch and freeze the leftover to use for a quick, weeknight dinner or to pack it into a thermos for one amazing hot-lunch on a cold day!
If you are planning on doubling the batch, make sure you have a large slow cooker to work with.
We love topping our bowls with any baked potato toppings like cheese, bacon, and chives. How will you top yours?
Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 pound yellow potatoes, washed, peeled, and chopped into large chunks
- 8 ounces ham steak, cubed
- 32 ounces low sodium vegetable broth
- 2 cups (16 ounces) half and half or whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 3/4 cup shredded cheese
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
- 4 green onions, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
- Sour cream, optional
Instructions
- In the bowl of a large (5qt) slow cooker, place onion, potatoes, ham, broth, half and half, pepper. Cook on low for 6 hours.
- Ladle soup into bowls, top with shredded cheese, chopped bacon, green onions, and sour cream if using.
Notes
Prep ahead: place all ingredients in the slow cooker bowl, cover, and refrigerate up to 3 days. Cook as directed.
Freezer friendly: place all ingredients in a zip bag and freeze, laying flat, until ready to use. Thaw and cook as directed. Freeze leftovers in 1 cup servings for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 383
- Fat: 19.6g
- Carbohydrates: 30.2g
- Fiber: 2.6g
- Protein: 21.6g
InstaPot Loaded Baked Potato Soup
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Total Time: 25 min
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 pound yellow potatoes, washed, peeled, and chopped into large chunks
- 8 ounces ham steak, cubed
- 32 ounces low sodium vegetable broth
- 2 cups (16 ounces) half and half or whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 3/4 cup shredded cheese
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
- 4 green onions, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
- Sour cream, optional
Instructions
Add the onions, yellow potatoes, ham steak, and vegetable broth to the bowl of the InstaPot. Close the lid and turn the vent valve to sealing. Cook over manual high pressure for 10 minutes, then quick release the pressure.
Once the steam has completely released and the pin has dropped on the lid, open and stir in the half and half and pepper. Turn the InstaPot to sauté and cook the soup for 4 to 5 minutes or until thickened.
To serve, ladle the soup into bowl and top with cheese, bacon, green onions, chives, and sour cream, if using.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
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I made this recipe according to the directions and ended up with potatoes and ham in warm milk. Any thoughts on why it didn’t thicken and what can I do about it now?
Interesting! Were any substitutions made?
This was a hit with my family. I substituted the ham chunks for ground beef though. Same amounts. It was amazing. I think next time I’ll add a pound of ground beef instead of just half a pound. & possibly more potatoes just because it was so good! Thank you for this!
Did you cook the ground beef separately before adding it in your substitution? I hate ham.
Yes. Cook it in a pan and then add. Or, you can also use bacon.
Are the potatoes raw or cooked before freezing?
yes.
I added cream cheese to this recipe just to make it a bit more creamy smells delicious. Can you cook it on high to shorten the time
★★★★★
That sounds delicious! I haven’t tried that method, but let us know how it works for you, Julia!
hi! this sounds great. we don’t use a slow cooker, tho. can you modify it to cook over a stove? how long would you cook it? would you cook ingredients at room temp? thanks!!
of course. You can sauté it as you would make a soup, veggies first, then potatoes and about 25min on the stovetop.
Can you freeze potato soup in freezer bags
yes, once it’s cooled.
Do you prefer cook the ham steak first? After cooking to do freeze in bags to prevent frexercise burn?
it depends on what type of ham steak it is. Usually no, I don’t cook it. It cooks in the soup.
I’m new to doing freezer meals and I have a question. Can the soup be made, without garnishes, and THEN frozen and reheated later? I mean, the crockpot version above is totally simple and pretty much effortless, but is there a major reason I shouldn’t make a double or triple batch of soup and freeze portions of it? Something to do with the dairy perhaps?? Thank you!
Clarice, you can absolutely double the batch and freeze. After heating, garnish.
Can you sub the chicken broth for vegetable broth? We don’t eat meat!
Absolutely.
Any idea of the nutrtion info on this?
Tracy, you can head over to calorie counting websites like myfitnesspal.com to calculate.
How would you thicken this? In the past I’ve used instant potatoes, but now that we have changed our eating habits, instant potatoes aren’t an option. I’m thinking of making a roux and adding it to the crock pot at the beginning? I will let you know how it turns out!
You can make a roux or at the end, take 1 cup of soup liquid + a few potatoes and blend into a puree in your blender. remix with soup and now you have a thicker soup!
My family of 6 tried this tonight (I doubled it) and it made enough for all of us with 2 bowls for tomorrow. The flavor was great but we felt like it was a little thin for our taste and needed more potatoes with the broth. I think next time I will increase potatoes, decrease liquid and maybe add the half and half at the end. Just some feedback. Thanks for the recipes.
My husband said the same thing too thin and we wereally all disappointed at dinner :( more water than soup I did the receipe exact what could I have done to really make it right?
★
Sorry about that Erica! You could try using less chicken broth so it’s creamier.
This looks delicious! Do you have to freeze the potatoes, etc or can you cook from room temperature? Also, do you peel the potatoes or leave skins on?
Thank you!! We are loving your recipes!!!
Potatoes are thrown in at room temperature. As they are :)
I’d love to try this recipe but what can I sub for the half and half for people that can’t handle a lot of dairy?
Kelly, sadly, this is one of those dairy filled recipes. If you are looking for a dairy free potato soup recipe, check this one out. It’s delicious!
Sounds great. Thank you. Have a good week.
Sounds yummy! We don’t eat white potatoes, but I bet it would be amazing with sweet potatoes !
I bet it would be delicious with sweet potatoes too!!
How many potatoes?
A pound.
Realistically, how many people (including teenage boys) will this serve?
I’d say it feeds a family of 4-6. (if your teenage boys are big eaters..I’d say 4 huge bowls to be on the safe side)
What liquid containers do you recommend that FOR SURE don’t leak?
check out the Mini dippers for sauces and small dips. in our store, you’ll see my favorite containers. all thermoses dont’ leak.
Sorry, being a French person living in England I don’t have a clue what half & half is… Could you “translate, please?
Celine, half and half is half milk and half cream. Use whole milk :)
Very cool! I was just telling my oldest daughter (10) the other night that I needed to find a recipe for baked potato soup and she said that sounded interesting. I told her it’s like eating all the deliciousness of a baked potato in a soup with cheese and bacon on top and her eyes got as big as saucers and she begged me to find one and then suggested I check the “momables” website that I love :)
thank you Stacey! Let me know how she enjoys it! :)