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Easy Creamy Crockpot Potato Soup with Crispy Bacon

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A rich and creamy slow cooker potato soup topped with crispy bacon, made with simple pantry ingredients and minimal hands-on time. Perfect for cold weather comfort.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes
  • 1 cup heavy cream or whole milk
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 8 slices bacon
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • Extra shredded cheddar for topping
  • Sour cream for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cook the bacon in a cold skillet over medium heat for 6-8 minutes, flipping occasionally, until deep golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Once cool, crumble or chop into small pieces. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of bacon grease.
  2. While the bacon cooks, peel and dice the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
  3. Layer the diced potatoes, onion, and garlic in a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour in the chicken broth. Add salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and dried thyme. Stir to combine.
  4. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
  5. Once the potatoes are tender, add the cubed cream cheese and heavy cream. Stir gently until the cream cheese melts completely, about 2-3 minutes.
  6. Using an immersion blender, blend about half the soup directly in the slow cooker until smooth but still chunky. Alternatively, use a potato masher or transfer half the soup to a regular blender, blend, and return to the pot.
  7. Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until completely melted. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
  8. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with crispy bacon crumbles, sliced green onions, extra shredded cheddar, and a dollop of sour cream if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

Don’t add dairy at the beginning to prevent curdling. The soup thickens as it sits; add a splash of milk or broth when reheating. Store bacon separately to keep it crispy. For best flavor, cook on LOW.

Nutrition

Keywords: crockpot potato soup, creamy potato soup, slow cooker soup, bacon potato soup, comfort food, easy soup recipe

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