Description
Creamy crock pot cheesy potato soup offers comfort in a bowl, blending hearty potatoes and rich cheese. Home cooks can savor this warmth with minimal effort, finishing with a sprinkle of crisp bacon and green onions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 medium russet potatoes, peeled & diced
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup heavy cream (or whole milk)
- 4 oz (113 grams) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp smoked paprika (optional)
- ¼ cup green onions, chopped (for garnish)
- 6 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled (optional)
Instructions
- Preparation: Assemble all ingredients in the slow cooker, layering chopped potatoes, diced onions, minced garlic, broth, salt, pepper, and paprika to create a robust soup foundation.
- Slow Cooking: Allow the mixture to simmer and develop rich flavors, cooking on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours until potatoes reach a fork-tender consistency.
- Texture Development: Gently mash potatoes to create a rustic, creamy base with some chunky pieces, maintaining a hearty texture and depth of character.
- Dairy Integration: Gradually incorporate heavy cream, stirring smoothly to warm and blend with the potato mixture, creating a luscious foundation.
- Cheese Fusion: Fold in cheddar and cream cheese, continuously stirring to ensure complete melting and uniform distribution, transforming the soup into a decadent, velvety experience.
- Final Touches: Blend in sour cream to elevate the soup’s complexity, then taste and fine-tune seasonings for a perfectly balanced flavor profile.
- Presentation: Ladle the steaming soup into serving bowls, artfully garnishing with crispy bacon bits, freshly chopped green onions, and an additional sprinkle of cheese to enhance visual and gustatory appeal.
Notes
- Optimize Potato Texture: Slice potatoes uniformly to ensure even cooking and consistent tenderness throughout the soup.
- Prevent Dairy Curdling: Add cream and cheese slowly at low temperatures, stirring constantly to maintain smooth, velvety consistency without separation.
- Enhance Flavor Depth: Sauté onions and garlic briefly before adding to slow cooker to release richer, more concentrated aromatics and develop deeper taste profile.
- Customize Dietary Needs: Swap regular dairy with lactose-free alternatives or use plant-based cheese for gluten-free, dairy-sensitive, or vegan adaptations of the recipe.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-8 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg