Slow Cooker Potato Soup (with Frozen Potatoes) Recipe
This Slow Cooker Potato Soup is a hearty, creamy, and flavorful dish made easy with frozen hash brown potatoes. It combines turkey bacon, chicken broth, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and seasonings to create a thick, comforting soup perfect for any occasion. Slow cooking allows the flavors to meld beautifully and the potatoes to become perfectly tender without much prep time.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours
- Total Time: 5 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 2 (2 pound) bags frozen hash brown cubes (do not thaw)
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt (optional)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 48 ounce container chicken broth (6 cups)
- 2 (10 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup heavy cream
- salt, to taste
Cheeses
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 8 ounce block cream cheese, softened to room temperature and cut into cubes
Bacon
- 1 pound turkey bacon (divided use)
Garnish
- Sliced green onions or chives (for topping)
Instructions
- Cook the bacon: Cook 1 pound of turkey bacon until crispy. Drain excess grease on paper towels, then crumble the bacon into pieces. Set aside.
- Prepare the slow cooker: Pour the two bags of frozen hash brown cubes into the bottom of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Season the potatoes with seasoned salt (optional), onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. Stir to distribute the seasonings evenly.
- Add liquids and soup: Pour in the chicken broth and the two cans of cream of chicken soup. Add three-quarters of the cooked and crumbled bacon, reserving the rest for topping. Stir everything until well combined.
- Cook the soup: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours (or on high for 2 to 3 hours), stirring occasionally. The potatoes should be fork tender when done.
- Add cheeses and cream: To the cooked soup, add 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, the cubed softened cream cheese, and 1 cup of heavy cream. Stir well to combine.
- Melt the cheeses: Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for another 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until all the cheeses are melted and the soup is creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, and garlic powder if needed.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the reserved crumbled bacon, remaining shredded cheddar cheese, and sliced green onions or chives for garnish.
Notes
- You can substitute regular bacon if preferred, but turkey bacon reduces the fat content.
- Frozen hash browns do not need to be thawed, which saves prep time.
- Adjust seasoning at the end to match your taste preferences.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute chicken broth and cream of chicken soup with vegetable-based alternatives and omit the bacon.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop or microwave.