Description
This creamy slow cooker potato soup with crispy bacon is the ultimate comfort food, perfect for dinner parties or cozy nights in. The slow cooker does all the work, delivering a velvety texture with tender potato chunks and a rich, savory broth.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 pounds (1.4 kg) Russet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4–5 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups (960 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- 8 slices (8 oz / 225 g) thick-cut bacon
- 1 cup (120 g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
- Sour cream (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Cook the bacon: Place bacon slices in a cold large skillet. Turn heat to medium and cook, flipping occasionally, until deeply golden and crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Once cool, crumble or chop into small pieces. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the skillet.
- Sauté the aromatics: Add butter to the skillet with reserved bacon fat and melt over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Scrape mixture into a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Build the soup base: Sprinkle flour over the onion mixture in the slow cooker and stir to coat. Add diced potatoes, chicken broth, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Stir to combine.
- Slow cook: Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours, until potatoes are fork-tender and starting to fall apart.
- Blend for creaminess: Using an immersion blender, blend about half the soup directly in the slow cooker, leaving some chunks for texture. Alternatively, carefully transfer about 3 cups of soup to a regular blender, blend until smooth, and stir back into the pot.
- Add cream and finish: Stir in heavy cream. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Let warm through for about 5 minutes.
- Serve: Ladle soup into bowls. Top with crispy bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, fresh chives, and a dollop of sour cream if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
For best results, don’t skip browning the bacon first—it adds deep flavor. Add cream at the end to prevent curdling. If soup is too thick, stir in warm broth or milk; if too thin, mash some potatoes or cook uncovered to reduce. For a gluten-free version, use a gluten-free flour blend or a cornstarch slurry (2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup cold water).
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1.5 cu
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 680
- Fat: 24
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 14
Keywords: slow cooker potato soup, creamy potato soup, bacon potato soup, easy potato soup, dinner party soup, comfort food