Crockpot loaded baked potato soup with fresh potatoes is super easy to make and so delicious! You only need a few ingredients and it only costs about $10 to feed up to 6 people. If you loved our easy Crockpot potato soup with frozen hashbrowns but want homemade from scratch this is the one.

Ok, so I’m a little addicted to this Crockpot loaded baked potato soup recipe. With 3 busy kids, a household to take care of, a husband, and working full time, there isn’t a lot of time to cook. Just one of our favorite crockpot recipes. (affiliate links present)
Crockpot Potato Soup with Real Potatoes
We make this comfort food year round, because you just throw it all in until tender. Even making it in the summertime. Serve it with our easy rolls recipe and you’re set. Make it as creamy or chunky as you want to and it’s a hearty meal that kids and adults love. Dress it up with potato toppings of your choice for even more fun.
You can make this a number of different ways. You can simmer it on the stovetop until ingredients are tender, or if you’re in a real hurry you can make this Instant Pot potato cheese soup recipe too! Follow the instructions in the recipe card below to make cheesy and let’s get started.
Not only do we love this slow cooker potato soup, but Crockpot baked potatoes and try slow cooker cheesy potatoes too. The low and slow approach is great to getting this starch nice and tender.
Ingredient Notes
Potatoes, I like using red or russet potatoes. Keep all the pieces the same size so they cook evenly. If you like a chunkier soup make the pieces a bit bigger (but still diced or they won’t cook thru). Smaller will make it thinner, depends on your desired consistency. Takes a bit longer than our Potato Soup with Frozen Hash browns with hash brown potatoes but worth it!
Shredded cheddar cheese is what we like, sharp, and a lot of it. Stir it in at the end so it melts and then put a bit at the top when served too. ๐
Cream of mushroom soup canned or you can make your own homemade cream of mushroom. For alternatives you can find a dairy free version online or can opt for cream of potato if you prefer.
Sour Cream or plain Greek yogurt will work to make it really creamy at the end. Go for the real thing, not the low fat versions of either of these. We aren’t counting calories here friends.
For the necessary Milk I prefer whole or 2% at least to keep it nice and thick, you could use heavy cream if you wanted to go all the way.
Substitutions
For our homemade without condensed soup version, follow our Crockpot ham and potato soup with heavy cream recipe. To make dairy free you can use cashew milk or almond instead and Daiya has lactose free cheese and sour cream which could be subbed out for plain Greek Yogurt.
Crockpot Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe
Equipment
- 1 slow cooker
- 1 knife
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
- 5 medium potatoes, red or russets, diced, skinned or partly skinned
- 1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 cans cream of mushroom soup, could use cream of potato too
- 2 tbsp bacon bits
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 cup milk, more or less depending how thick you like it
- 1 1/2 cup ham, cubed
Instructions
- Dice potatoes and add them to the crockpot with your cans of cream of mushroom soup, bacon bits and ham. Stir well so all is combined.
- Let this cook on low all day (at least 6-8 hrs on low, high for 4 hrs but you at least need a good 4 hrs. on high., longer and slower is better).
- 30 min. before serving add your milk, cheese, and sour cream. Stir and put top back on for about 30 minutes so cheese can melt. Done!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Should you peel potatoes for potato soup?
I do not. I like the added texture and nutritional benefit from leaving them on. If you choose to remove them just know it won’t be as chunky as if you left them on. For a very creamy version yes you would want to peel them and maybe even use an immersion blender at the end to get it really smooth.
There are only a few ingredients and everyone just loves it. It is quite inexpensive to make as well which I love. The perfect slow cooker soup recipe to make when you have leftover ham after Easter or Christmas time.
If it isn’t after the holidays with leftovers I will just grab a ham steak in the meat department. They’re precooked, cheap, and you can even buy it already diced many times.
You will use your favorite Crock pot for this. If wondering What to do with Leftover Baked Potatoes this is a terrific option to reduce waste. If already cooked you can reduce cook time by half. It will fit in a 6 quart or larger. Double this easily if you want to but you’d need a 12 quart pot for that and it would take a little while longer.
What can You Add?
- Ham
- Chives
- Cooked bacon bits
- Diced green onions
Cutting potatoes don’t need to be perfect but just cut each one in half and then criss cross cut so they are diced and all of similar sizes. If you are using frozen bagged potatoes then you can skip this step. Use the larger chunks instead of shredded so you are left with more texture but the timing won’t change.
How to Make Potato Soup in Crockpot with Cream of Mushroom Soup
Dice potatoes and add them to the crockpot with your cans of cream of mushroom soup, (could use cream of chicken soup), bacon bits and/or diced precooked ham. Stir well so all is combined.
Let this cook on low all day (at least 6-8 hrs on low, high for 4 hrs but you at least need a good 4 hrs. on high.) Longer and slower is better if you ask me. 30 minutes before serving add your milk, cheese, and sour cream. Stir and put top back on for about 30 minutes so cheese can melt. Serve with shredded cheese and chives on top.
Substitutions you could make: If you like it smoother you can use a potato masher to mash potatoes right in the pot. Chicken broth could be used instead of milk if you need a dairy free soup option.
Seriously the best soup ever….and it cooks by itself! All 5 of us clean our bowls when this meal is served for dinner. It is a great meal that warms the belly and can get you talking at the dinner table about other easy meals you might want to try too!
I use sour cream and cheese. This will make it thicker, but not too much. If you want it more you can use a tbsp. cornstarch whisked together with cold water and mix that in. Heat a bit more after.
I personally like to use red potatoes but honestly I use whatever I have in the house. Russet turns out great too.
Absolutely, we use fresh here but you could use frozen or refrigerated. I suggest using the chunks so it leaves a bit of texture and takes longer to cook down vs. shredded potatoes. More time = a deeper flavor.
About 30 minutes before you’re ready to eat add the sour cream, milk, and cheese. Stir, recover, and serve 30 or so minutes later with toppings like more toppings!
Is milk the only liquid that is added to this soup? I’ve seen other potato soup recipes that calls for 32 oz of chicken broth AND milk or heavy cream. Just wondering if this recipe has enough liquid. I’m excited to try it, but wanted to know your thoughts.
My sister in law did this recipe for our fall camping trip in October for one of our dinners and it was amazing everyone eat 2 or 3 bowls of it.
I am making this for dinner and excited to have it again.
Oh yay!!
Did your SIL double or triple the recipe? I was curious because if everyone ate 2 – 3 bowls, the single recipe wouldnโt be enough. When I make Loaded Potato Soup for just the 2 of us, I double it so we have some the next day. My husband will eat
2 soup bowls each time (24oz bowls). We add extra cheese, crumbled bacon & sour cream at serving time.
Does this freeze well?
Really good! I added corn to mine. I also added chicken stock, as it thickened up too much while in crock pot.
It really is delicious. I omit the ham and use reduced fat soup, cheese and sour cream. Very filling, super easy and something my kids enjoyed paired with crusty bread or a salad. Different dinner idea, thank you!
Very welcome.
I’d also like to know if it can be frozen.
Will this soup freeze… I love potato soup but hubby is diabetic so he shys away from potatoes and other starches.
Literally all day. That’s best. Whenever I get up I put it in.
How long do you cook it on “low”