Come home to the ultimate crockpot loaded potato soup! It's warm and comforting - and dang delicious. With creamy buttery potatoes, crunchy bacon, fresh chives, shredded cheddar cheese, and tangy sour cream - you can't go wrong with this deliciously creamy and hearty soup recipe.
1½poundschopped Yukon gold potatoes(peeled or unpeeled, your preference)
3cupschicken broth
1tablespoonfresh parsley(chopped)
½teaspoonsalt(plus extra to taste)
¼teaspoonground black pepper(plus extra to taste)
1cuphalf and half
½cupsour cream
½poundshredded cheddar cheese(or other favorite cheese; plus extra for garnish)
¼cupchopped chives or green onion(plus extra for garnish)
Instructions
Heat a skillet (or a crockpot with a browning function) over medium-high heat and add bacon. Cook until brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and transfer it to paper towels. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat from the pan and discard the rest. (Note: if you don't have 2 tablespoons add in butter to make up the extra.)
In the same skillet, add the onion and celery. Sauté until tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. (Note: if you're in a hurry, you can skip this step and just add it directly into the crockpot.)
Transfer onions and celery to a crockpot and add potatoes, broth, parsley, salt, and pepper.
Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or until the potatoes are tender. (Note: after the potatoes are tender, you can blend the soup with a handheld immersion blender (or a traditional blender - 2 cups at a time) until the desired consistency is reached.)
Pour half and half into a microwave-safe dish and warm on high heat for 1 minute. Stir into soup. Add remaining ingredients. Stir until the cheese is melted. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
Don't miss all of our helpful hints, substitution ideas, cooking tips, and other delicious recipes that can be found in our post. Check it out!
VARIATIONS: Sneak in more veggies and saute a couple of peeled and chopped carrots in with the onions and celery; play around with herbs (fresh or dried). Parsley and thyme go really well in this soup; adjust the seasoning to taste.
TIPS:
Using an immersion blender, make this soup as creamy or chunky as you want.
Do not add cold half-and-half or milk to the soup; it could curdle. Warm it before adding it to the soup. Warm it in a microwave or mix it with a couple of ladles full of soup first.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Adjust seasoning to taste. Top with green onion or chives, a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and bacon bits.