Can you freeze slow cooker baked potato soup?

Cool it: First, make sure to let the meal fully cool. Refrigerate: After that, store the crockpot potato soup recipe leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat before serving. Freeze: I recommend using quart freezer bags for this soup. Also, use a cup to transfer the mixture from the pot into the bag. In the end, squeeze out excess air and seal the bags. After that, lay the bags flat in the freezer and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw: When you decide to serve it, transfer the bags from the freezer to the fridge to thaw overnight. Another option is to place the bag in a large casserole dish with warm water. Reheat: Add it back to the slow cooker, or to a large pot on the stove pot and mix in with some milk, cream or broth if it's too thick.

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Slow Cooker Baked Potato Soup [VIDEO]

By Catalina Castravet

Updated: Aug 23, 2021

Published: Sep 5, 2019

4.99 from 54 reviews

Recipes Slow Cooker Soups and Stews

Cook time: 4 hours 30 minutes

Slow Cooker Baked Potato Soup is creamy, comforting, budget-friendly, and also very easy to make! Loaded with potatoes, cheese, and crispy bacon! This is one of the best soups that the entire family will love.

Slow cooker recipes are very popular on our blog since you can fix them and forget about them until ready to serve. These are my favorite go-to recipes for cold-weather main courses. You should also try this version of Bacon Ranch Potato Soup and the Crockpot Cheesy Potato Soup!

slow cooker baked potato soup topped with bacon and chopped green onion

This classic potato soup is my type of comfort food and requires only minutes of prep time. My grandmother makes a similar creamy soup on the stovetop and it used to be my favorite food as a child. Every time I visit her, I always ask for the famous soup.

Now, this classic potato soup recipe is very easy to make with simple ingredients, and it smells delicious! The crockpot does all the heavy lifting, all you have to do is patiently wait. I like to make a huge batch of soup for the entire family to enjoy and freeze the leftovers for later.

The slow cooker baked potato soup is incredibly creamy, with delicious crispy bacon bits and melted cheddar cheese through it. This loaded potato soup recipe is perfect for a cold night meal. Pile it up with toppings just like you would a baked potato. Watch the short video tutorial attached below and see how this will become your weeknight perfect meal!

Ingredients Needed:

To make this delicious and hearty soup, you will need the following:

Bacon: You can use any type of bacon you love. However, I recommend using center-cut bacon for this recipe, just to keep it a bit leaner. Also, I used cooked bacon to make it easier and save some time.
Veggies: Yellow onion and garlic.
Flour: All-purpose flour is used to make a roux to thicken the soup. However, if you like a lighter version of this soup, feel free to skip this step. Instead, just puree half of the potatoes to thicken them.
Chicken broth and milk: Also, you can substitute the chicken broth with chicken stock, or vegetable broth. The same goes for milk. Feel free to use half and half, or whatever kind of milk you prefer (2%, 4%, or whole milk).
Potatoes: I’ve made this soup dozens of times, and for best results, I highly recommend using buttery Yukon gold potatoes. If you cannot find Yukon golds, go with russet potatoes or red potatoes.
Cheese: Sharp cheddar cheese works best here, as it adds a nice texture and flavor to it.
Sour cream or Greek yogurt and evaporated milk: This is what makes the soup extra-creamy and delicious!
Salt, pepper, and herbs: Season based on your taste. I have added dried parsley as well. However, feel free to add other spices if desired.

How to make Slow Cooker Baked Potato Soup?

Once you have all the ingredients ready for this crockpot potato soup, the rest is simple. Please refer to the recipe card below and watch the video in the post.

Prepare and cook the potatoes: First, wash and peel the Yukon potatoes. Then, cut them into about 1/2 inch thick cubes. Once cubbed, add them to the bottom of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Also, add to it diced onion, minced garlic, cooked bacon, dried parsley, and chicken broth. Season with salt and black pepper. Cook the soup on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
Prepare the Roux mixture: First, add the butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat and melt. Then, whisk in the flour until completely combined and gradually add in the evaporated milk or heavy cream, depending on which one you are using. Whisk well the flour mixture, until smooth. Cook on low heat until seamer while stirring occasionally. Immediately add the milk-flour mixture to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Also, if you do not wish to make the Roux, feel free to thicken the soup by adding the cornstarch. Simply, mix together your cornstarch with evaporated milk, until smooth and stir into the soup to thicken. If you do not wish to use evaporated milk, simply stir the cornstarch with COLD water.
Add remaining ingredients: Using a potato masher or fork, mash about 3/4 of the potatoes. Then, add the shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream to it and stir till melted.
Serve warm. Then serve it up, loaded up with all of your favorite toppings!

Recipe Variations:

For this baked potato soup recipe I always love to use bacon, cheese, sour cream, and green onions. They make this dish super comforting and delicious. However, this great recipe is extremely versatile, and can be adjusted per your own taste:

Make it vegetarian: In that case, omit the bacon. Feel free to add some extra vegetables, such as corn, red bell peppers, broccoli. Also, I would recommend adding in 2-3 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning to make up for the smoky bacon flavor.
Make it gluten-free: For a gluten-free version, skip the flour, or use a gluten-free version.
Add extra meats: Feel free to use other proteins here, such as rotisserie chicken, leftover ham, Italian sausage, oven-roasted turkey breast, all work great here. You can even combine a few types of meat together.
Mix up the cheeses: Use your favorite type of cheeses or whatever you have on hand. I recommend including at least one sharp flavored cheese type, such as parmesan or cheddar for a deeper flavor.
Cream cheese: As an alternative, to make the soup even richer, add a package of cubed cream cheese.
Add in extra seasoning: For extra flavors, feel free to add some cajun seasoning, Italian seasoning, taco seasoning, fresh thyme, or rosemary.
Instant Pot version: Make this creamy potato soup in the pressure cooker.

crockpot baked potato soup garnished with bacon and chopped green onion

What to serve with:

Crusty Bread: Use a fresh loaf of ciabatta or French baguette and dip it into it. Another option is to make these bread bowls or these breadsticks.
Salads: Such as arugula salad, broccoli salad, or green bean salad.
Roasted Vegetables: I also love serving it with roasted asparagus, roasted brussels sprouts, or bok-choy.

Optional Toppings:

Crispy bacon
Chopped chives
Chopped green onions
A dollop of sour cream
Cheddar cheese
Cornbread croutons
Croutons
Sweet corn
Chopped jalapeno peppers

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use potatoes with the skin on them?

Yes! Just ensure you use the organic type. It is absolutely fine to use spuds with the skin on them for this recipe. It will give this dish a nice texture and a little more depth.

What is the best thickener for soup?

Roux: First, you can make a simple roux by mixing flour with butter in a bowl to form a ball and add it to the broth. Another option is to melt the butter in a skillet, add the flour and cook until combined. And add a liquid to make the mixture creamier. After that add it to the broth.
Cornstarch: Another very easy option is to mix about 1/4 cup of cornstarch with 1/2 cup of broth until the cornstarch is fully dissolved and add the mixture to the soup.
Mash: Finally, the last option, is to use an imersion blender to mash half of the soup and if needed to add more veggies or potatoes.

How to store:

Cool it: First, make sure to let the meal fully cool.
Refrigerate: After that, store the crockpot potato soup recipe leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat before serving.
Freeze: I recommend using quart freezer bags for this soup. Also, use a cup to transfer the mixture from the pot into the bag. In the end, squeeze out excess air and seal the bags. After that, lay the bags flat in the freezer and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw: When you decide to serve it, transfer the bags from the freezer to the fridge to thaw overnight. Another option is to place the bag in a large casserole dish with warm water.
Reheat: Add it back to the slow cooker, or to a large pot on the stove pot and mix in with some milk, cream or broth if it’s too thick.

bowl of potato soup garnished with cheese bacon and chopped green onions

Looking for more Soup Recipes? Check these Panera Bread Soup Copycats:

Cooking tips:

I prefer to use Yukon gold potatoes for their buttery texture to make this comforting soup.
Use fresh garlic as the jarred garlic will not give the same flavor.
To save time, you can buy peeled potatoes, that you can just add to the slow cooker.
You can either cook the bacon prior to starting the soup, by frying it or roasting it in the oven, whatever method you prefer. Also, you can use pre-cooked bacon to save time and cut down on effort.
If you decide to fry the bacon, use a large skillet, and don’t forget to drain the bacon grease. Also, drain bacon sliced on paper towels.
In addition, feel free to use evaporated canned milk. Similarly, you can use half and half or heavy cream.
Slow Cooker – I love this slow cooker, while it’s more expensive, you can brown the food directly into it, so that saves you time.
Potato Masher – the kitchen tool that should be in each’s one kitchen drawer! I like this one a lot.