I’ve been on a real soup kick lately, and this ultra-creamy Crock Pot Cheesy Potato Soup is one that my whole family loves. It reminds me of the cheddar baked potato soup from Bob Evans, which I’ve been obsessed with for many years.
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You put Yukon Gold potatoes, onion, garlic and chicken broth in the slow cooker and let it cook on high. Then you stir in a quick mix of flour and cold milk, plus a little heavy cream, and finish with a whole pound of Velveeta. The potatoes turn tender, the broth gets thick and cheesy, and the crock pot does almost all the work.
What You’ll Learn
- How to make my Crock Pot Cheesy Potato Soup with Yukon Gold potatoes and Velveeta.
- The cold milk trick that thickens it without lumps.
- How to swap in shredded cheddar if you’d rather skip the Velveeta.
- What to serve with it and how to store leftovers.
Crock Pot or Slow Cooker?
Before anyone says it, yes, I know that Crock Pot is a brand name and that most people these days say slow cooker instead.
I just can’t help it, y’all. A crock pot is a crock pot to me, even if it’s not a Crock-Pot. Who’s confused? HA! No matter what you call that magical kitchen appliance, you’re going to love this delicious soup.
Why My Family Loves It
The pound of Velveeta cheese in this soup pretty much means it tastes perfect. Yep, I said it. If you love potatoes and cheese, it’s really a no-brainer, and it’s made with simple ingredients.
It’s my favorite easy crock pot soup, and it’s a cheap soup to make, too, since it’s mostly potatoes and broth. Because it stays warm right in the crock pot, it’s an easy soup for a crowd. It has even become our Christmas Eve soup.
It’s also a hearty soup and a true set-it-and-forget-it dinner, which is why it became a family favorite. The potatoes cook in the crock pot for hours on their own, and the last steps take just a few minutes. Speaking of cheesy soups, don’t miss my Cheesy Cauliflower Soup and this amazing Crock Pot 15 Bean Soup. And if you’re a huge fan of slow cooker recipes, try my easy Crock Pot Pork Chops.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll find the exact amounts in the recipe card below.
- Yukon Gold potatoes: Peel them and cut them into ½-inch cubes so they cook evenly. Yukon Golds turn out creamy and buttery.
- Onion and garlic: A diced onion and a few minced garlic cloves season the broth as it cooks.
- Salt and black pepper: Simple seasoning is all this soup needs.
- Chicken broth: Chicken stock works too. Start with 4 cups. You can add another cup at the end if the soup is too thick for you.
- Cold milk and flour: Whisked together, they thicken the soup without lumps.
- Heavy cream or half and half: Just half a cup makes it extra rich.
- Velveeta cheese: A whole pound, cut into chunks, melts into a smooth, cheesy broth.
- Bacon and green onions: Optional toppings, but we love them.
How to Make Cheesy Potato Soup in the Crock Pot
Step one: Add the potatoes, onion, garlic, salt, pepper and chicken broth to a 4-quart or larger crock pot. Stir, cover and cook on high for about 3½ hours.
Step two: Whisk the flour into the cold milk until smooth. Stir the flour mixture into the potato mixture, then add the heavy cream and stir again.
Step three: Cover and cook for another 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
Step four: Add the chunks of Velveeta and let them melt, stirring until it’s all melted in.
Step five: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with crispy bacon and chopped green onions.
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My Best Tips
- Cut even cubes: Potatoes cut to the same ½-inch size all get tender at the same time.
- Use cold milk: Whisking the flour into cold milk first keeps it from clumping when it hits the hot soup.
- Go easy on the broth: Start with 4 cups. It’s easy to thin a thick soup with another cup of broth, but much harder to thicken a thin one.
- Add the cheese last: Stir in the Velveeta at the very end so it melts evenly into the soup.
- Keep the lid on: Lifting the lid lets heat escape, so only open it when it’s time to add the milk mixture and cheese.
Toppings and Variations
- Favorite toppings: I love to add fresh chopped green onions and crispy crumbled bacon (bacon bits work in a pinch), but it’s certainly good without anything on top.
- Shredded cheddar instead of Velveeta: I’ve made it with shredded cheddar, and it works well. Use the same amount by weight, 1 pound, which is about 4 cups shredded. Stir it in a handful at a time so it melts smoothly.
- Loaded potato soup: Top each bowl with extra shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream along with the bacon.
- Half and half: Use it in place of the heavy cream for a slightly lighter soup.
- Instant Pot version: SO MANY of you have asked me for a pressure cooker version, so don’t miss my Instant Pot Potato Soup.
What to Serve with It
Serve it in a bread bowl, or set out crusty bread or my Honey Butter Rolls for dunking. A crisp salad balances a rich, cheesy soup, and a sandwich turns it into a soup-and-sandwich night.
How to Store Leftovers
Refrigerator: Let the soup cool, then keep it in an airtight container, or in individual servings for easy lunches, in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Reheating: Warm it on the stove top over low heat, stirring often, until it’s hot all the way through, to 165°F. The soup thickens as it sits, so add a splash of milk or broth to loosen it up.
Cheesy Potato Soup FAQs
Can you freeze Crock Pot Cheesy Potato Soup?
I don’t recommend it. Soups with this much cheese and dairy can separate and turn grainy once they’re frozen and thawed, and the potatoes get mushy. It’s best fresh or from the fridge within 3 to 4 days.
How do I thicken potato soup?
The flour and cold milk mixture does most of the work. If you’d like it even thicker, mash some of the potatoes with a potato masher right in the crock pot before you add the cheese.
What kind of potatoes are best for potato soup?
I use Yukon Gold potatoes because they’re naturally creamy and hold their shape. Russet potatoes break down more as they cook, which makes a thicker, less chunky soup, and red potatoes stay the firmest.
This Crock Pot Cheesy Potato Soup is the perfect soup for chilly nights, with hardly any hands-on time, and it stays in our regular rotation during the winter months. Let me know how much your family loves it in the comments!
More Comforting Soups
- Crock Pot Potato Soup with Hash Browns
- Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup
- Potato Corn Chowder
- Navy Bean and Ham Soup
Crock Pot Cheesy Potato Soup Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 6 large Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cut in ½-inch cubes
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 to 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup milk cold
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup heavy cream or half and half
- 1 pound Velveeta cheese cut into chunks
- Bacon fried and crumbled, optional
- Green onions optional
Instructions
- Add the potatoes, onion, garlic, salt, pepper and the chicken broth to a 4 quart or larger crock pot, stir and cook on high for about 3 ½ hours.
- Whisk the flour into the cold milk until smooth. Stir the flour mixture into the potatoes, add the heavy cream, stir then cover and cook for another 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- Add the chunks of cheese and allow to melt. Garnish with bacon and green onions.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is an estimate from an online calculator, not medical advice, and depends on your portion size.
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Is the 30 minutes in step 2 on high or low heat? Does it matter? I’m making it tonight… I had some baby carrots in my fridge that I needed to get rid of so I cut some of those up tossed them in there too… I hope it’s good! 😅
Hi Shyenne! Keep it on high for that last 30 minutes.
Easy and so good.
Love the taste but mine is too watery. How can I thicken it up? Thanks!
Hi! Start with 4 cups of broth next time. You can always add more at the end. To thicken the batch you have, mash some of the potatoes right in the crock pot.
If I wanted to make this for a crowd of 6, what would the measurements be then? If you wouldn’t mind sharing that would be so helpful.
Hi Brooke! The recipe as written makes 8 servings, so it’s plenty for 6.
Oh my goodness! This potato soup is delicious. I followed the ingredients but substituted the onion with 1 Tbsp of onion powder as I don’t like the texture of onion. My daughter loves potato soup, and I can’t wait for her to get home from school to try this. This is a restaurant quality recipe. Thank you for sharing it.
I always add in smoked sausage about half way through (the fully cooked kind) sooooo good!
I’m making this this weekend and I’m looking forward to it. I want to add stew/steak meat to
It with some spicy velvets cheese to spice/nacho it up. Any suggestions on adding the stew/steak meat?
This is soooo good. We have made it over and over again. Really easy to make for people with busy lifestyles.
Trying for the second time! I’m not ready to give up! Last weekend I followed this recipe exact, used the 1lb melting cheese block of velveeta cut into chunks also, but it never ever melted 😳 everything else was cooking just fine! I bumped it up to high for 30 minutes and it still didn’t melt. Should I have used/done something different?
I use 2 bags of the shredded Velveeta. It melts a lot faster.
I’ve been making this recipe for a few years! It’s amazing and always a hit for company! I normally don’t comment on recipes, especially not to add edits. But I’ve added 1-2 scraped and diced jalapeños to the first step of this recipe and it’s so good! Doesn’t add much for spice because I scrape them so much, but definitely adds some more flavor! (Not that this recipe needs more, it’s excellent as is!) thanks for sharing!