Crock Pot Potato Soup with Hash Browns

Crock Pot Potato Soup with Hash Browns is my go-to easy weeknight dinner during the school year. A bag of frozen hash browns does all the hard work, so there’s no peeling potatoes and no chopping. A packet of ranch seasoning brings so much flavor that nobody will guess it took about 10 minutes of prep time.

Here’s the quick version: first, dump the frozen hash browns, cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, ranch mix and black pepper into your slow cooker. Cook on low for about 4 hours, then stir in cream cheese and cheddar cheese for the last 30 to 45 minutes. That’s it. This creamy potato soup is the ultimate comfort food for cold days, and it’s an easy recipe the whole family can enjoy.

My teenage daughter loves this potato soup with frozen hash browns so much that I make it at least a couple times every month. It’s so simple to prepare that she sometimes even does it herself!

Why You’ll Love This Crock Pot Potato Soup with Hash Browns

• Zero knife work. With Crock Pot Potato Soup with Frozen Hash Browns, the potatoes come already diced in the bag and go straight in frozen.
• Seven ingredients. Everything is easy to find at any grocery store, and most of it keeps in the pantry or freezer.
• One pot, no skillet. Nothing gets browned or sautéed first, so you only wash the crock.
• Ranch does the seasoning. Instead of measuring garlic, onion, dill and herbs one by one, you just add one packet.
• Rich and creamy: Cream cheese and cheddar give this soup its creamy texture.

Ingredients for Crock Pot Potato Soup with Hash Browns

You’ll find the exact amounts in the recipe card below. Here’s a little more about each one.

• Frozen diced hash browns (32 ounces): Look for the bag labeled “Southern style” or “diced,” not shredded. These frozen potatoes hold their shape and give you real potato bites in every spoonful. I find that the store brand works just as well as name brand here.
• Cream of chicken soup (10.5 ounces): Just one can of condensed soup gives the base a thick, homestyle body.
• Low-sodium chicken broth (4 cups): Because the canned soup, ranch mix and cheese all bring salt, low sodium keeps the pot from tasting too salty.
• Ranch dressing mix (1-ounce packet): This is the flavor secret. The ranch seasoning adds a little tang and a lot of herby, savory flavor.
• Cracked black pepper (1/2 teaspoon)
• Cream cheese (8 ounces): This is what makes it a true cream cheese potato soup. Full-fat cream cheese melts the smoothest. Also, cut the block of cream cheese into small pieces so it melts quickly and evenly.
• Sharp cheddar cheese (1 cup, shredded): Since sharp cheddar has more flavor than mild, a cup goes a long way.
• Optional toppings: Crispy bacon, extra cheese and sliced green onions.

How to Make Crock Pot Potato Soup with Hash Browns

1. Fill the slow cooker. Add the frozen hash browns, cream of chicken soup, ranch dressing mix, cracked black pepper and chicken broth to your slow cooker. Stir gently to combine.

2. Slow cook. Cover and cook on low until the potatoes are tender. In my slow cooker that’s about 4 hours, but every slow cooker runs a little different, so check them with a fork.

3. Add the cheese. Stir in the diced cream cheese and the sharp cheddar cheese. Cover again and cook on low for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring now and then, until the cheeses melt.
4. Stir well. Once the cheese has melted, stir well to combine.
5. Serve. Finally, ladle the soup into bowls and serve it warm with your favorite toppings, like crumbled bacon, shredded sharp cheddar or chopped green onions.

Substitutions and Variations for Hash Brown Potato Soup

• Use fresh potatoes: Peeled and diced russet potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes or red potatoes can stand in for the frozen hash browns. Then cook them until they’re fork tender. For a from-scratch version with Velveeta, try my Crock Pot Cheesy Potato Soup.
• Swap the broth: Chicken stock or vegetable broth works in place of the chicken broth.
• Swap the cream soup: Cream of celery, cream of potato or cream of mushroom all work in place of cream of chicken.
• Add ham: Stir in diced cooked ham with the cheese for a hearty slow cooker cheesy ham and potato soup. For more ideas, see my Leftover Ham Recipes.
• Make it loaded: Top each bowl with bacon bits, a dollop of sour cream, cheddar and green onions for an easy Crock Pot loaded baked potato soup. For game day or a crowd, set out a potato soup bar: keep the soup in the Crock Pot and put the toppings in small bowls so everyone can build their own.
• Add a little heat: Use pepper jack for half of the cheddar, or add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
• Make it smoother: Mash some of the potatoes with a potato masher, or give the pot a few quick pulses with an immersion blender.

Best Tips for Slow Cooker Potato Soup with Hash Browns

• Wait on the dairy. Since cream cheese and cheddar can separate when they cook for hours, they go in only at the end.
• Shred your own cheddar if you can. Pre-shredded cheese has an anti-caking coating that can keep it from melting as smoothly.
• Let the cream cheese warm up. For the smoothest slow cooker potato soup with cream cheese, set the block out while the potatoes cook. Because it’s at room temperature, it melts into the hot soup faster.
• Taste before you salt. Between the ranch, canned soup and cheese, it usually doesn’t need any additional salt.

What Goes with Potato Soup

The best bread for potato soup is a warm one you can dunk. My Honey Butter Rolls, a pan of Buttermilk Cornbread or a loaf of crusty bread are perfect alongside a big bowl, or you can ladle the soup into a bread bowl.

For something fresh and crunchy, add a simple green salad or my Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Cheddar. Of course, a sleeve of crackers works just fine on a really busy weeknight too.

How to Store Crock Pot Potato Soup with Hash Browns

• Refrigerator: Cool the soup, then keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. It will be even thicker the next day.
• Reheating: Warm it on the stove top over medium-low heat or in the microwave, stirring often. If it’s too thick, add a splash of milk or a splash of broth to loosen it up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you thaw frozen hash browns for potato soup in the Crock Pot?

No. Slow cooker potato soup using frozen hash browns is made for busy days, so they go in straight from the freezer and cook until tender along with the broth.

Can I use shredded hash browns?

Yes, but the texture changes. In slow cooker potato soup, shredded hash browns break down more. As a result, you’ll get a thicker soup that’s smoother instead of tender potato chunks.

Can I cook this slow cooker potato soup on high?

Slow cookers usually cook about twice as fast on high. For that reason, check the potatoes after about half the low time, and add the cheese once they’re tender.

How do you thicken potato soup in a slow cooker?

Leave the lid cracked for the last 30 minutes so some of the liquid cooks off, or stir in a little extra cheese.

Can I make it without the ranch packet?

You can season it with garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill and dried parsley instead, tasting as you go. The ranch is what makes this soup special, though, so I’d give it a try first.

Can potato soup be frozen?

Yes, you can freeze homemade potato soup for 2 to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. However, soups made with cream cheese can turn a little grainy after thawing, so whisk well as it warms.

Can I keep potato soup warm in the Crock Pot for a party?

Yes. Once the cheese has melted, switch the slow cooker to the warm setting and give it a stir now and then. If it starts to thicken, stir in a little more broth or milk.

Can I double Crock Pot Potato Soup with Hash Browns?

Yes, just double every ingredient. A single batch makes about 3 quarts, so a double batch needs an 8-quart or larger slow cooker that’s no more than about three-quarters full. A fuller pot can take longer, so check that the potatoes are tender before you add the cheese instead of going by the clock.

When soup season rolls around and the school-year schedule gets crazy, this easy Crock Pot potato soup is the kind of supper that saves the day. Fill the crock in the morning, then add the cheese when you get home, and a delicious dinner is ready. Grab the full Crock Pot potato soup recipe in the recipe card below, and keep it handy for the next chilly night.

More Comforting Soups

• Hamburger Potato Soup
• Busy Day Soup
• Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
• Cowboy Soup
• How to Season Soup with Pantry Ingredients