Peeling potatoes is a real downer when it comes to making tasty homemade potato dishes…. Except for this super easy Slow Cooker Shortcut Potato Soup! It’s packed with all the yummy flavors of a loaded baked potato soup but none of that peeling and dicing that usually comes with it.
What You Need To Make Slow Cooker Shortcut Potato Soup
- diced hash brown potatoes
- chicken broth
- half and half
- butter
- cream cheese
- bacon pieces
- onion
- garlic
- salt and pepper
- cornstarch
- garnishes: cheddar cheese, bacon, chives & sour cream
There is possibly nothing I like less than peeling a potato. Chalk it up to my tiny little girl hands. The potato is hard to hold. A potato is peeler is awkward and downright terrifying at the same time. And I am pretty sure every old war film I’ve ever seen has some poor soldier peeling piles of spuds as punishment. There’s just nothing “appeeling” about it. (See what I did there?)
That’s why I almost jumped for joy when I realized that
frozen diced hash brown potatoes are the perfect candidate for quick and easy soup making! They make it a snap to quickly throw the ingredients in the crock pot before a busy day starts and have a cozy bowl of homemade soup waiting when it ends. And I don’t have to worry about losing a thumb or finger peeling potatoes!
And thickening your potato soup is no problem in the slow cooker either. Many stove top recipes use a little flour to create a roux to start their recipe. But a little cornstarch mixed in milk added at the end thickens that soup right up and lends itself to crock pot cooking perfectly (Not to mention makes this recipe gluten free, if that’s what you need!)
If it comes down to it and you still want your soup a little thicker, use a potato masher to mash up some of those diced potatoes before serving. Just don’t mash all of them. A little potato now and then are what my people are looking for in a hearty bowl of soup!
Homemade potato soup can be quick and easy! Armed with a crock pot and some diced hash browns, we’re nigh on unstoppable (and we get to keep our thumbs)!
Frozen diced hash brown potatoes make this slow cooker potato soup recipe a snap to throw together at the beginning of a busy day.
- 28 oz frozen diced hash brown potatoes
- 4 C chicken broth
- 2 C half & half
- 1 stick butter
- 1/2 C cream cheese
- 1/4 C bacon pieces
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 C milk
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- grated cheddar cheese
- bacon pieces
- chives
- sour cream
Add first 10 ingredients to your slow cooker. Cook on low 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
When fully cooked and potatoes are tender, prepare thickener. In a small measuring cup, add milk and cornstarch. Mix until smooth. Slowly stir thickener into soup. Continue to slowly stir until soup thickens.
If soup looks separated, use an emulsifier or food processor to blend the fats and create a creamy soup.
Serve with toppings!
For an even thicker soup, use a potato masher to mash some of the potatoes.
Practicals & Pretties To Make The Job Easy
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