Crock Pot Potato Soup is one of those recipes that just always hits the spot– I mean, who can resist piling on irresistible toppings like crispy bacon, shredded cheese, sour cream, and green onions! Everything comes together in the Crock Pot and while this soup simmers, it will fill your house with amazing, cozy smells before dinner is ready.
Over medium heat, cook bacon in a large skillet until it is browned and crisp. Remove and set aside. Drain and leave 2 tbsp of drippings in the skillet.
Add yellow onion and saute for 5-7 minutes or until they are soft and translucent.
Add chicken broth to a 6-quart slow cooker and slowly whisk in flour until there are no lumps.
Next, add the potatoes, garlic, salt, paprika, thyme, black pepper, bacon and onions. Mix until well combined.
Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 7-8 hours or until potatoes are soft.
Thirty minutes before cook time is up, add half and half and sour cream. Mix until well combined. Cover and continue to cook for 30 minutes.
Remove cover and stir in 1 cup of cheddar cheese until well combined.
Garnish with remaining cheddar cheese, bacon, and green onions.
Notes
For the best texture. To ensure everything cooks evenly, chop the potatoes into even-sized chunks.
Potato skins on or off. Depending on your preference, you can leave the skin on or off the potatoes. Leaving the skin on gives more texture and depth to the soup. If you do keep the skin, be sure to wash the potatoes thoroughly first.
Short on time? Use pre-cut onion, minced garlic from the jar, and pre-shredded cheese.
Want an even creamier texture? You could use your immersion blender or a regular blender to blend down the potato chunks.