This Crockpot Loaded Potato Soup is packed with bacon, ham, and cheese and is the perfect dinner for a cold night. It’s easy to prepare in the crockpot and is the best kind of comfort food, especially during the long winter months. It is the BEST potato soup, and has been a favorite recipe with my family for many years!

For more Slow Cooker Recipes, be sure to check out my Cinnamon Roll Casserole, Juicy Crockpot Turkey Breast, and Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken.

Now that winter is in full swing, I find myself constantly craving a big, warm bowl of soup. This recipe for Crockpot Loaded Potato Soup is one I always turn to, especially on cold days this time of year. I promise once you try it, you’ll understand why I say that it’s the BEST potato soup!

This loaded baked potato soup recipe has been a favorite with my whole family (and with all of you!) for many years now. My friend Carrie from Kenarry shared it here over ten years ago, and it’s been getting rave reviews ever since. 

A bowl of potato soup topped with bacon and green onions.

It combines all the cozy flavors you love (potatoes, cheese, ham, and bacon, to name a few) into a creamy, hearty soup. It’s a great recipe for even the pickiest eaters, and is one that I love coming home to after a busy day. 

Ingredients for Crockpot Loaded Potato Soup

Bowls of ingredients on a marble counter top.
  • Potatoes – I like to use russet potatoes, but you could also use yukon gold potatoes. As long as it’s a waxy potato with enough starch, it will work well. I don’t recommend using red potatoes for this reason.
  • Onion – one large chopped yellow or white onion gives a lot of flavor to the soup.
  • Ham – if you have leftover ham from Christmas or another holiday, use it here! You can also use precooked chopped ham or a ham steak. You can omit the ham, too, for a meatless option.
  • Cream of chicken soup– my favorite brand (and what I always recommend) for canned creamy soup is Pacific Foods. Most grocery stores carry it. It’s a bit more expensive than Campbell’s or store brand versions of condensed soup, but the flavor and simplicity of ingredients (no weird chemicals) is well worth it.
  • Chicken broth – I like to use low sodium chicken broth. You could also use vegetable broth instead.
  • Garlic + black pepper – are used for seasoning your loaded baked potato soup. I like A LOT of pepper!
  • Milk – is combined with a small amount of flour to thicken and add creaminess to the soup. You can use any type of milk; I just use whatever I have on hand which is usually 2%.
  • Flour – a small amount of all purpose flour is used to create a slurry and thicken the soup.
  • Cheese – my favorite cheese to use in this slow cooker potato soup recipe is sharp cheddar cheese. For that delicious creamy texture, I recommend shredding the cheese yourself from a block, as opposed to using the bags of pre-shredded cheese. 
  • Toppings – some of our favorite toppings include shredded cheddar cheese, chopped bacon, green onions, and even a dollop of sour cream.

How to Make Crockpot Potato Soup – Step by Step

A white crockpot bowl full of chopped potatoes.

Wash, peel, and dice the potatoes. Place in the bottom of your crock pot.

A white crockpot bowl full of ham, onions, potatoes, and chicken broth poured into it.

Add onion, ham, cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, water, minced garlic, and black pepper. Cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. You want the potatoes to be tender.

A white crockpot with soup topped with cheese inside.

An hour before you’re ready to serve the soup, add 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese. Whisk together flour and milk in a small bowl and pour the flour mixture into the slow cooker. Stir and replace the lid.

A ladle holding potato soup topped with bacon, cheese, and green onions.

After the cooking time is up, serve and garnish with the remaining extra cheese, crispy bacon bits, green onions, etc.

A bowl of potato soup topped with bacon and green onions.

Tips and Notes

  • Don’t forget the toppings! I like to add shredded cheese, chopped bacon, green onions, chives, etc.
  • My favorite brand (and what I always recommend) for cream soups is Pacific Foods. Most grocery stores carry it. It’s a bit more expensive than Campbell’s or store brand versions of condensed soup, but the flavor and simplicity of ingredients (no weird chemicals) is well worth it. 
  • For a vegetarian version, omit the ham and bacon, and swap the cream of chicken soup for cream of celery soup and the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
  • To make your potato soup gluten free, swap the all purpose flour with cornstarch and use gluten free cream of chicken soup (Pacific Foods brand is gluten-free, FYI.)
  • For a quick version of loaded baked potato soup, try my Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup. I love to make it this way when I don’t have time to get my soup into the crockpot earlier in the day.
  • My favorite kind of cheese to use in this Crockpot Loaded Potato Soup is sharp cheddar cheese, though it also tastes delicious with regular cheddar cheese. I also recommend shredding your cheese from a large block as it will melt into the soup much better.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
A bowl of potato soup topped with bacon and green onions.

More Slow Cooker Soup Recipes You Should Try!

If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below. I love to hear from you and always appreciate your feedback!

A bowl of potato soup topped with bacon and green onions.
4.95 from 58 ratings

Recipe: Crockpot Loaded Potato Soup

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 30 minutes
This Crockpot Loaded Potato Soup is packed with bacon, ham, and cheese and is the perfect dinner for a cold night. It's easy to prepare in the crockpot and is the best kind of comfort food, especially during the long winter months. It is the BEST potato soup, and has been a favorite recipe with my family for many years!

Ingredients

  • 6 russet potatoes, (about 7 cups chopped potatoes)
  • 1 onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 16 oz diced ham
  • 1 can of cream of chicken soup, (10.5 oz.)
  • 1 can chicken broth, (14.5 oz.)
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 16 oz bacon slices, cooked and crumbled into bits
  • sliced green onions, for garnish, optional

Equipment

  • 1 Slow Cooker

Instructions
 

  • Wash, peel, and dice the potatoes. Place in the bottom of your slow cooker.
  • Add onion, ham, cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, water, minced garlic and black pepper. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. You want the potatoes to be tender.
  • An hour before you're ready to serve the soup, add 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese. Whisk together flour and milk in a small bowl and pour into the slow cooker. Stir and replace the lid.
  • After the cooking time is up, serve and garnish with the remaining cheese, crumbled bacon, green onions, etc. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Don’t forget the toppings! I like to add shredded cheese, chopped bacon, green onions, chives, etc.
  • My favorite brand (and what I always recommend) for cream soups is Pacific Foods. Most grocery stores carry it. It’s a bit more expensive than Campbell’s or store brand versions of condensed soup, but the flavor and simplicity of ingredients (no weird chemicals) is well worth it. 
  • For a vegetarian version, omit the ham and bacon, and swap the cream of chicken soup for cream of celery soup and the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
  • To make your potato soup gluten free, swap the all purpose flour with cornstarch and use gluten free cream of chicken soup (Pacific Foods brand is gluten-free, FYI.)
  • For a quick version of loaded baked potato soup, try my Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup. I love to make it this way when I don’t have time to get my soup into the crockpot earlier in the day.
  • My favorite kind of cheese to use in this Crockpot Loaded Potato Soup is sharp cheddar cheese, though it also tastes delicious with regular cheddar cheese. I also recommend shredding your cheese from a large block as it will melt into the soup much better.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Cuisine: American
Course: Main
Calories: 568kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 35g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Cholesterol: 100mg, Sodium: 1496mg, Potassium: 906mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 355IU, Vitamin C: 13.9mg, Calcium: 271mg, Iron: 2.3mg
Did you make this recipe?Let me know! Mention @TheBelleoftheKitchen on Instagram or tag #BelleoftheKitchen.