Creamy, cheesy potato soup is the ultimate comfort food – perfect for a cozy night in. This crock pot recipe makes it even easier to enjoy, plus it happens to be the kids’ favorite soup recipe.
This soup is hearty enough to be a main dish, especially when served with a crusty dinner roll recipe or nestled inside a warm, hollowed-out Bread Bowl Recipe. Top it with a sprinkle of fresh herbs or crumbled bacon for an extra burst of flavor.
Can’t say enough how delicious and EASY this recipe is, and we think you’ll agree too!
For more comfy and creamy soups, try Panera’s Broccoli and Cheese Soup, Cauliflower Soup, and Creamy Ham and Bean Soup.
Why we think you’ll love it:
- Easy crockpot dinner idea. The crock pot does most of the work, allowing you to set it and forget it for a stress-free meal.
- Filling and satisfying. This crockpot soup recipe is hearty and packed with flavor. It’s a complete and satisfying meal in itself.
- Endless variations. Crockpot cheesy potato soup is a great base for customization! Add your favorite vegetables, spices, proteins, or different cheeses.
Cheesy Potato Soup Ingredients and Substitutions
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 (32-ounce) package frozen diced hash browns – thawed
- 2 (10.5-ounce) cans cream of chicken soup – or make your own Cream Soup
- 1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of celery soup
- 3 cups half-and-half or heavy cream – add more as needed
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided – extra sharp cheddar cheese, regular, or mild all work.
- salt and pepper – to taste
- optional mix-ins – 1 (14.75-ounce) can creamed corn or 2 cups chopped ham
- optional toppings – sour cream, bacon crumbles, chives, or green onions
How to Make Cheesy Potato Soup
- PREP. Set a slow cooker to high.
- COOK. Add butter to the slow cooker and let it melt. Add hash browns, cream of chicken, cream of celery soup, and half-and-half and mix to combine. Stir in any other desired mix-ins, then cover and cook on high for 3–4 hours.
- SERVE. Add 1 cup cheese, salt and pepper to taste, and stir to mix. Add more half and half if needed to reach the consistency you prefer.
- Garnish with the remaining ½ cup cheese along with any other desired toppings (like a dollop of sour cream) before serving.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- For the creamiest soup, we use half and half or heavy cream. In a pinch, whole milk can be used.
- To use fresh potatoes, peel and dice 2 pounds of Russet or Yukon gold potatoes into ½-inch pieces. Add to the crock pot along with the soup. Increase the cooking time to high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours.
- This creamy soup is perfect to serve inside a Bread Bowl.
- For a vegetarian soup, replace the cream of chicken soup with an equal amount of cream of mushroom soup.
Stovetop Directions
- Melt the butter in a large pot, and add the thawed diced potatoes, cream of chicken, cream of celery, and half and half.
- Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer on low for 30-40 minutes (or until potatoes are tender).
- Add cheese, salt, and pepper before serving.
Cheesy Potato Soup
Creamy cheesy potato soup is made with a handful of ingredients for a simple set-it-and-forget-it crockpot classic!
Equipment
Video
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 (32-ounce) package frozen diced hash browns, thawed
- 2 (10.5-ounce) cans cream of chicken soup
- 1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of celery soup
- 3 cups half-and-half, or heavy cream, plus more as needed
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- salt and pepper, to taste
Additional mix-ins
- 1 (14.75-ounce) can creamed corn or 2 cups chopped ham, optional
Toppings
- sour cream, bacon crumbles, chives or green onions, optional
Instructions
- Set a slow cooker to high. Add butter to the slow cooker and let it melt. Add hash browns, cream of chicken soup, celery soup, and half-and-half. Mix to combine. Stir in any other desired mix-ins, then cover and cook on high for 3–4 hours.
- Add 1 cup cheese. Salt and pepper to taste and stir to mix. Add more half and half if needed to reach the consistency you prefer.
- Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup cheese along with any other desired toppings before serving.
Notes
Recipe tips.
- For the creamiest soup, we use half and half or heavy cream. In a pinch, whole milk can be used.
- To use fresh potatoes, peel and dice 2 pounds of Russet or Yukon gold potatoes into ½-inch pieces. Add to the crock pot along with the soup. Increase the cooking time to high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours.
- This creamy soup is perfect to serve inside a Bread Bowl.
- For a vegetarian soup, replace the cream of chicken soup with an equal amount of cream of mushroom soup.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup, Calories: 256kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 68mg, Sodium: 197mg, Potassium: 139mg, Fiber: 0.004g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 709IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 249mg, Iron: 0.1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
How to make a freezer meal?
Cook the soup as directed and allow it to cool. Store in a freezer-safe container for 2-3 months. Thaw and reheat gently over low heat, stirring frequently, and add a little extra milk as needed.
How to store?
Store leftovers in an airtight container(s) in the fridge for 2-3 days or freezer for 2-3 months.
Complete The Meal
Sides
Potato Soups
Potato Bacon Soup
40 mins
Broccoli Cheddar Potato Soup
45 mins
Ham and Potato Soup
30 mins
Crock Pot Baked Potato Soup
4 hrs 25 mins
Collections
This recipe was originally published September 2018.
Hi, what is the 1 pint Half and Half? Is it milk? I’m from UK many thanks x
Wikipedia gives this definition: In the United States, the dairy product half and half is a mixture of one part milk and one part cream.[1] I have also substituted evaporated milk in some recipes. Or if you want to cut down on the fat content, just use milk. Some people added more milk and water as the soup was too thick for their taste.
I added bacon and green onions to this as well. It turned out super thick so I added 1/2c milk and 1c water to thin it a little. Still tastes great!
Can you tell me how much a cup is in ounces please?
1 cup is 8 ounces.
This was really good. I had a 32 oz bag of cubed hashbrowns. I thought it was going to be too thick once I mixed it together so I added about a cup of 1% milk. It still turned out plenty thick. I put all the cheese on side, along with some crumbled bacon and chopped green onion. Super good, will definitely make this again.
So glad it was a hit – and bacon is definitely a great addition. 🙂 Such an easy and delicious soup!
I am going to make this tmr and have a couple questions!! 🙂
-how much butter do you melt in the crock pot?
-I got a package of frozen hashbrowns (they look like what you would get from McDonalds) how many of those do i use? put them in whole or break them up?
-can i cook on low for 8 hours instead of on high for 4 hours?