Crockpot Potato Soup: Creamy, Lighter Comfort in the Slow Cooker

By cosass

September 23, 2026 12 Min Read

When the weather turns cold, a bowl of potato soup hits the spot — and this version lets the slow cooker do most of the work. Yukon Gold potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic simmer in chicken broth until tender. Then fat-free half-and-half and low-fat cheddar turn the broth creamy and cheesy. You still get soft chunks of potato and all the appeal of a loaded baked potato once you pile on your favorite toppings. It’s lighter than a traditional potato soup, but it doesn’t feel like you’re missing out. Set out bacon, chives, and sour cream so everyone can finish their bowl just how they like it.

One reader, Kandes, shared a 5-star review: “I loved this recipe! So dang easy and super yummy! Creamy without being gloomy or too rich. Definitely filling and I already sent it to my mom to make because I know its easy enough for her and she’ll love it. I made it for the first time about a month ago, feeling like making it again!”

All the Comfort, None of the Heaviness

Overhead close-up of lighter crockpot potato soup in a bowl, topped with sour cream, crumbled turkey bacon, shredded cheddar, and chives.

Potato soup should still taste creamy and cheesy, even in a lighter form. Fat-free half-and-half and low-fat cheddar create a creamy broth without butter, flour, or heavy cream. The potatoes and carrots stay in tender chunks, so this is more of a ladleable soup than a thick purée. Mashing the vegetables a few times gives the soup a rustic texture without thickening the broth much. For a thicker bowl, use an immersion blender to blend about half the soup while leaving plenty of chunks. A cornstarch slurry works too, as long as you allow about another hour on HIGH for it to heat through and thicken.

Taking an extra 10 minutes to sauté the carrots, onion, and garlic before adding them to the slow cooker adds a little more depth. The recipe was tested both ways, and sautéing gives the soup more flavor, but adding everything raw is handy on busy days. Once the cheese melts, taste the soup and adjust the salt and pepper. That last step makes a real difference with low-sodium broth and low-fat cheese.

Picking and Prepping Your Potatoes

Close-up of a bowl of creamy potato soup with potato and carrot chunks, topped with turkey bacon, cheddar, sour cream, and chives.

Yukon Golds are the first choice. They become soft and creamy while holding their shape in the slow cooker. Their buttery flavor also works especially well with the lighter broth. Russets work, but they get softer. Their higher starch content makes them break down more readily. If you use them, check the soup at the 2-hour mark. Red potatoes hold their shape and give you firmer potato pieces, and you can leave the skins on.

Cut the potatoes into ½-inch cubes. Pieces that are too small can fall apart before the carrots are tender. Larger pieces may need more than 3 hours to cook. Keeping the cubes even helps everything finish at the same time. Prepping ahead? Cover cut potatoes with cold water and refrigerate them for up to 24 hours so they don’t turn gray. Drain them well before adding them to the slow cooker.

Tips for Success

Two bowls of chowder with cheese and bacon.

Taste again after the cheese melts. Low-sodium broth and low-fat cheese give you room to adjust the salt. If you sauté the vegetables, season them lightly in the pan, then finish seasoning the soup at the end. A teaspoon of lemon juice can perk it up if the flavor still seems flat.

Choose your thickening method before dinner. A cornstarch slurry needs time to heat back up after you add the cool half-and-half and cheese. Plan on about an extra hour on HIGH for the soup to bubble and thicken. If dinner is coming up fast, blend about half the soup with an immersion blender instead. Leave plenty of chunks for that classic potato soup texture.

Crockpot Potato Soup Recipe

This potato soup is so easy to make, and it’s healthier! Make this cozy, creamy soup in a slow cooker for ease.

Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 8 bowls
Calories: 238kcal
Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

Crockpot

Ingredients

6 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
40 oz. low-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
⅛ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
6 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
½ sweet yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Parisien Bonnes Herb (a blend of chives, French tarragon, basil, and dill)
1½ cups fat-free half-and-half
1½ cups shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives

Optional Garnishes:

low-fat sour cream
turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled
sliced green onions
chopped fresh chives

Instructions

Spray the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray and set the temperature to HIGH.
Pour diced potatoes, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes into the slow cooker.
Sauté the sliced carrots in 2 tablespoons olive oil for 3 minutes.
Add diced onion to the carrots and cook on medium-high until onion is translucent.
Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds more.
Add sautéed carrots, onion, and garlic to the potato broth mixture.
Cook on HIGH for 2–3 hours or until potatoes have softened.
Using a potato masher, mash part of the cooked vegetables while they are still in the slow cooker. Only mash down on the vegetables 3–4 times.
Add herbs, half-and-half, cheese, and chives. Mix well.
Optional: For a thicker consistency, use an immersion blender to blend about half of the soup directly in the crockpot until slightly thickened, leaving chunks of carrots and potatoes for texture.
Once cheese has melted, ladle soup into bowls and garnish with sour cream, turkey bacon, extra cheese, and chives (or green onions).

Notes

You can use regular, full-fat, and sodium-filled versions of any of these ingredients if you prefer. I just like to use the lighter options for a healthier soup.

Substitute 1 tsp dried thyme, dried parsley, or dried chives for the Parisien Bonnes Herbs. You could also combine these 3 herbs together and use 1 tsp of the mixture in the soup.

If you don’t have an immersion blender, to make a thicker consistency, mix 1½ tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp water to make a slurry, then stir it into the soup after Step 9. The soup will have cooled after adding the half-and-half and cheese, so cover and cook on high until it returns to a simmer, which may take about 1 hour. Once bubbling, uncover and continue cooking until the soup thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon or reaches your desired consistency.

Nutritional information does not include optional garnishes.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

How to Make Crockpot Potato Soup Step by Step

Sautéed carrots, onion, and garlic added to cubed potatoes and chicken broth in a slow cooker, with a wooden spoon.

Gather the ingredients: Prep your vegetables, spray the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray, and set it to HIGH.

Add the vegetables and broth: Add 6 peeled, cubed Yukon Gold potatoes, 40 oz. of low-sodium chicken broth, 6 thinly sliced carrots, ½ diced sweet yellow onion, and 2 minced garlic cloves. Sprinkle in 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper, and ⅛ tsp crushed red pepper flakes. Stir and cover. The broth should just cover the vegetables.

Want a little more flavor? Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the carrots with a pinch of salt for 3 minutes. Add the onion and cook for 4–5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds, then transfer the vegetables to the slow cooker. We liked the extra depth this added during testing, but you can put everything in raw and still make a delicious soup.

Cook on HIGH for 2–3 hours: Cook the potato soup on HIGH for 2–3 hours. The potatoes are ready when you can easily press a cube against the side of the slow cooker with a spoon. Cooking on HIGH helps the pieces keep their shape. You can cook the soup on LOW for about 5–6 hours if needed. Start checking at 5 hours, since the potatoes may break down more.

Mash a few vegetables: Press a potato masher into the soup 3–4 times, then stir. You’ll get a few broken-up pieces while keeping most of the potatoes and carrots chunky. This step won’t thicken the broth very much.

Add the dairy, cheese, and herbs: Stir in 1½ cups fat-free half-and-half, 1 tsp Parisienne Bonnes Herbes, and 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives. Add 1½ cups shredded low-fat cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until it melts. The broth should look pale and creamy, with plenty of vegetable chunks.

Thicken the soup (optional): For a silky, thicker broth, blend about half the soup directly in the slow cooker. Keep the blender head below the surface to prevent splashing, and stop while plenty of potato and carrot pieces remain. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can whisk 1½ tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water until smooth. Stir it into the soup, cover, and continue cooking on HIGH. Give the soup about an hour to start bubbling again, then uncover and cook until the broth coats the back of a spoon.

Taste, season, and serve: Add more kosher salt and black pepper if needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with low-fat sour cream, crumbled turkey bacon, extra cheddar, and green onions or chives.

Variations

Sliced carrots, diced onion, and minced garlic sautéing in a white skillet with a wooden spoon.

Loaded Crockpot Potato Soup: This is how my family eats it most often. Cook 6 slices of turkey bacon until crisp, then crumble them for serving. If you’re sautéing the vegetables, cook the bacon first and use the same pan for the carrots to pick up a little smoky flavor. Save the bacon for the top of each bowl so it stays crunchy. Add extra cheddar, green onions, and a spoonful of light sour cream or plain Greek yogurt. For game day, keep the soup on WARM and let everyone build their own bowl.

Add Protein: Stir in 2 cups of cooked, diced ham or crockpot shredded chicken when you add the half-and-half. Let it warm through for 15–20 minutes. Use fully cooked meat, since you’re adding it near the end.

Add More Vegetables: Add 2 cups of small broccoli or cauliflower florets during the last 30–45 minutes of cooking on HIGH, before mashing the soup. They’ll become tender without cooking away. If you’re using frozen florets, add them with the dairy.

Vegetarian Potato Soup: Swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth and leave off the bacon. The herbs, garlic, and red pepper flakes will still give every bowl plenty of flavor.

How to Store Crockpot Potato Soup

Potatoes, carrots, diced onion, and broth stirred together in a slow cooker before cooking.

Let the soup cool, then transfer it to an airtight container. Refrigerate it for up to 5 days. The broth will thicken a little as it sits.

Freezer

I don’t recommend freezing the finished soup. Potatoes can turn grainy, and the lighter dairy may separate when reheated. If you want to freeze some, stop before adding the half-and-half and cheese. Mash the vegetables a bit more and freeze the soup base for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, warm it through, and add the dairy and cheese fresh.

Reheating

Warm leftovers on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring often. Add a splash of broth or half-and-half if the soup has thickened too much. For one serving, microwave it in 1-minute bursts, stirring between each. Keep the heat gentle so the cheese stays smooth.

Make Ahead

You can cube the potatoes the night before and keep them covered with cold water in the fridge. If you plan to sauté the carrots, onion, and garlic, cook and refrigerate them separately. Drain the potatoes in the morning, then add everything to the slow cooker. Cold ingredients may take a little longer to cook.

Serving Suggestions

A potato masher pressing into cooked potatoes, carrots, and onion in broth inside a slow cooker.

I make this soup for cozy fall and winter dinners, especially when I want the slow cooker to handle most of the work. It makes about 10 cups, or 8 servings, with each serving being about 238 calories before toppings. So there’s plenty for a family dinner with bread or salad on the side. For a bigger meal, I serve larger bowls and let everyone add their favorite toppings.

Bread for dipping is the classic choice. I love slices of cornbread with this soup because the little bit of sweetness tastes so good with the savory broth. For something more substantial, beer bread muffins are quick to mix up and make great for leftovers. When I want a crisp side, I make cucumber onion salad. Its tangy dressing balances the creamy soup, and I can put it together while the potatoes cook. Kale Caesar salad makes the meal a little heartier and adds a welcome crunch. If my kids are at the table, I’ll often make grilled cheese too. Cut the sandwiches in halves for dipping, and dinner feels like a treat with very little extra work.

More Ways to Make Potato Soup

Fat-free half-and-half being poured into a slow cooker with shredded cheddar, chopped chives, and dried herbs on top of the potato soup.

Instant Pot Potato Soup: Want potato soup tonight but missed the slow cooker window? This pressure cooker version gets a cozy bowl on the table much faster.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup: Go for this richer version when you’re craving all the classic baked potato toppings in one hearty bowl.

Ham and Potato Soup: Leftover holiday ham adds smoky flavor and makes this an easy meal after Easter or Christmas.

Hash Brown Potato Soup: Frozen hash browns save you the peeling and chopping when you need an easier prep day.

Our Crockpot Potato Soup recipe was originally published 12/8/18. It was retested, reworked, and republished to be better than ever 9/23/26.