There is something about a cold day that makes you want soup more than anything else in the world. Not just any soup.
A thick, creamy, loaded potato soup that warms you up from the inside out and makes the whole house smell incredible while it cooks.
This Crockpot Hashbrown Potato Soup is that soup.
It has been a staple in my kitchen for years and I am not exaggerating when I say my family licks their bowls clean every single time.
My son, who is notoriously picky about everything, finishes every drop and asks for more. That alone tells you everything you need to know about this recipe.
The best part is that it uses frozen hashbrowns instead of fresh potatoes. No peeling. No chopping. No standing over the sink for twenty minutes with a vegetable peeler. You dump a bag of frozen diced hashbrowns into the crockpot, add a handful of other ingredients, and let the slow cooker do all the work for eight hours.
Dump and go soup that tastes like you spent all day on it. That is exactly what this is.
Why Frozen Hashbrowns Are the Secret
A lot of potato soup recipes call for peeling and cubing fresh russet potatoes. That works fine but it adds time and effort that most busy weeknight cooks simply do not have. Frozen diced hashbrowns are already cut into the perfect size pieces and they cook down beautifully in the slow cooker over eight hours. By the time the soup is ready the potato pieces are completely tender and have absorbed all the flavors of the broth, cream of chicken soup, and bacon.
The texture is creamy and thick without any extra work. You do not need to blend anything. You do not need to mash anything. It thickens on its own as the hashbrowns cook down and the cream cheese gets stirred in during the last hour.
If the soup ends up thicker than you like, a splash of milk stirred in at the end brings it right to the perfect consistency.
Ingredients You Need
Short list. Everything is easy to find.
- 30 oz frozen diced hashbrowns
- 32 oz chicken broth
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 5 oz bacon bits (real cooked bacon crumbled is even better if you have it)
- 8 oz block cream cheese, cut into cubes
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Milk for thinning if needed
For toppings: extra shredded cheddar, bacon bits or crumbled cooked bacon, sliced green onions, sour cream, diced ham if you want to make it extra hearty.
The cream cheese is what makes this soup so rich and velvety. Cut it into smaller cubes before adding it to the crockpot so it melts more evenly. You add it about an hour before serving so it has time to fully incorporate into the broth without cooking too long and getting grainy.
How to Make It
Step 1: Add everything to the crockpot
Pour the frozen hashbrowns straight into the crockpot. No thawing needed. Add the chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, onion powder, and half of the bacon bits.
Give everything a gentle stir to combine. Put the lid on. That is genuinely all you do for the first seven to eight hours.
Step 2: Cook low and slow
Cook on LOW for seven to eight hours. The soup is ready when the hashbrowns are completely tender and the broth has thickened into a creamy base. If you are in a hurry you can cook on HIGH for four to five hours but the LOW and slow version produces a noticeably better result. The potatoes break down more gently and the flavors have more time to develop into something really special.
Step 3: Add the cream cheese
About one hour before you plan to serve dinner, cut the cream cheese block into smaller cubes and add them to the crockpot. Stir the soup every fifteen to twenty minutes over that last hour to help the cream cheese fully melt into the broth. By the time the hour is up the cream cheese will be completely incorporated and the soup will be thick, creamy, and absolutely incredible. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Add a splash of milk if you want a thinner consistency.
Easy Variations to Try
Add ham. Diced ham stirred in during the last hour turns this into a hearty ham and potato soup. It is one of my favorite variations especially after the holidays when I have leftover ham sitting in the fridge waiting to be used.
Make it cheesier. Stir in an extra cup of shredded cheddar during the last thirty minutes of cooking instead of just using it as a topping. The cheese melts into the broth and makes it even richer and more decadent than the original version.
Add broccoli. Stir in two cups of small broccoli florets during the last hour of cooking. They get tender without getting mushy and turn this into a broccoli cheddar potato soup that is absolutely incredible and feels like an entirely different recipe.
Loaded baked potato style. Top each bowl with sour cream, shredded cheddar, crispy bacon, sliced green onions, and a pinch of paprika. It tastes exactly like a loaded baked potato in soup form and my family goes absolutely crazy for it.
Spicy version. Add a can of diced green chiles with the broth at the beginning or stir in a pinch of cayenne pepper at the end. A drizzle of hot sauce on top when serving adds a nice kick without overwhelming the creamy base.
What to Serve With It
This soup is filling enough to be a complete meal on its own but a few simple sides make it even better. Crusty bread or a warm baguette is the classic pairing because the thick creamy broth is basically made for dipping. A simple green salad with a light vinaigrette balances the richness of the soup really nicely. Grilled cheese sandwiches alongside a bowl of potato soup is one of those combinations that just makes total sense and my kids are completely obsessed with this pairing on cold winter nights.
Storage and Reheating
This soup stores really well which makes it great for meal prep throughout the week. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. The soup thickens quite a bit as it sits overnight in the fridge so when you reheat it add a splash of milk or chicken broth and stir it while it warms to bring it back to the right consistency. Reheat on the stovetop over medium low heat stirring occasionally until hot throughout, or microwave in thirty second intervals stirring between each one. This soup also freezes well for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating and give it a good stir while warming to bring the texture back together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use shredded hashbrowns instead of diced? Yes. Shredded hashbrowns break down more completely during cooking which gives you a slightly thicker and smoother soup. Diced hashbrowns give you more defined potato chunks throughout. Both versions are delicious and it really comes down to personal preference.
Can I make this on the stovetop? You can. Combine all the ingredients except the cream cheese in a large pot and simmer over medium low heat for thirty to forty minutes until the potatoes are tender. Add the cream cheese in cubes during the last ten minutes and stir until fully melted. The crockpot version develops more flavor from the long slow cook but the stovetop version works well in a pinch.
Can I use fresh potatoes instead of frozen hashbrowns? Yes. Peel and dice three to four medium russet potatoes into half inch cubes and use them exactly the same way as the frozen hashbrowns. The cook time stays the same. The frozen hashbrowns are just a convenient shortcut that saves you all the peeling and chopping and honestly the results are just as good.
What if my soup is too thin? Mix one tablespoon of cornstarch with one tablespoon of cold water and stir it into the hot soup. Let it cook on HIGH with the lid off for fifteen to twenty minutes and it will thicken right up to the perfect consistency.
A Closer Look at Each Ingredient
Frozen diced hashbrowns
Thirty ounces of frozen diced hashbrowns, straight from the bag. Diced, not shredded, because the cubes hold their shape and give you real pieces of potato in every spoonful.
Chicken broth
Thirty two ounces of chicken broth is the liquid. Regular broth works best because the cream cheese and cheddar are mild, and low sodium can leave the soup flat.
Cream of chicken soup
One can thickens the broth and gives the soup its body before the cream cheese goes in. Do not thin it with water the way the can says.
Bacon bits
Five ounces, with half cooked in and half saved for the top. Real crumbled bacon is better if you have it, and the notes in the recipe card say the same.
Cream cheese
One block, cubed, added in the last hour. This is what makes the soup creamy without any cream or flour, and it is also the ingredient most likely to go wrong.
Cut it into one inch cubes while it is cold. Small cubes melt in an hour. A whole block is still a lump at dinner time.
Cheddar, onion powder, salt and pepper
A cup of shredded cheddar for the top, onion powder for flavor without chopping, and salt and pepper to taste at the very end once the cheese is in.
Timing It for Your Day
Starting it in the morning
Seven to eight hours on low is the all day setting. Start it before work, add the cream cheese when you get home, and it is ready an hour later.
Starting it after lunch
Four to five hours on high gets you to the same place by dinner. Keep the lid on. Every peek adds twenty to thirty minutes.
The last hour
Whichever setting you use, the cream cheese goes in for the final hour and gets a stir every fifteen to twenty minutes. That is the only hands on part of this recipe.
Chunky or Smooth, Your Call
Straight out of the crock pot it is chunky, with soft cubes of potato in a creamy broth. That is how my family likes it.
For a smoother soup, press a potato masher through it a few times right in the crock pot. For fully smooth, a few pulses with an immersion blender.
The Toppings Bar
This is where everyone gets to make it their own. I set out small bowls and let the kids go.
- The reserved bacon bits or crumbled bacon
- Shredded cheddar
- Sliced green onions or chives
- A spoonful of sour cream
- Oyster crackers or crushed saltines
- A few shakes of hot sauce for the grown ups
Turning It Into a Full Meal
Ham and potato soup
Two cups of diced ham added at the start makes this a dinner on its own. It is what I do with the last of a holiday ham.
Broccoli cheese potato soup
A bag of frozen broccoli cuts stirred in with the cream cheese for the last hour. The broccoli stays bright green and the soup gets a vegetable.
Loaded baked potato soup
Double the bacon, add a half cup of sour cream with the cream cheese, and top with extra cheddar and chives. It tastes like a loaded baked potato in a bowl.
Doubling It for a Crowd
This fills a six quart crock pot comfortably and feeds six to eight. For a crowd, double it across two crock pots rather than overfilling one.
An overfull crock pot never gets hot enough in the middle and the potatoes stay firm. Two pots side by side is the safe way.
More Questions I Get About This Soup
Can I use shredded hashbrowns?
Yes, but the soup comes out smoother and thicker because the shreds break down completely. If you like it chunky, stick with diced.
Can I use half and half instead of cream cheese?
A cup of half and half stirred in for the last thirty minutes makes a thinner, lighter soup. It is good, but it is not the thick version in the photos.
Can I make it on the stove?
Yes. Simmer the hashbrowns, broth, soup and onion powder in a big pot for twenty five minutes until tender, then stir in the cream cheese over low heat until it melts.
Is it gluten free?
Check the cream of chicken soup and the bacon bits. Most hashbrowns and broths are fine, but canned soup is the usual problem. Gluten free cream of chicken is easy to find now.
What if the cream cheese is lumpy?
It needs more time and more stirring, not more heat. Keep the crock pot on low and whisk every ten minutes until it is smooth.
More Crock Pot Soups to Try
- Cheesy Potato Soup
- Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup Copycat
- Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
Easy Potato Soup Crock Pot Recipe
Ingredients
- 30 oz. Frozen Diced Hashbrowns
- 32 oz. chicken broth
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 5 oz bacon bits
- 1 block cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pour frozen hashbrowns into the bottom of the crockpot. No thawing needed.
- Add chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, onion powder, and half of the bacon bits. Stir gently to combine.
- Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours until the hashbrowns are completely tender.
- About one hour before serving, cut the cream cheese block into one inch cubes and add them to the crockpot.
- Stir the soup every 15 to 20 minutes over that final hour until the cream cheese is fully melted and incorporated into the broth.
- Season generously with salt and pepper to taste.
- If the soup is thicker than you like, stir in a splash of milk until you reach your preferred consistency.
- Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheddar cheese, remaining bacon bits, green onions, and a dollop of sour cream.
- Serve with crusty bread or dinner rolls on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Use real crumbled bacon instead of bacon bits for the best flavor.
- The difference is noticeable and worth the extra five minutes.
- Cut the cream cheese into small cubes before adding it to the crockpot so it melts smoothly and evenly into the broth.
- Do not lift the lid during the main cooking time or you will add 20 to 30 minutes to the cook time.
- Cook your Minute Rice in chicken broth instead of water for extra flavor throughout.
- Thin the soup with milk rather than water so you do not dilute the flavor. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- The soup thickens significantly overnight so stir in a splash of chicken broth or milk when reheating to bring it back to the right consistency.
- This soup also freezes well for up to 3 months.
- The cream cheese temperature tip — Take the cream cheese out of the fridge in the morning when you start the crockpot. By the time you add it an hour before serving it will be fully room temperature and will melt into the soup in half the time with zero lumps. Cold cream cheese straight from the fridge takes much longer to incorporate and you risk chunks of unmelted cream cheese in your bowl.
- The bacon hack — Cook a full strip of bacon in the microwave between paper towels, crumble it yourself, and use it instead of the pre-packaged bacon bits. Pre-packaged bits are fine but fresh crumbled bacon has a completely different flavor and texture that takes the soup from good to great.
- The thickness control tip — If you want an even thicker soup without adding more ingredients, remove the lid for the last 30 minutes of cooking and turn it to HIGH. The extra evaporation thickens the broth naturally without needing cornstarch or extra cream cheese.