Slow Cooking · Soup

How to Make the Best Potato Soup with this Secret Ingredient!

Robin at Haphazard Homemaker

You just can’t beat a good old slow cooker soup!  It’s so easy to throw together and needs no fussing over while it cooks. It took me all of 5 minutes to get the slow cooker going, then I had the afternoon free to do other things. I love not having to peel and cut up potatoes for this recipe, and if I have chopped onion and celery stocked in the freezer, it takes even less time.

I have updated this recipe to include stove top cooking directions.

Slow Cooker Best Potato Soup Ingredients

Printable Recipe

Slow Cooker Potato Soup Ingredient

Makes 6 servings

  • 1 30-32 oz bag frozen diced hash browns
  • 1/2 diced onion
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup thin celery slices (optional)
  • 4 – 5 cups chicken broth (depending on desired thickness)
  • 1 can cream of celery or cream of chicken soup
  • 1/4- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1  8 oz pkg softened cream cheese (the Secret Ingredient) Add towards end of cooking time.
  • NOTE: I had a 1# bag of diced ham that I added just because. The soup is excellent with or without it.

Optional for garnish:        

  • Shredded cheese
  • Crumbled cooked bacon

Slow Cooker Directions

  1. In the slow cooker, pour the chicken broth into the slow cooker. Stir in the can of soup, and then add pepper, potatoes, onions and celery.
  2. Cook on HI 3 hours or LOW approximately 5 hours.
  3. Stir in the softened cream cheese. I mashed it on a paper plate and put in the microwave for 15-20 seconds, so that it is soft enough to melt in the soup quickly. Stir into the slow cooker and continue cooking for another 30 minutes.

Stove Top Directions

  1. In a large soup pan, stir together chicken broth and can of cream soup, then stir in the frozen diced hash browns, diced onion, thin celery slices and pepper.
  2. Cook on medium heat about 15 – 20 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through.
  3. Add in the softened cream cheese. I mashed it on a paper plate and put in the microwave for 15-20 seconds, so that it is soft enough to melt in the soup quickly. Stir into the hot vegetable mix and continue cooking for another 30 minutes.

Savor the Flavor of Slow Cooker Potato Soup

This rich and creamy potato soup is the ultimate comfort food, especially when served with hot cornbread or warm crusty rolls. Maybe add a side salad or a simple dessert, and you definitely have a drool-worthy meal.

My, oh my! Just thinking about it makes me hungry!

Grab a bowl & get you some….

Robin

111 thoughts on “How to Make the Best Potato Soup with this Secret Ingredient!”

      3. You’re a lady after my own heart. I HATE peeling potatoes, I always managed to to nick myself. I’m going to put aside some of my ham from Easter to make this with. I’ll let you know how it comes out

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      1. Hello, Regina! You might try neufchatel cheese. It is right next to the cream cheese in the store. It doesn’t have cream in it, so is less rich that cream cheese, and maybe use half as much. Or try skipping it entirely and add a little milk. Maybe 1/2 to 1 cup. I’ve not tried either, but the neufchatel cheese is interchangeable with cream cheese in recipes and I grew up on milk-based potato soup, so I’m sure either will work fine.🙂

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      4. I make a similar recipe but use one can each cream of chicken, cream of celery and cheddar cheese soup. I also add two cups of milk. My go to soup for years.

        Liked by 1 person

    3. The best real potato soup.

      10 potatoes diced to 1/2”
      1/2 cup sweet onion diced fine
      1/4 cup celery diced fine
      1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
      1/4 teaspoon salt
      1/8 teaspoon pepper
      Cover with water cook until potatoes are toothpick tinder. Drain water off holding back 1/4 cup of potato water.
      Put back the 1/4 potato water
      Add half and half to cover potatoes
      2 pats butter.
      Bring to boil
      Thicken with a flower slurry until desired consistency. Serve with Oyster crackers
      Best ever. Some people like a little shredded cheddar cheese on top.

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      1. Barbara, thanks for visiting. The recipe you just shared is a lot like the one my Mom made when I was growing up.
        My recipe saves a little time by not having to peel and dice the potatoes and equally delicious to old fashion potato soup.

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      3. Comments are to be reviews FOR THE RECIPE that is being shared, not to post your own recipes. Did you make the above recipe or not? If so, comment about THAT ONE. Please.

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Thank you, Karen. 🙂
        I love hearing how people tweak a recipe whether it’s mine or on another blog, but I agree it’s not fair to any blogger for someone to share their own recipe in the comments unless specifically asked.

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  2. My recipe I cook up a package of bacon. Take bacon out and use most of it for garnishing. Use potatoes, carrots, heavy whipping cream, milk, flour, chives. Don’t use cream cheese or hash browns. Like my recipe alot more. Thank you though.

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  3. I made this soup yesterday. I don’t have a slow cooker so I did it in low oven. Worked like a charm. I added some dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce and celery seed. I also thickened it with a bit of water and cornstarch. I will definitely be making this soup again. Delicious! 😋

    Liked by 1 person

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      3. I have made this recipe countless times since the first time. I have added dill weed to it as well and it makes it scrumptious. Great recipe!

        Liked by 1 person

  8. I just wanted to let you know that my family and I enjoyed this soup! I made it in my crock pot and it was delightful. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year ☺️

    Liked by 1 person

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  9. This soup was really good. We used leftover ham from Christmas and it was an awesome addition. We will make it again. We served with salad and garlic cheese toast. Yum.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Thank you for visiting! 🙂
      I am not eating gluten free, so I had to do some research…
      *Replace the potatoes with Simply Potatoes Shredded Hash Browns (I don’t know if those are refrigerated or frozen)
      *Kraft shredded cheeses have about 20 parts per million. The powdered cellulose in Sargento’s shredded cheeses is not derived from any gluten grain.
      *The other ingredients seem to be all gluten free.
      PLEASE read package ingredient lists to verify that infor for yourself.
      I hope that helps. 🙂

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  13. Thank you for the recipe. I made it and it was delicious, the family loved it . I added cooked bacon bits, will b definitely be making it again

    Liked by 1 person

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    2. Wow! Your sense of superiority and snobbery is astounding! Why do you even read the post if you’re going to just criticize it? Hope your life never becomes so complicated that you might actually have to take a shortcut on occasion.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    3. There’s no need to be rude… My momma always said “if you can’t say something good, keep your mouth shut.”

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  15. Hi,

    I live in South Africa, is Hashbrown a type of frozen potato? We don’t have frozen potatoes here, I will have to use fresh potatoes. What would your suggestion be? Thanks, Tamsyn

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    1. Hello Tamsyn! Yes, you can use fresh potatoes. The frozen hash brown potatoes used in this recipe are diced in about 1/2″ (1.27 cm) squares. Peel, cut and then soak the potatoes for 10 or 15 minutes to release some of the starch. Then they will be fine in the soup.. 😊

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  20. I like this soup, the next time I make I’ll make two changes, add bayleaf and instead of ham I’ll add italian sausage. It was a little on the bland side for me.

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  23. Have you tried using fresh hash browns that are not precooked? I live in Idaho and have a lot of potatoes so I hate to buy frozen ones when I can make my own.

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  25. My grocery has recently started carrying a hashbrown/bacon combo bag and instead of cream cheese I used heavy cream (lactose free cream has a better taste than lactose free cream cheese)the LF cheddar is a taster option if you need to use LF products.

    Liked by 1 person

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  27. I made this soup using 2 lbs. of russet potatoes, 1 can cream of chicken and mushroom soup, and a quart of chicken broth. I added baked ham as well, and I thought it tasted really good. I will definitely make this again.

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  31. I have made this over and over for family and friends. Seasoned cooks and not. I use real cubed spuds. And use Mrs Dash seasoning alot, along with diced fresh carrots and celery and onion. I use my hand blender to break it down to a consistency we like. Add meat or not. Folks rave about it!

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  33. I’m so excited to see this recipe. I use diced frozen hash browns for a casserole that is my family’s favorite side. This sounds wonderful, especially for something quick.

    Liked by 1 person

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  34. I’m wondering if you have had any issues with the cream cheese curdling. I have had that happen but, I did not warm the cream cheese first. I’m hoping this will solve that problem. Please advise.

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    1. Sorry to hear that happened to you. I do sometimes have a problem with it not completely melting resulting in some little chunks of cream cheese that makes it look curdled, but I honestly don’t think it is. I usually remove the box and set the foil wrapped cream cheese on the counter for an hour or so until softened. If I’m in a rush, I’ll melt it on medium low with a little added water and still till melted. I hope this helps.🙂

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  35. I am in my 70s and love to try new recipes. I can’t wait to try this recipe as potato soup in one of our favorites. I also enjoyed the replies with the tweaks, the rude replies to you, not so much.
    I am looking forward to seeing more of your recipes.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you, Louise! I love to try new recipes too, especially those that are a little different. This one is much creamier than the one we grew up with, but oh so good!
      I appreciate readers sharing their tweaks and have incorporated several myself. Fortunately, the rude comments are few and far between.

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  36. Just found this today. Think I should have used chunky hash browns instead of shredded but we’ll see. Next time I make it I think I will try corn also as I love corn chowder. Thanks for the recipe. I have no negative rude comments Anything shared should be accepted graciously. God bless you

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  37. Confused – your first recipe for slow cooker OMITTED adding the frozen potatoes; however, your stove method was correct. I thought you might want to edit it.

    I do plan to make this with the shredded potatoes in my slow cooker as you outline in your ingredient list.

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  40. To make the soup gluten free use gluten free soup! A few soup companies have gluten free cream of ____ soups. They are available, just hard to find on the grocery shelves. GF cream of ___ soups are fairly easy to make also. Challenge of my kitchen cooking – gluten free and dairy free!!

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  41. I worked in a restaurant years ago when I was going to college, and they made the best potato soup with left over mashed potatoes, and they also used your “secret ingredient.” I remember it was delicious. I am going to have to make this soon. Oh, and they also topped it with chives.

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  42. I love the recipe and plan to make it soon!! I certainly cannot call you “Haphazard”- sounds like you “have it ALL together “!!! Thx. and God bless!

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  44. Hello! Your recipe sounds delicious. On this light-rainy Saturday, I would love to make it. For your frozen diced hash browns…I have frozen shredded hash browns on hand and wondering if they would work? Thank you very much!

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