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This crockpot potato soup with frozen hash browns is thick, cheesy, and ready after 6 hands-off hours in the slow cooker. No peeling potatoes necessary! Just dump everything in before work and stir in the cheese when you’re about ready to eat! Serve it up topped with bacon, cheddar, and sour cream.
The Little Cheat You Didn’t Know You Needed
I am extremely loyal to my Crockpot Potato Soup recipe, but I have a little secret to share…
I hate peeling potatoes. Hate it. Don’t want to do it. Can’t be convinced most days.
Enter Crockpot Potato Soup with Hash Browns.
I was a skeptic when my mom first mentioned making potato soup with frozen potatoes, but eventually I gave it a shot and now…well…it’s been awhile since I’ve peeled my own potatoes for potato soup, I’ll just tell you that.
This somehow, magically, tastes just like the real deal. Thick, creamy, rich, cozy. All the things I love about a cheesy potato soup situation.
Just…try it? Then report back. I want to hear what you think!
3 Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
🍲 Hands-off. Add everything to the slow cooker and walk away for 6 hours. Stir in some cheese about 30 minutes before serving and dinner is ready for ya.
🥔 No peeling, no chopping potatoes. Frozen potatoes (the cubed hash browns) are the secret shortcut here. They cook down perfectly and can leave you with a chunky or smooth texture, just depends on what you want!
🧀 Pure comfort food. This is just as thick and cheesy as my crockpot potato soup, but without the peeling. Load it up with all your favorite baked potato toppings. This is the kind of soup that warms you up from the inside out.
Ingredient Notes, Swaps, & Tips:
Frozen Hash Browns – Use the cubed Southern-style hash browns, not the shredded kind. They hold their shape better during the long cook time and give the soup that hearty, chunky potato texture.
Chicken Broth – Four cups is the base here. Use a good quality broth or Better than Bouillon for the best flavor.
Cream of Celery Soup – This adds creaminess and a subtle savory depth. Cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, or cream of potato all work just as well if that’s what you have on hand.
Cream Cheese – Let it come to room temperature before adding it to the slow cooker. It melts in much more smoothly that way. If it’s cold, you’ll get little chunks in the soup – not very appetizing to look at, but still tastes great.
Cheddar – Freshly shredded from a block is key here. Pre-shredded cheese has a starchy coating that keeps it from melting smoothly into the soup.
Toppings – Bacon, extra cheddar, sour cream, and green onions are the classic loaded baked potato combo. Use what you like and skip what you don’t.
Add some protein: Stir in diced ham along with the hash browns at the start for a heartier, more filling soup.
Make it vegetarian: Swap chicken broth for vegetable broth and skip the bacon.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step by Step Instructions:
Add everything but the cream cheese and cheddar to the slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 6 hours.
Once cooked, the more you stir the mixture, the smoother it will become. For a chunkier soup, just give it a quick stir. For a more smooth soup, use a potato masher and stir until it’s where you want it.
Add the room temp cream cheese to the soup (you can even just melt it in the microwave first) and stir until it’s incorporated. Let it cook for about 30 minutes to really melt it in.
Stir in your cheddar – it’ll melt quickly. Once combined, dish up the soup and top with your favorite toppings.
Storage:
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
Freezer: Cream-based soups can change texture after freezing, so this one is best enjoyed fresh or within a few days from the fridge.
Reheating: The soup will separate a bit in the fridge with liquid on top and a thicker layer on the bottom. Give it a good stir before and during reheating and it will come right back together. If it thickens up too much in the fridge, stir in a splash of broth when reheating.
More Soup Recipes:
- Crockpot Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Tuscan White Bean Soup
- Easy Chicken and Dumplings
- Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Crockpot Potato Soup with Hash Browns
Ingredients
- 32 ounces frozen Southern hash browns the cubed kind
- 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 10 ounces cream of celery soup
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon cracked pepper
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 8 ounces cheddar freshly shredded
- Bacon, cheddar, sour cream, green onions for topping
Instructions
- Add the frozen hash browns, onion, garlic, chicken broth, cream of celery soup, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, until the potatoes are very tender and soft. They should fall apart a bit as you stir them when done cooking. For a more smooth consistency, stir and mash the potatoes. For a more chunky consistency, just stir gently to incorporate everything.
- Add the block of cream cheese to the slow cooker and stir to begin melting the cream cheese into the soup. Cover and continue cooking on low for 30 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally, until the cream cheese is fully melted.
- Add the freshly shredded cheddar to the soup and stir to melt. It should melt quickly into the soup.
- Serve hot with your desired toppings.
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