IT’S SOUP SEASON! With brisk evenings coming closer, days getting shorter and still not a full night’s sleep in sight, this new mom thought it was time to give my ol’ slow cooker another try.
Inspired by 100 Days of Real Cooking, we made our own version of a thick and rich soup that our kids actually loved. These are not known soup lovers, so this was big.
The part where they got to sprinkle on their own toppings didn’t hurt either.
We used russet potatoes, sweet onions, plenty of garlic and chicken stock–you could use whatever you have on hand. Toppings were standard, albeit kid-friendly, baked potato fare: two kinds of cheddar cheese and crispy bacon. Yeah, I used a separate pan to cook the bacon earlier in the day but it was worth it. (Dear Nap Time, thank you for sparing us all the trauma of little flecks of bacon grease spattering on clingy children near the stove. xoxo.)
Littles love to add their own toppings.
Slow Cooker Potato Soup
To make this soup on the stovetop, use a heavy bottomed pan. Cook the onions in 2 tablespoons of olive oil for 5 minutes then add potatoes, garlic, stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add half & half + any toppings you like.
Ingredients
- 2 sweet onions chopped
- 2 pounds russet potatoes chopped into 1–2 inch pieces
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 32 ounces chicken stock or broth (one carton)
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup half & half
- shredded cheddar cheese, cooked bacon and any other toppings you like
Instructions
- Put everything to the slow cooker EXCEPT the half & half and toppings. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.
- Use an emersion blender until everything is as smooth (or chunky) as you like.
- Swirl in the half & half, then ladle into bowls, letting each person choose toppings.
What to pair with Slow Cooker Potato soup
We also served our soup with a brown honey bread from the bakery section of the grocery store. Take and bake? Paired with salted butter and raw veggies plus dip…fall dinners don’t get much better, or easier.
One tip for those of you with bread mongers. My kids go nuts when they see bread (especially our homemade bread) and lose the ability to actually chew any other food because their mouths are too busy begging for bread.
Bread, please! Can I please have some bread? Breeeeead. Br-br-bread. Please?
Now I’m wiser: The bread comes out AFTER they’ve already started on the veggies and soup.
In fact, this is the order I serve dinner, you know, when I have the wherewithal/there’s enough time left on the Dora video: veggies, main, bread.
This gives tiny tummies a head start on the good stuff.
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And check out the rest of our family-friendly slow cooker recipes too. Every one of them is simple to make, full of fresh ingredients and kid-tested x4.
It MUST be in the air — I was just thinking I needed ways to use the slow cooker for potatoes — so Thank You!
By the way, I’ve recently been introduced to the easiest way to cook bacon with no splatter and no fuss — the oven (thank you King Arthur Flour blog). It really does work and so nice not to worry about the littles.
Thanks for your great tips for getting balanced meals on the table and in little tummies.
Hey, Ann! I’ve always wondered about cooking bacon in the oven. Doesn’t it pop and sizzle all over the oven? Messy toppings aside, this soup was really good and very hearty so I hope your crew enjoys it too!
Hi Charity,
Is there anything that could be substituted for half and half like milk or soy milk? Is the half and half necessary or is it just a preference?
Thanks,
Rachel
Hi Rachel — You could use milk or just leave it out too. It’s only to add a bit of creamy richness. Let us know if you make it and either leave it out or sub something, and tell us how it goes!
How many servings does this soup make?
Hi Melissa! My first instinct is to say, “1000 servings” because it’s a huge pot of soup! But realistically, it’s about 6-8 servings for adults and many more if you’re serving small kids.
I actually froze half of the batch and just pulled it out the other day to send with my husband to work. It’ll easily be 3 lunches. And that’s after a full meal at home for the 5 of us. Hope this helps!
Hi Charity, Thank you for answering my question! I’m excited to make this crock pot of soup for our Halloween party tomorrow night in Michigan, where it is going to be VERY chilly. Glad to know this recipe will make enough for the 4 adults and 4 kids here. Yum!
Sure, Melissa! And if you’re worried at all, just add another potato to the pot when you start cooking. Can never go wrong with one more. Happy Halloween!
Hope this is OK to post.
I have a Kindle book on Amazon.com – $2.99 US dollars – Called: Kid Approved Slow Cooker Meals – Link below
Easy to make and kids will actually eat it. You know how difficult that is sometimes!
Kelly Cook
http://www.amazon.com/Kid-Approved-Slow-Cooker-Meals-ebook/dp/B00JBFSA52/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1399895836&sr=1-1&keywords=kid+approved+slow+cooker+meals