Description
Hearty Midwestern Crack Potato Soup delivers comfort in a bowl with creamy, cheesy goodness that warms souls on chilly days. Packed with bacon, potatoes, and rich flavors, this simple slow cooker recipe promises delightful spoonfuls you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 bag (30 ounces / 850 grams) frozen diced hash brown potatoes
- 4 cups (960 milliliters) chicken broth
- 1 package (8 ounces / 226 grams) cream cheese, softened and cubed
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
Soup Base Ingredients:
- 1 can (10.5 ounces / 298 grams) condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 packet (1 ounce / 28 grams) ranch seasoning mix
Garnish and Flavor Enhancers:
- ½ cup cooked bacon, crumbled
- ¼ cup chopped green onions
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Assemble the foundational elements in the slow cooker by combining frozen hash brown potatoes, chicken broth, cream cheese, condensed cream of chicken soup, and ranch seasoning mix, thoroughly blending the ingredients to ensure uniform distribution.
- Secure the lid and allow the mixture to simmer gently on low temperature for 6-7 hours or on high temperature for 3-4 hours, monitoring until the potatoes reach a tender, soft consistency.
- Introduce shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon into the soup, stirring carefully to integrate these flavors while maintaining a smooth texture.
- Continue cooking for an additional 10-15 minutes, enabling the cheese to melt completely and create a rich, velvety consistency throughout the soup.
- Transfer the soup into serving bowls, creating an appealing presentation by topping with additional cheddar cheese, extra crispy bacon pieces, and freshly chopped green onions for a burst of color and complementary flavor profile.
Notes
- Use low-sodium chicken broth and ranch seasoning to control salt intake for those watching their sodium levels.
- Swap bacon with turkey bacon or coconut bacon bits for a lighter, healthier alternative that still provides crunch and flavor.
- If serving vegetarians, replace chicken broth with vegetable broth and use plant-based cream cheese and bacon alternatives to maintain the creamy, savory profile.
- Achieve a thicker consistency by partially mashing some potatoes before adding cheese or stirring in a cornstarch slurry during the final cooking stage for extra creaminess.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg