As Seen on Pinterest: Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup

With winter in full force here in New York, I have been looking for hearty soup and chili recipes.  Before long, warmer weather will be arriving and we won’t want to think of eating a warm bowl of anything!  While perusing Pinterest I saw this recipe and thought it sounded like something the family might eat.  The kids can be a bit picky when it comes to eating soup…..our son doesn’t really enjoy eating it, unless it’s the packaged ramen kind that we stopped buying.  So, it was a bit surprising when he ate two bowls of this soup.  My mouth dropped in surprise when he asked for seconds!  If you like baked potatoes with all the fixings, then this soup is for you!

Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup
Recipe slightly adapted from Cooking Classy

Ingredients:

• 3 to 3 1/2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch pieces (about 7 medium potatoes, 8 – 9 cups)
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 8 oz bacon, cooked and diced or crumbled
• 4 green onions, diced

Directions:

1.  In. a 6 or 7-quart slow cooker, add potatoes, onion, vegetable broth, evaporated milk and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook on HIGH heat for 4 hours or LOW heat for 8 hours.

2. Ladle 2 cups of soup mixture from slow cooker into a liquid measuring cup and set aside. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. While whisking, slowly pour 2 cups of reserved soup mixture from measuring cup into butter mixture (it will thicken quickly). Pour butter mixture into slow cooker and stir to blend. Use a potato masher to break down potatoes into smaller pieces or use an emulsion blender to puree. Cover and cook on HIGH heat until thickened, about 10 minutes. Turn off  slow cooker and stir in sour cream. Serve warm topped with cheddar, bacon and green onions.