Description
This Best Slow Cooker Irish Potato Soup is a creamy, comforting dish made with tender russet potatoes, sharp cheddar cheese, smoky bacon, and aromatic herbs. Perfect for chilly days, this easy slow cooker recipe delivers rich flavors with minimal effort, featuring a velvety texture achieved by partially blending the potatoes and finishing with dairy. Garnished with green onions and bacon, it’s a hearty Irish-American classic that can be customized for vegetarians and stored for several days.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 green onions, sliced for garnish
Liquids & Dairy
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Meat & Cheese
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Other Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Peel and dice the russet potatoes, finely chop the onion, and mince the garlic. Cook and crumble the bacon slices. Slice green onions for garnish.
- Combine in Slow Cooker: Place the diced potatoes, chopped onion, minced garlic, chicken broth, salt, black pepper, and dried thyme into the slow cooker. Stir well to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Cook Potatoes: Cook the mixture on low heat for 6 to 7 hours or on high heat for 3 to 4 hours until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork.
- Blend Soup: Use a potato masher or an immersion blender to partially blend the soup, aiming for a creamy texture that still has some potato chunks for body and texture.
- Add Dairy and Cheese: Stir in the whole milk, heavy cream, unsalted butter, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and half of the crumbled bacon thoroughly.
- Finish Cooking: Cover the slow cooker again and cook on low for an additional 20 minutes until the soup is heated through, creamy, and the cheese is melted.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish each with the remaining crumbled bacon and sliced green onions. Serve immediately for best flavor.
Notes
- For a thicker soup, mash more of the potatoes before adding dairy ingredients.
- Substitute vegetable broth to make this recipe vegetarian and omit bacon for a vegetarian version.
- This soup keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- Use an immersion blender carefully to avoid over-pureeing; the soup should have some texture.
