Alright everyone, so today I’m gonna tell you all about this cream cheese crock pot potato soup I made. It’s one of those recipes that just feels like a warm hug, and honestly, the crock pot does most of the heavy lifting. That’s my kind of cooking, you know?
Getting My Stuff Together
First thing, I had to gather all my ingredients. You know how it is, digging through the fridge and pantry. Here’s what I ended up using:
- A good pile of potatoes – I think I had about two pounds, maybe a bit more. Russets work great, but honestly, I just use whatever I’ve got.
- One decent-sized yellow onion.
- A few cloves of garlic, because garlic makes everything better, right?
- Chicken broth. About 4 cups, I’d say. Veggie broth would be fine too, I reckon.
- A block of cream cheese. The full-fat kind, naturally.
- Salt and pepper, of course.
- Sometimes I throw in other stuff, like a bay leaf or some thyme, but I kept it simple this time.
So, I gave the potatoes a good scrub. I’m kinda lazy about peeling potatoes for soup, especially if the skins are thin. So, I just diced ’em up, skins and all for most of ’em. Chopped up the onion pretty roughly, and minced the garlic. Nothing too fancy, it all cooks down anyway.
Into the Slow Cooker It Went
Once everything was chopped, I just dumped the potatoes, onion, and garlic straight into my crock pot. Easy peasy. Then I poured the chicken broth over everything, making sure the potatoes were mostly covered. Added a good pinch of salt and a fair bit of black pepper. Gave it a quick stir to mix things up a bit.
Letting the Magic Happen
Then, I slapped the lid on, set my crock pot to low, and pretty much forgot about it for a good chunk of the day. I think it simmered away for about 6 hours. You could probably do it on high for 3-4 hours if you’re in a rush, but I like the way flavors develop on low and slow. The house started smelling amazing after a few hours, I gotta say. That’s always the best part of using a slow cooker, isn’t it?
The Creamy Finish
Okay, so after those 6 hours, the potatoes were super tender, like falling apart if you poked them with a fork. That’s when I knew it was time for the cream cheese. I cut the block into cubes – makes it melt easier, I find. Tossed those cubes right into the hot soup.
Then, I grabbed my potato masher. Some folks use an immersion blender for a super smooth soup, and that’s great. But I kinda like a bit of texture, so I just mashed some of the potatoes against the side of the crock pot and stirred everything really well until the cream cheese was all melted and incorporated. It got all thick and luscious. I let it sit on low for another 15-20 minutes, just for all those flavors to get real friendly with each other.
How It Tasted in the End
And that was it, really! I ladled it into a big bowl. Sometimes I’ll get fancy and top it with shredded cheddar cheese, some crispy bacon bits, or chopped green onions. But this time, I just had it as is. It was so rich, so creamy, and just incredibly comforting. The potatoes were soft, the broth was flavorful, and that cream cheese just took it to another level. For something so simple to throw together, it really delivers. Definitely a keeper, this one. You just can’t beat a good, hearty soup that practically makes itself.
