Crock Pot Crack Potato Soup
Introduction
Crock Pot Crack Potato Soup is the ultimate dump-and-go comfort soup for busy, chilly days. Frozen hash browns slow cook in a rich, creamy base of chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, ranch seasoning, bacon, cream cheese, and sharp cheddar until they turn into a thick, loaded potato soup that tastes like a baked potato exploded into your slow cooker. It’s cheesy, smoky, tangy from the ranch, and so addictive that it definitely earns the “crack” name.
This is one of those recipes where you literally toss almost everything into the crock pot, walk away, and come back to a house that smells incredible and a soup that tastes like you worked a lot harder than you did. You can keep it as a simple weeknight dinner with a side of bread, or dress it up with a topping bar of extra cheese, bacon, sour cream, and green onions for game day, potlucks, or cozy weekends at home.
Equipment
- 4–6 quart slow cooker (crock pot)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Spoon or spatula for stirring
- Small bowl (for slurry, if needed)
Ingredients
- 30–32 ounces frozen shredded or diced hash brown potatoes
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 can (10.5 ounces) cream of chicken soup
- 1 packet (1 ounce) dry ranch dressing mix
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 8–12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (divided)
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes
- 1½–2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (divided)
- ½–1 cup half-and-half or heavy cream (optional, for extra creaminess)
- Sliced green onions, extra cheese, and extra bacon for topping
Instructions
To make Crock Pot Crack Potato Soup, start by getting your slow cooker ready. Lightly spray the inside of the crock with nonstick spray if you like, which makes cleanup easier and helps prevent any cheesy bits from sticking too firmly.
Pour the frozen hash brown potatoes straight into the crock pot—no need to thaw them first, which is one of the big time-savers in this recipe. Spread them out in an even layer so they cook uniformly.
Next, add the chicken broth and the can of cream of chicken soup to the potatoes. Sprinkle the dry ranch dressing mix and black pepper over the top, then add most of your cooked, crumbled bacon, reserving a bit for garnish later.
Give everything a good stir so the ranch mix and soup start to coat the potatoes and bacon and the broth is evenly distributed. At this point, you’re building the base flavors that will soak into the potatoes as they soften.
Cover the crock pot with the lid and cook the mixture on low for about 4–6 hours or on high for 3–4 hours. The exact timing will depend on your slow cooker and whether you’re using shredded or diced hash browns, but you’re looking for the potatoes to become very tender and easy to mash slightly against the side of the crock with a spoon.
During this initial cooking phase, the potatoes will absorb the flavors of the broth, ranch, and bacon while the soup base thickens naturally from the starch.
About 30–60 minutes before you plan to serve the soup, it’s time to add the “crack” elements that make it ultra creamy and cheesy. Stir the soup well, then add the cubed cream cheese and about 1 to 1½ cups of the shredded cheddar cheese directly into the crock pot.
If you’re using half-and-half or heavy cream for an extra-luxurious texture, pour that in now as well. Stir everything together as best you can; the cream cheese may still look chunky at this point, but it will melt as the soup continues to cook.
Replace the lid and continue cooking on high for another 20–30 minutes, or until the cream cheese has fully melted into the soup and the cheddar has disappeared into a smooth, thick, velvety base. Once that time has passed, remove the lid and give the soup a really thorough stir, using the back of your spoon to gently mash some of the potatoes against the sides of the crock.
This step helps break down any lingering cream cheese lumps and creates that classic, slightly chunky but creamy potato soup texture. If the soup looks thicker than you prefer, you can stir in a bit more broth or cream to reach your ideal consistency; if it seems too thin, let it simmer with the lid partially off for a bit longer to reduce slightly.
Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if needed—ranch mix and cheddar bring a good amount of salt, so you may only need a pinch more pepper or a little extra ranch if you want to punch up the tang. When it tastes rich, cheesy, and balanced, switch the crock pot to the “keep warm” setting so it stays hot and ready for serving without overcooking.
Right before serving, stir in a small handful of extra cheddar if you want a bit more cheesiness throughout, or just save it all for topping individual bowls.
Ladle the hot crack potato soup into bowls and pile on your toppings: reserved bacon, more shredded cheddar, sliced green onions, and even a dollop of sour cream or a sprinkle of extra ranch if you like. The soup should be thick, creamy, and loaded with soft potatoes, with pops of smoky bacon in every spoonful. Serve immediately, straight from the crock pot, and let everyone customize their bowl as much or as little as they want.
Tips & Variations
One of the big perks of this recipe is that it relies on frozen hash browns instead of peeling and dicing whole potatoes, which dramatically cuts down on prep time. Shredded hash browns will give you a smoother, restaurant-style loaded baked potato soup with a more uniform texture, while diced or cubed potatoes will leave you with more distinct potato chunks that some people prefer.
Both work well here; the only adjustment is that diced potatoes may take a bit longer to become truly tender, so lean toward the higher end of the cooking range if you’re using them.
You can easily play with the richness and flavor by adjusting the dairy and add-ins. Using heavy cream will create an ultra-luxurious texture that feels very decadent, while half-and-half or just the cream cheese and cheddar will keep it rich without going over the top.
If you love ranch flavor, you can increase the ranch dressing mix slightly or stir in a spoonful of bottled ranch at the end for a more pronounced tang. For extra smokiness, choose a thick-cut, applewood-smoked bacon and don’t be shy about using plenty of it both in the soup and on top.
If you want to sneak in some veggies or stretch the soup a bit, you can stir in a handful of frozen corn, finely chopped broccoli, or even some diced carrots during the last hour of cooking; just keep in mind that they’ll soften quite a lot in this environment, which works if you like your soup hearty and stew-like.
A sprinkle of fresh herbs like chives or parsley over each bowl adds a nice fresh note and color contrast against all the cream and cheese.
You can also adapt the recipe slightly to suit dietary preferences. Using low-sodium broth and a reduced-sodium ranch packet lets you better control the salt content if that’s a concern.
If you want to lower the fat a bit, you can decrease the amount of cheese and cream cheese, replacing a portion with plain Greek yogurt stirred in right at the end off the heat; this keeps things creamy and tangy but a little lighter. Just be sure not to boil yogurt, as it can curdle—always add it at the end.
Serving & Storage
Crock Pot Crack Potato Soup is hearty enough to stand alone as a main dish, especially when loaded up with bacon, cheese, and toppings. Still, it’s great alongside a simple green salad with a bright vinaigrette to cut through all the richness, or with crusty bread, garlic bread, or soft rolls for dunking.
It also pairs well with sandwiches—think grilled cheese, BLTs, or simple turkey melts—for a classic soup-and-sandwich combo that feels like diner comfort at home.
Leftovers keep very well and often taste even better the next day as the flavors meld. Let the soup cool slightly at room temperature, then transfer it to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to three or four days.
When reheating, do so gently over low heat on the stove or in the microwave in short intervals, stirring between bursts. If the soup has thickened considerably in the fridge, whisk in a splash of milk or broth to loosen it back to your preferred consistency before or during reheating.
This soup also freezes decently, though the texture may change slightly due to the high dairy content. For best results, cool the soup completely, portion it into freezer-safe containers or bags with a bit of headspace for expansion, and freeze for up to a couple of months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat slowly, stirring often and adding a bit of extra liquid if needed to smooth it out. Once hot, top with fresh bacon, cheese, and green onions to revive that just-made, loaded-bowl experience.
