Slow Cooker Creamy Potato Soup

By Sarah DiGregorio

Updated January 22, 2026

  • Andrew Bui for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Kaitlin Wayne.
Media 1 of 1
Ready In
5 hr 10 min
Rating
5(436)
Comments
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This tangy and rustic soup tastes like a loaded baked potato, especially when topped generously with Cheddar and bacon. (The Cheddar is especially key, a quick addition that takes this simple soup to another level.) Buttermilk is often thought of as a baking ingredient, but here it adds a welcome acidic tang to the potatoes. (You can substitute heavy cream, half and half or whole milk if you don’t mind losing that tang.) Leave the potatoes unpeeled for a fuller, richer potato flavor in the finished soup, and as a bonus, doing so makes the prep extra fast and easy. Before serving, coarsely crush the potatoes and fold in the buttermilk for a creamy soup that has lots of appealing texture. (If you prefer a smoother potato soup you can blend it with an immersion or regular blender.) 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 2½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks

  • 3 cups chicken broth

  • 3 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped

  • 1 shallot, finely chopped 

  • 1 jalapeño, finely chopped 

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • Fine salt

  • Black pepper 

  • 1 large bunch chives or 3 scallions, sliced, plus more for topping, optional

  • 1 cup buttermilk (preferably whole-milk)

  • ½ cup heavy cream

  • Shredded sharp Cheddar, crisped chopped bacon or hot sauce, or a combination, for serving 

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine the potatoes, broth, garlic, shallot, jalapeño, butter, 2 teaspoons salt and several generous grinds of black pepper in a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 5 ½ hours, until the potatoes are very tender. 

  2. Step 2

    Using a potato masher or a large fork, coarsely crush many of the potatoes, to thicken the soup to your liking. 

  3. Step 3

    Turn off the slow cooker. Stir in the chives then the buttermilk and heavy cream. (Don’t let the soup simmer after adding the dairy or it may break; if it does break, a quick purée with an immersion or regular blender will smooth it out.) 

  4. Step 4

    Serve in bowls with more salt, black pepper and desired toppings at the table. 

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Ratings

5 out of 5
436 user ratings
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Comments

AnotherJoe

Loved it. Did it in the pressure cooker. 10 mins on high before mashing the potatoes and adding the dairy/chives. Approved by our 3 year old granddaughter too.

A.L.

@kb I’d say the process would be the same, just brought to a boil on the stovetop and then simmered at a lower temp (maybe medium, medium-high depending on your stove) until the potatoes are cooked through. Maybe saute the garlic/jalapeno/shallot in the butter first before anything else gets dumped in the pot, it’ll deepen the flavors a bit!

Katie S

Delicious!!! Used Greek yogurt with a little water because I didn’t have buttermilk.

ldk

I had a leek in the refrigerator, so I cut it up and sautéed it before adding the other ingredients. Otherwise followed the recipe without the addition of jalapeño. It was very good--smooth and tasty.

Sean G.

Hearty and simple with a crock pot -- convenient to decide for yourself how coarse or creamy you want the potatoes, in the final stages.

Tisalaska

Finally gotten around to making this. I do think the buttermilk is the secret sauce. Will be put on the make again list.

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