Editor's note:The recipe and introductory text below are fromThe Gourmet Slow Cooker: Simple and Sophisticated Meals from Around the Worldby Lynn Alley. For more on slow cooking,click here.
The combination of potatoes and cheese just can't be beat, especially here, in this rich, filling soup.
Ingredients
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Step 1
Place the potatoes and 1 cup of the stock in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or until the potatoes are just tender.
Step 2
Transfer two-thirds of the potatoes to a food processor or blender, along with the cooking liquid. Add the garlic. Blend to the desired consistency: a blender will yield a smooth texture, a food processor a rough, rustic consistency.
Step 3
Return the potato purée to the slow cooker and stir in the shredded cheese, the remaining 2/3 cup stock, and the chives. Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes, or until the soup is well heated. Add extra stock or water if the soup is too thick. Break up the whole potato slices with a fork to achieve a texture that suits you. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cream just before serving.
Step 4
Ladle into soup bowls, sprinkle with the crumbled cheese, and serve immediately.
Southwestern Potato-Cheddar Soup:
Step 5
For a Southwestern version of this soup, use cilantro instead of chives, and add 1 (4-ounce) can chopped roasted green chiles and 1 teaspoon each ground cumin and coriander.
This recipe was originally prepared in an oval, 5-quart slow cooker.
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Reviews (28)
Back to TopThe recipe was good but there is a typo - it says to add 1 cup of stock at the beginning and then 2/3 cup of stock at the end- since 4 cups are noted in the recipe it likely meant to say 2-3 cups. .
lauraawvanderpool6645
11/24/2020
The missing ingredients are celery and onion They are a necessity in the base of any good cream soup. This is a crock pot recipe so I'm not sautéing, removing, or precooking anything. The onion and celery went in raw with the potato plus a couple cloves of garlic because I like it and the initial chicken stock. It took about four hours on high. After the potatoes were done I used a hand mixer to blend the ingredients inside the crock pot. I think four large potatoes can be subjective to most people so I suggest using your best judgment when adding the additional stock. I used a little less than four cups total to get the consistency I wanted. The rest of the recipe was followed exactly as stated. Ate it with some jalapeño cheddar corn bread and it was a quick easy weeknight winter meal. I will definitely use again.
succulent7
Villa Park,IL
1/27/2015
I cooked this on the stove instead of the crock pot. The potatoes cooked quickly. The soup was bland so adding paprika, a bit of cayenne made all the difference. It was very good.
linda_frances
Lansdale, PA
1/25/2014
This was great for my whole family as a complete meal with artisan sourdough bread.
Anonymous
Mora, NM
4/18/2012
I used the recipe in the actual cookbook, which had a huge error in the quantity of chicken broth used to cook the potatoes. Thank goodness for Epicurious, which corrected the error! I liked the texture of the soup, but the taste was way too bland. It needed lots of salt and pepper, just for starters. Not sure what else could be added besides bacon.
prototype
Houston
2/7/2012
Based on the reviews for this recipe, I had my reservations going in but wanted to try it anyway. I seriously modified it and think it turned out awesome. I used 6 red potatos, peeled and cubed. Added a bit more of the chicken broth initially to compensate. Chopped bacon, cooked it and set it aside to dry. Then in the bacon grease I cooked half a red onion, some scallions and 2 cloves of garlic. Dumped that mix into the crock pot. Rather than blending or using our pitifully small food processor, I used a ricer on the 2/3 potatos. Mixed that with the remaining chicken stock and put it back in the crock pot. I increased the cheese a bit; 1 1/4 cup extra sharp cheddar and 1 1/4 cup smoked gouda. Also, 1/2 cup sour cream. For seasoning, I did salt and pepper to taste and eyeballed some paprika (maybe like a tbsp or 1 1/2 tbsp). Skipped the chives. Let people add bacon and extra cheese. It turned out very yummy (and probably very bad for you). Good texture, nice amount of tanginess, not overly rich or cheesy. All the work is in the chopping and grating, really, but there's a lot of it. It's a fun meal to make if you have a friend helping you out. I'd totally do (my revised version of) this recipe again.
keytar
ohio
10/17/2011
I love this basics of this soup, and didn't find it to be bland one bit. Adjustments...I used garlic powder instead of fresh, a pinch of salt, and cut the recipe in 1/2. I left out the cream and cheese topping. I think it's rich and flavorful.
jensine449
弯曲,或
3/13/2010
Excellent! Easy and everyone liked it.
msfritzusa
Rochester, MN
2/24/2010
This was just too bland for me. Someone recommended maybe adding bacon and I could see that helping out, but for now, I wouldn't recommend this recipe.
vincentchase
Western MA
2/22/2010
Not bad! I used Yukon Golds and green onions instead of chives...followed other reviewers' advice and sweated a yellow onion and extra garlic to blitz in step 2 with the potatoes. I agree that it still needs a little something (bacon? ham?), but with a salad for a light dinner, it was nice.
pfcoulter
1/29/2010
I made the southwestern version of this soup. I added come Tapatio and I was pleased with the results. Next time I may not use to slow cooker though. My idea of a wonderful slow cooker recipe is just adding all the ingredients and then forgetting about it for 4 or 5 hours!
kacorella
california
12/19/2009
After 2 hours in the slow cooker my potatoes were barely cooked. I put them in a pot and cooked them. Flavor is so so, kinda bland. I added extra garlic too. Won't be making this again
amslivk
Chicago
10/10/2009
I cooked 1 onion and 2 cloves of garlic and added it to the potatoes and stock as another reviewer suggested. I also added a few dashes of hot sauce at the end and omitted the chives. I think the soup has a great consistency and tastes great.
lhmclellan
Portland, OR
3/16/2009
I def. listened to other reviewers - doubled the garlic and sauteed it with onion before adding 3C broth & the potatoes. I'm not sure why you would make this in a slow cooker...it's much faster on the stove (probably should be in the quick meal section!). Didn't have chives, but added more cheese, lots of fresh ground black pepper and Sherry (magic!) and also some crumbled bacon on top w/ the extra cheddar cheese. With changes, a keeper on a cold night with a loaf of bread!
lborden
atlantic highlands, nj
3/2/2009
It was just okay. A little bland for my tastes. I did use a lot more garlic, added cream, extra chives, some thyme...still it needed something. Onions and bacon, probably.
Anonymous
Bloomington, IN
2/28/2009
