Slow Cooker Potato Soup

As the temperatures drop, cue comfort food season in my house.

Two foods that always scream comfort and warmth to me are soup and mashed potatoes and when I was living on the Upper East Side in my 20s, I loved treating myself to Eli Zabar’s mashed potato soup – yup, two of my favorites in one decadent bowl!

Fast forward many years, I came across this slow cooker potato soup from 100 Days of Real Food. This soup reminded me of Eli’s mashed potato soup, but cleaner and also super easy to make. I’ve been making this recipe for almost ten years now and it never disappoints.

Grab your Instant Pot or slow cooker and get ready to make one of your new favorite, instant- feel-good soups 😉

100 Days of Real Slow Cooker Potato Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 to 4 large potatoes or 9 small potatoes (about 2 1/4 pounds russet or other similar potatoes), scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 c diced onion
• 4 c chicken or veggie broth (homemade or store-bought)
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 t salt
• 2 T butter
• 1/2 c heavy cream (or I’ve found that whole milk works, too!)
• Recommended toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, bacon pieces, sliced green onions, homemade croutons, potato chips, anything goes – totally up to your mood!

Directions:

• Add the potatoes, onion, broth, garlic and salt to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7-8 hours.
• Add the butter and puree the soup using a handheld immersion blender or regular blender. If you prefer a chunkier soup, save a few ladles of the large potato pieces before pureeing. Stir in the heavy cream or milk.
• Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with the toppings of choice and enjoy!

To make homemade croutons, cut any day(s) old bread into pieces and toss in extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano (or spices of your choice) and toss again. Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet at 350 degrees until desired crispiness (about 15 minutes).