Slow Cooker Creamy Potato Soup
This easy, healthy slow cooker creamy potato soup is a simple dump-and-go recipe, requiring just a short list of simple ingredients and can be topped with just about anything for a warm, nourishing meal any night of the week.

About this Slow Cooker Creamy Potato Soup Recipe
I don’t know about you but when my schedule starts to feel busy & hectic, dump and go slow cooker recipes are pretty much all I’m in the mood to cook.
Knowing that all I really have to do is throw a few ingredients into my crockpot and let it do all the heavy lifting for me, helps me get dinner done and on the table fast.
And with minimal prep steps and minimal cleanup, this healthy Slow Cooker Creamy Potato Soup is the ultimate low-effort weeknight win.
It’s simple, warming, delicious and has the most rich & velvety texture – it’s basically EXACTLY the kind of homestyle comfort food you want after a long day, but without a lot of extra effort required.
Plus it’s naturally vegetarian, vegan, dairy free and gluten free, so it will work for just about anyone!
In my opinion, this crockpot potato soup is really all about the toppings, so feel free to load it up! For me, chopped chives from the garden and a dash of hot sauce are a must – but I’ve added even more ideas below to get you inspired.
Process & Tips

Since this is an easy slow cooker recipe and it requires no browning or sauteing beforehand, all you really have to do is add all your ingredients to your slow cooker.
Soaked, raw cashews are used here in place of dairy here to add a luscious, creamy consistency.
And, since you can soak the cashews alongside the chowder while it cooks, there’s no need to remember to soak them the night before.
Then once it’s done cooking, blend the soup with your soaked cashews until it reaches a smooth and thick texture and you’ll have yourself a delicious dinner (and if you’re lucky, lots of leftovers to enjoy all week long too!).
If you prefer a nut-free option, simply swap in coconut milk or heavy cream. I’ve included notes for you on how to make that swap below.
Ways to Serve this Slow Cooker Creamy Potato Soup
This dairy-free crockpot potato soup makes a delicious, easy vegetarian meal all on its own but I highly recommend getting creative with the toppings.
Including crumbled bacon, chopped chives, shredded cheese, roasted brussels sprouts, sauerkraut, hot sauce, a drizzle of olive oil or pat of butter (traditional or plant-based) – you name it!
Or even just add a grilled cheese, hunk of warm crusty bread or crackers on the side for dipping.
This recipe would be really fun for a soup and salad night! Serve it with all the toppings and simple side salad. Use any of your favorite fresh greens tossed in an easy healthy dressing (highly recommend this Lemon Dijon Dressing or Apple Cider Vinaigrette!).

Ingredients & Modifications
Potatoes: I used Yukon gold potatoes for this recipe but you could also use another waxy yellow potato in its place. You may not want to use something like a Russet potato, although they’re great for something like a fluffy baked potato, they can produce a gluey texture once blended instead of the velvety, creamy texture that a waxy potato would give.
Vegetable stock: You can use either vegetable stock (to keep it a vegetarian friendly meal) or chicken stock, both work great in this recipe.
Garlic: Since we’re using so few ingredients, I opted to use fresh garlic cloves for this recipe and it adds beautiful flavor to this soup. But you could also use granulated garlic powder in its place if you prefer.
Onion: I love the aromatic & savory depth of flavor that onions add to homemade soups, stews and chowders. You could also use shallot in its place. If you don’t like or can’t have onions, feel free to omit them.
Nutritional yeast: Nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavor without containing any dairy. Find it on the bulk aisle of your natural foods store, or in the baking section. If you can’t find or don’t want to use it, feel free to omit, though it will be missing that “cheesy” flavor.
Raw cashews: Soaked, raw cashews are used here in place of dairy here to add a luscious, creamy consistency. For a nut-free version, skip the cashews and add heavy cream or coconut milk along with the nutritional yeast, then proceed with the recipe as written.
Kosher salt: Look for kosher salt with the regular iodized salt at the grocery store (it has a subtler flavor). Use less iodized salt if that’s what you have on hand.
Tips for Storing & Freezing Leftovers
This homemade crockpot potato soup will keep well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, in a sealed container.
This recipe also freezes well, store in a sealed freezer friendly container for up to 2-3 months.
More Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes

Slow Cooker Creamy Potato Soup
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 8 cups chopped Yukon Gold or other waxy yellow potato
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 whole medium garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 quarts chicken stock, (or vegetable stock for vegetarian)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast*
Optional Toppings
- cooked, crumbled bacon
- chopped green onions or chives
- shredded cheese
- hot sauce
Instructions
- Place the cashews in a small bowl and cover with an inch of water. Set aside to soak while the soup cooks.
- Add the potatoes, onion, garlic, stock and 1 teaspoon salt to a 6-quart slow cooker, stirring to combine. Cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 7-9, or until the potatoes and onions are very tender.
- Drain and rinse the cashews. Add the cashews, nutritional yeast, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt to the slow cooker, stirring to combine.
- Using an immersion blender, blend until just combined, being careful not to over blend. Alternatively, carefully ladle the soup in batches into a blender and blend until creamy. Return the blended mixture back to the slow cooker.
- Taste and add additional salt or freshly ground pepper if desired. Ladle into bowls and add any toppings you like.
I usually don’t comment on recipes, but I’m so sad this didn’t turn out. I would consider myself a decent cook and I followed this recipe exactly and it turned out pure liquid. Did you really mean 2 boxes of stock? As I was adding the second box it seemed like an excessive amount of liquid for a chowder and I wish I would have gone with my gut. Do you have any suggestions as to why this went wrong. Is this supposed to be creamy? It looks so delicious in the pictures and the recipe sounded divine so that’s why I would really like to figure out what went wrong. Thanks for your time!
Anne, it’s always a bummer when a recipe doesn’t work out for a reader! I always test recipes several times before I post them, but there are a number of variables that can cause a recipe not to work out. Did you add the soaked cashews after the soup had cooked? And did you use Russet potatoes? The final product is supposed to be creamy, not liquid, so reducing the stock to 1 box to start may be a good option, depending on the heat of your particular slow cooker.
I’m a little unsure about the cashew part. Are they supposed to soak the entire time the soup is cooking?
Yes.
Oh my gosh……this is sooooo delicious. My only tip to others is: DON’T USE 64oz of broth. IMHO, it’s way too much. I ladled out probably 2c or more of broth before adding the cashews, yeast & using the immersion blender.
Ethel, so glad you enjoyed this one! We’ve had lots of readers enjoy this one following the recipe, I wonder why it seemed like too much in your version. Either way I’m glad you found a version that worked for you!
DO NOT FULLY BLEND. It turned the potatoes into glue. Next time I will take out a bowlful, blend the cashews into that, and then add back. Following the recipe, I ended up with (pretty tasty) gluey gruel.
Oh, sorry to hear the recipe didn’t turn out well for you! Thanks for the notes about not fully blending – I’ll add those to the recipe, I’m sure it will help others. Thanks!
I really did like the taste, so I do plan to make it again!
I’m so glad to hear that! Russet potatoes can definitely become gummy when blended too much, so that’s a great note for sure. You can also try making this one with Yukon gold or another waxy potato, as they don’t get quite as gummy when blended.
I have not made this soup yet, but I am making it for a bridal shower. I will post a review after I make it. Question is are the potatoes peeled or unpeeled?
Hi Fran, you can leave the potatoes unpeeled, since the skin of the Yukon Gold’s is so thin. Hope it’s a hit!