Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • ¼ cup green onions, thinly sliced

Instructions:

  1. Place the cubed potatoes, diced onion, minced garlic, broth, salt, pepper, and bay leaf into the crockpot. Stir gently to ensure the potatoes are submerged.
  2. Cover and cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 8 hours, until the potatoes are fork-tender and the edges are beginning to soften.
  3. Remove the bay leaf. Using an immersion blender, pulse the soup 3-4 times to create a thick base while leaving some chunks, or crush about 50% of the potatoes with a masher.
  4. Stir in the melted butter and softened cream cheese on the 'Warm' setting until completely melted and velvety.
  5. Stir in the heavy cream and shredded cheddar until melted.
  6. Fold in the crumbled bacon and sliced green onions.