Besides being perfectly cozy, delectable, and total crowd pleasers, slow cooker soup recipes are also an easy way to make dinner time easier. After a little prep, the slow cooker will do the rest for you, and you get to enjoy the tasty results! Whether you’re looking for creamy crockpot soup recipes (yum!), crockpot soups for two, crockpot soup for a crowd (soup is genius for large groups), slow cooker vegetable soup recipes, a crockpot potato soup (so tasty!), or even a vegetarian crockpot soup (delish!), I have a recipe for you! And, I have even MORE healthy soup recipes on my site. No matter what you’re looking for, I know that these soups will be just as beloved in your household as they are in mine. Now, let’s get to the recipes and enjoy the cozy season ahead. Before we dive into some of my favorites, let’s talk about how to make make the best crockpot soups.
How do I Make Soup in a Slow Cooker?
Thankfully, making soup in the slow cooker is simple! Depending on the recipe, there may be some prep work involved, but it’s minimal. Once you add the ingredients, you can let the slow cooker do the work. Many times, crockpot soups will have a cook time option for both the LOW and HIGH setting on your slow cooker. This allows you to select the cooking time based on your schedule. Cooking the soup low and slow is generally my favorite way because it allows your soup flavors to truly marry. Ever noticed how soup tastes better the next day? The longer the flavors of soup have to hang out, the more complex it tastes. That said, you can still cook a crowd-pleasing soup on HIGH heat. Don’t skip making dinner because you didn’t have time to cook it low and slow.
Tips for Crockpot Soup Ingredients
If you’re using cut vegetables or meat, try to cut them all the same size so that they finish cooking at about the same time.If a recipe calls for something to be browned, take the extra step if you can. The browning will add a more developed flavor to the soup.Ingredients like root vegetables can be placed at the bottom of the slow cooker (where it gets the most heat) because they take longer to cook.
What can I Cook in my Slow Cooker?
Slow cookers are incredibly versatile and will quickly become your best friend in the kitchen. If you want proof, just take a peek at my extensive list of healthy slow cooker recipes on my blog. You can cook everything from casseroles to lasagna to baked potatoes to Asian recipes in the slow cooker (and that’s just to name a few!). Because the slow cooker typically uses low and slow heat, it truly helps tenderize meat and blend flavors. What can’t you cook in the slow cooker? While raw meat is safe to use, frozen meat is not. During the cooking process, the meat could end up spending too long at room temperature, which may render it unsafe to eat. I recommend always letting your meat thaw before adding it to the slow cooker.
Tips to Store, Reheat, and Freeze Crockpot Soups
One of the best things about crockpot soup recipes is how delicious they taste leftover. Soup is a perfect crockpot recipe for the week. Not only can you eat these soups from the refrigerator for days, you can freeze them too!
To Store. Let your cooked crockpot soup cool and then store it in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator. Check your specific recipe for information on how long it will keep. Generally 4 to 5 days is safe (though sometimes we’ll push it a bit farther with a vegetable only soup).To Reheat. Gently rewarm your soup in a pot (large enough to hold your leftovers) over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through. If your soup has thickened, add splashes of milk or broth as needed to thin the soup. To Freeze. Place your cooked crockpot soup in an airtight freezer-safe storage container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. If you would like to enjoy your frozen soup one portion at a time, try freezing it in multiple storage containers so you can thaw them one at a time. You also can freeze soup in a freezer ziptop bag. Lay the bag flat so that the soup freezes horizontally for easy storage.
What to Serve with Crockpot Soup
All of these soup recipes are delicious served on their own, but here are a few ideas of what you can serve with your soup if you’d like to stretch the meal:
Bread. Soup and bread are a perfect match! Depending on the soup recipe, either this Crock Pot Bread, Mexican Cornbread, or a crusty loaf from your local bakery would be great for sopping up every tasty drop.Salad. Serve a light, fresh, and versatile salad like Anytime Arugula Salad or Caesar Shaved Brussels Sprouts with your soup.Vegetables. Sides like Roasted Zucchini or Roasted Brussels Sprouts are delicious, healthy options.
Recommended Tools to Make These Crockpot Soup Recipes
Programmable slow cooker. This one is great because it switches to “keep warm” at the end of the cooking time to deter overcooking.Cutting board. My new favorite with TONS of space! This no-slip cutting board is phenomenal as well.Sharp Chef’s Knife. Perfect for chopping any and all soup ingredients. This tool is a worthy investment.Immersion Blender. Excellent for pureeing creamy soups directly in the slow cooker. No more messy transfer to the blender.Ladle. WAY easier than a spoon (even a large spoon) for filling up bowls and transferring leftovers to storage containers.
Now, let’s dive into some of my favorite simple crockpot soups!
Chicken Crockpot Soups
I love chicken crockpot soups! Many of these recipes are my lightened-up adaptations of true family favorites, and they taste every bit as good as the originals. From creamy to citrusy, each of these soups has a completely unique flavor.
Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla SoupSlow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice SoupCrock Pot Chicken and Rice SoupCrock Pot Chicken Noodle SoupLemon Chicken Orzo SoupSlow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
Beef Crockpot Soups
These crockpot soups with beef are some of the most hearty recipes on this list. They’re perfect for a cozy Sunday afternoon watching football or for a delicious weeknight meal that everyone will love!
Crockpot Vegetable Beef SoupCrock Pot Beef StewCrock Pot Hamburger Soup
Vegetable Crockpot Soups
If the thought of vegetable-based soups are not appealing to you, these soup recipes are here to change your mind. Each is packed with deep, rich flavor and tons of healthy nutrients. I’d consider that a win-win!
Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheese SoupCrockpot Potato SoupCrockpot Butternut Squash SoupCrock Pot Tomato SoupCrock Pot Corn Chowder
Other Cozy Crockpot Soups
These cozy soups are some of my favorites (and the favorites of many readers)! Each one has robust flavor and wholesome ingredients. Make a big batch and enjoy the delicious leftovers all week long.
15 Bean SoupCrockpot Tortellini SoupCrockpot Lasagna SoupSlow Cooker Ham and Bean SoupSlow Cooker Turkey Quinoa Chili
If you try one of these delicious healthy crockpot soups (or another from my site), I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. I always love hearing from you♥
