This hearty Crock Pot Cheesy Potato Kielbasa Soup is the perfect way to warm up and fill up! Loaded with potatoes, kielbasa, shredded cheese and cream cheese this satisfying soup makes a quick and easy dinner.
Cheesy Potato Kielbasa Soup
Whenever I make soup I prefer it to be substantial so I can eat it for dinner on it’s own. I usually don’t think soup is dinner on it’s own. So if I’m going to make soup I like it to be more like a stew than a soup. That means lots of yummy goodies like meat, potatoes and veggies all included. Another hearty soup recipe to try is my Classic Chili!
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This one pot soup/stew fits the bill since it has meat, potatoes and veggies in a rich cheesy sauce. I love to eat it for dinner with a big piece of gluten free bread. Udi’s Gluten Free French Baguettes is my favorite store bought bread because they are the perfect size. Then I usually have the leftovers for lunch all week with a sandwich. Just like a Panera duo but 1/3 the price! Also, be sure to use gluten free Cream of Chicken Soup when making this soup if you need to stay gluten free.
Substitutions for Crock Pot Cheesy Potato Kielbasa Soup
This recipe is very easy to customize. I love any soup that you can use what you have on hand instead of getting a whole grocery list of items. I’ve made it several ways and they all end up turning out delicious each time. Make it however you want or with whatever you have!
Cheese
I like to use sharp cheddar cheese for this recipe that I shred myself (see note below), However, if you don’t like sharp cheddar cheese use whatever cheese you prefer. You can do a blend of cheddar and another cheese.
Potatoes
I used cubed red mini potatoes for this recipe. However, I normally use Yukon gold for all my potato recipes. But the grocery store was out of them so I went with the mini red potatoes. As I said before, you can really use any potatoes you have handy or available! Russet, yukon, red will all work.
I have tried making this with frozen diced potatoes and cubed real potatoes. Both recipes taste delicious. Obviously the frozen potatoes are much easier. If you would like to use those just swap the 1.5 pounds of potatoes for a 32 ounce bag of frozen diced potatoes. I prefer the frozen diced potatoes but if you like hash browns, go for it!
The only reason I use fresh potatoes is because my husband likes his veggies to not be too soft and the frozen potatoes were a little too soft when they finished cooking. If that doesn’t bother you then go for the frozen.
Kielbasa
If you don’t like kielbasa you can swap that for any sausage or hot dogs. You can even use turkey kielbasa to lighten it up! Swap out for ham too.
Tips for Making Cheesy Potato Kielbasa Soup
* Shred your own cheese! I always try to warn people about using the pre shredded cheese that comes in a bag. This cheese has an anit-caking agent that makes it hard to melt down. This will cause your cheese to clump and not melt into the cheesy goodness it should be. (Also, this anti caking is sometimes made with flour so not good for gluten free cooking!)
* Try to check on the soup once and stir. I always like give everything a good stir halfway through to make sure the cheese and cream cheese are melting.
* Cover the potatoes in the liquid as much as possible. You want to make sure all your potatoes cook evenly. If some are sticking out and not covered in liquid they will take longer to cook.
How to Make Crock Pot Cheesy Potato Kielbasa Soup
Step 1. Combine potatoes, kielbasa, sauteed onion, and 2 cups of the cheese in a greased crock pot.
Step 2. In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, cream of chicken and milk. Pour over kielbasa mixture.
Step 3. Stir to combine and sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
Step 4. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or until potatoes are soft.
Step 5. Add cubed cream cheese to slow cooker 30 minutes -1 hour before serving. Stir cubes in to combine.
Looking for more soup recipes?
Food Allergies-
Gluten-Free- I make all my recipes gluten-free since my husband has celiac disease, which means he is allergic to gluten. Be sure to use Gluten Free Cream of Chicken Soup. I use Pacific Foods Cream of Chicken Soup but you can also use Great Value Cream of Chicken Soup from Walmart.
Need a Slow Cooker? My favorite is this Crock Pot 6 quart Programmable Slow Cooker. I love being able to set the timer in case I’m not home when the food is finished cooking and it just switches to warm. Plus you can lock the lid and just carry it to a party. You will never lose another Tupperware or serving dish again at a potluck party!
Cheesy Potato Kielbasa Soup
Ingredients
- 14 oz kielbasa thawed and cut into small pieces
- 1 1/2 pounds mini potatoes, cubed or 32 oz bag of frozen diced potatoes
- 1 small onion diced and sauteed
- 2 1/2 cups shredded cheese shred your own
- 1/3 cup butter melted
- 1 cup whole milk
- 10.5 oz can cream of chicken
- 8 oz cream cheese cubed
Instructions
- Sautee onions in pan. (Optional)
- Combine potatoes, kielbasa, onion, and 2 cups of the cheese in a greased crock pot.
- In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, cream of chicken, and milk. Pour over kielbasa mixture.
- Stir to combine.
- Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
- Cook on high for 4-5 hours.
- Stir in cubed cream cheese 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to serving. Allow the cream cheese to melt and stir to thoroughly combine.
