Cheesy Potato Kielbasa Soup

This hearty Crock Pot Cheesy Potato Kielbasa Soup is the perfect way to warm up and fill up! Loaded with potatoes, kielbasa, and shredded 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 its own. I like a very filling soup for dinner 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 frozen diced potatoes but if you like hash browns, go for it!

The only reason I use fresh potatoes is that 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 anti-caking agent that makes it hard to meltdown. 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!)

* 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 cheese in a greased crockpot.

Step 2. Pour melted butter, cream of chicken, and milk over the 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.

Looking for more soup recipes?

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Tomato Soup

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!