Easy Creamy Potato Soup with Shallots and White Wine
This deliciously satisfying soup is a real winter classic made with simple ingredients. Lots of tender potatoes cooked down and pureed until silky smooth make this crockpot loaded baked potato soup a comfort food favorite.
Add olive oil to a medium skillet over medium high heat and toss in chopped shallot. Add in butter and continue to sauté until shallot begins to caramelize and turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. Splash in the white wine and continue to stir cooking for 3 to 5 more minutes then turn off the heat.
Add 5 cups of cubed russet potatoes to the slow cooker and top with sautéed shallot mixture Splash in 5 cups of vegetable stock and sprinkle in about 1/4 teaspoon of ground white pepper plus 1 teaspoon of coarse sea salt. Stir the potatoes, stock, and seasonings together to combine and cover. Cook on low heat for 6 hours or on high heat for 3 to 4 hours or until potatoes are soft and fork tender.
When cooking time is up, use an immersion blender or food processor to puree the potatoes and cooking liquids into a smooth and silky texture. If desired, ladle out a few of the potato pieces to leave whole and add back in after blending to create a chunky texture within the soup.
Ladle out about 1 cup of the of the pureed soup into a small bowl and pour in half of the cream. Gently whisk or stir together then add the second half of the cream and finish stirring in. Pour the creamy mixture into the slow cooker pot and stir into the rest of the soup.
Continue stirring together until evenly combined. Taste and adjust seasonings to desired taste one final time then put the lid back on. Cook for another 30 minutes to let the soup continue heating through and to thicken slightly more.
To serve, grab small bowls and ladle in some of the baked potato soup. Sprinkle on pinches of shredded cheddar cheese and top it with crispy bacon pieces. Finish with a pinch of bright green sliced scallions and enjoy hot.