These easy Crockpot soup recipes are either made right in the slowcooker OR can be prepped ahead on the stovetop, frozen, and then reheated and kept warm in the Crock Pot for a busy night dinner when you're not sure when you'll be home.
The biggest mistake most people make when trying to use a small kitchen appliance is assuming that they need a specific recipe intended exactly for their machine.
If you want to make a Crockpot soup recipe, do not limit yourself to searching for just "Crockpot soups."
Did you know that most soup recipes can actually be cooked right in your slowcooker?? They don't have to be written perfectly for a crockpot soup.
I've gathered together all my tricks and tips for turning any soup recipe into a slowcooker soup along with 16 of my favorite soups that can be made in or heated up with a Crockpot for a super easy family dinner.
The best part? Soup tastes better after it has simmered for a long time, it freezes really well, and the Crockpot heats it up perfectly!
Dinner will be waiting for you on your timetable, whenever you're ready to ladle up a steaming bowl of comfort.
Crockpot Soups vs Stovetop Soups
Our family makes a lot of soup. We're pretty obsessed with it from September - April of most years.
After making hundreds of batches of soup for my family, I can tell you the biggest difference between a slowcooker soup and one that has been simmered on the stovetop:
Browning. That's it.
If your soup recipe has ground meat that needs to be browned and broken up, it should start cooking on the stovetop.
If your vegetables need to be softened and you really want to improve their flavor, saute them in butter on the stovetop.
But the rest of it??
If your soup just needs to simmer to let the ingredients blend together, you can absolutely count on your Crockpot to do the job well.
How to Turn ANY Soup into a Crockpot Soup
If you want to make a Crockpot soup, you don't need to search for just "slowcooker soup recipes."
You can literally turn any soup recipe into a Crockpot Soup with just a few basic tricks:
1. Start on the Stovetop:
If your soup recipe has any of the following ingredients, you'll want to start the recipe in a big pot on your stovetop:
- Ground Meat: ground beef, ground chicken, ground pork, ground sausage, etc.
- Stew Meat: chunks of pork, beef, or chicken that are meant to be in whole chunks in the final stew
- The "Holy Trinity": If your soup starts with the classic mix of onions, carrots, and celery, you may want to consider browning them on the stovetop. This mellows the onions and sweetens the carrots and improves their texture overall.
2. Transfer to the Crockpot:
Once you've browned the necessary starter ingredients, simply scrape them all right into your slowcooker!
Then you can add the broth ingredients, stir, and start the slowcooker cooking.
3. Adjust the Cooking Time:
Your original soup recipe will probably call for 30 minutes to an hour for simmering time to let the flavors mingle. Some soups require a few hours.
To adjust the time on your slowcooker, here's a good rule of thumb:
Original Recipe Calls for 30 Min - 1 Hour:
Let your slowcooker cook for 2 - 3 Hours on HIGH or 3 - 4 Hours on LOW.
Original Recipe Calls for 2 Hours or More:
Let your slowcooker cook for twice as long on HIGH, 2.5x as long on LOW.
4. Check for Doneness:
The last bit of success is just making sure that all meats are cooked to a proper temperature, that the vegetables are nice and tender, and that the broth is well seasoned and full of flavor.
5. A Note on Pasta & Rice:
Many soup recipes also involve some sort of pasta or rice. If you want to cook these in the slowcooker, you have two good options:
- Cook on the Stovetop and Transfer: Cook the pasta perfectly al dente on the stovetop and then just stir it into the soup before serving.
- Reserve Until the Last 30 Minutes: Wait to add the noodles to the Crockpot until closer to the end of your cook time. They'll be overdone if you add them right from the start.
The Best Bread to Serve with Soup
If you want a totally delicious and easy dinner for your family, don't forget to add some fresh bread to your menu when planning a slowcooker soup.
The Best Crockpot Soup Recipes
Delicious and easy to serve for dinner even on a busy school night! Simmer one of these slowcooker soups and the meal will be ready whenever you are! From classic chicken noodle to spicy beef chili, all the best Crockpot soups are right here.
Made In the Slowcooker:
This easy chicken soup has a rich broth, lots of fresh veggies, and tender chunks of chicken with perfectly cooked egg noodles.
Finished in the Crockpot:
This budget-friendly version of Ina's amazing chicken pot pie soup can be cooked right in the slowcooker if you saute the veggies in a pan first.
You could also use the Crockpot to warm up leftovers from your freezer.
This easy slow cooker corn chowder has crispy bacon and sweet corn kernels on top. You can make this at the peak of corn season in the summer and freeze it for later or use frozen corn any time of year.
Made in the Crockpot:
This delicious beef and tortellini soup with a tomato-based broth and fresh green beans is made right in your slowcooker.
Made In the Slowcooker:
This spicy shrim stew is loaded with corn and savory sausage for extra flavor. You can make the entire dish right in your Crockpot.
Made In the Slowcooker:
This delicious chicken taco chili is yummy as a soup on its own or spooned over baked potatoes and topped with sour cream. Make it right in the Crockpot or use the slowcooker to heat up frozen leftovers.
Finished in the Crockpot:
You'll need to start this soup on the stovetop so you can get perfectly caramelized onions but the entire simmering process can easily be done in a slowcooker!
Finish in the Slowcooker:
This unique chicken soup will comfort whatever ails you because it is LOADED with all the home remedies you'd ever want: roasted garlic, lemon, special spices and more.
If you've got a big enough capacity Crockpot, you can cook the entire thing right in there, but a better recommendation is to first make it on the stovetop in a big soup pot and freeze leftovers in smaller containers.
Use your Crockpot to heat up the leftovers, perfect soup to have on hand when you're sick.
Keep Warm in the Slowcooker:
This is another big batch soup recipe that might be better made on your stovetop and reheated in the slowcooker. I freeze big tubs of it every winter for easy dinners in a pinch.
Keep Warm in the Slowcooker:
This chicken taco soup is so easy and fast, I usually just cook it on the stovetop. But leftovers freeze perfectly and would reheat beautifully in a slowcooker.
Keep Warm in the Slowcooker:
The longer this lentil soup simmers, the better it tastes! You'll want to start the soup on the stovetop so you can brown the sausage and saute the veggies, but you could easily cook it in your slowcooker all day for an amazing dinner.
Keep Warm in the Slowcooker:
Like a little variety in your world? This spicy chicken soup features plenty of sweet corn and a touch of coconut and lime for a zesty take on chicken soup. Saute the veggies and then transfer everything to your Crockpot for easy cooking.
Finish in the Crockpot:
Another BIG batch of soup that is best started on the stovetop so you can saute the veggies and cook down the cabbage to reduce the volume before you simmer the soup in your slowcooker. Leftovers freeze great and you could easily reheat them in a Crockpot.
Keep Warm in the Slowcooker:
I've actually made this creamy chicken wild rice soup on my stovetop, in my Instant Pot, and in my Crockpot. Just depends on my schedule for the day. If you want to to it in the slowcooker, just plan to saute the veggies in a pan first.
Keep Warm in the Slowcooker:
Leftovers of this amazing tomato-based chicken soup freeze perfectly. You could keep it warm in a Crockpot for a busy night so it is ready to eat when you are!
Keep Warm in the Slowcooker:
When you need a heartier soup for a super hungry family, you can't go wrong with my stovetop beef stew. I make big batches to freeze and then let it just heat up in a Crockpot for a hands-off dinner.
If you want to cook the whole thing in your slowcooker, just plan to saute the beef and veggies before you simmer the stew.
Keep Warm in the Slowcooker:
The best part about this classic beef chili is just how thick it is. Perfect for spooning with chips. You could simmer it in the Crockpot or make it on the stovetop and freeze leftovers. Then, just warm the leftovers in your slowcooker for the perfect party buffet table dish!
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