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Slow Cooker Potato Soup with Pesto

Cheesy Pesto Potato Soup - Instant Pot + Slow Cooker

Creamy potato soup is the ultimate comfort food! This Cheesy Pesto Potato Soup is a lighter twist on the classic with all the bowl-licking flavor of the original!

Course Soup
Cuisine American
Keyword Cheesy Pesto Potato Soup
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 10 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 332 kcal
Author Jenn Laughlin - Peas and Crayons

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs yukon gold potatoes
  • 1 medium onion (yellow or white)
  • 3 celery ribs/stalks
  • 2-3 TBSP butter
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth plus 1 cup extra if desired
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated sharp white cheddar cheese
  • 2-3 TBSP pesto plus extra for topping
  • 2-3 TBSP chopped green onion
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2-3 TBSP pesto plus extra for for topping (see post for recipe)
  • grated cheddar cheese for topping

GARLICKY CROUTONS:

  • 2 slices whole grain bread
  • 2 tsp olive oil or butter
  • 1/8-1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/8 tsp paprika
  • salt to taste

TASTY TOPPINGS :: Choose your favorites!

  • red peper flakes
  • chopped green onion
  • cheddar, gouda, or parmesan cheese
  • sour cream or greek yogurt
  • crispy bacon
  • veggie bacon bits
  • garlicky croutons
  • extra pesto

Instructions

SLOW COOKER INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Scrub and peel your potatoes and roughly chop.
  2. Chop your onion and celery and toss all your veggies in the pot!
  3. Next add veggie broth, garlic, butter, salt, and pepper.
  4. Set your slow cooker to HIGH and cook for 4-5 hours, or, if you're gone for the day, set it to LOW for 8 hours.
  5. For a silky smooth soup, an immersion blender to blend fully, or leave it a bit chunky by only blending about 2/3 of the soup.
  6. Ready to eat? Simply mix in your milk, cheese, and green onions.
  7. Taste and re-season as needed.
  8. Pile on your choice of toppings from the list above, including lots of tasty pesto, and dig in!

INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Scrub and peel your potatoes and roughly chop.
  2. Chop your onion and celery and toss all your veggies in the pot along with the veggie broth.
  3. Adjust valve to seal, lock lid, and set Instant Pot to 10 minutes.
  4. Once finished, quick release the pressure by carefully switching the valve to vent.
  5. For a silky smooth soup, an immersion blender to blend fully, or leave it a bit chunky by only blending about 2/3 of the soup. You can also use a potato masher for an extra thick and chunky soup - anything goes!
  6. Next add garlic, butter, salt, pepper, milk, cheese, and green onions.
  7. Season to taste (add any extras your heart desires)
  8. Swirl in 2-3 TBSP of pesto, to taste, and top soup with all your favorite toppings from the list above. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

FOR THE CROUTONS: pre-heat oven or toaster oven to 350 degrees F. Chop bread into small cubes, drizzle with melted butter or olive oil and toss to coat. Top with paprika, garlic powder and salt, to taste. Toast until golden brown.

Nutrition Facts below are estimated for soup with pesto and croutons using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed based on extra toppings chosen and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Cheesy Pesto Potato Soup - Instant Pot + Slow Cooker
Amount Per Serving
Calories 332 Calories from Fat 144
% Daily Value*
Fat 16g25%
Saturated Fat 7g44%
Cholesterol 32mg11%
Sodium 828mg36%
Potassium 1043mg30%
Carbohydrates 36g12%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 14g28%
Vitamin A 850IU17%
Vitamin C 28mg34%
Calcium 297mg30%
Iron 8mg44%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.