Winter is always soup season here on The Recipe Rebel, and more crockpot soup recipes are always welcome! I’ve posted a ton of new soup recipes this fall already — loads for the slow cooker, Instant Pot, and stove top — that you guys are loving, and I just can’t stop. Now that we’re deep in this love together, I figured it was time to pause, take a little inventory and dig up some new favorites from some blogger friends. Let’s call it a Soup Bucket List, shall we? 😉 These crockpot soup recipes are family-friendly, mostly healthy meals that won’t have your rushing around at 5:00 burning the grilled cheese or emptying the last of the breakfast cereals. I think that “I am most definitely a Super Hero” feeling you get when you pop something in the slow cooker in the morning is undeniable. Having supper checked off my always-too-long to-do lists is a huge win for me! First, I wanted to share some of my tips and tricks to help you see the most success (and maybe save yourself some time)!
How to prep Crockpot Soups ahead of time:
I will always get my slow cooker ready to go the night before if I can, especially if I have to leave the house early in the morning for something. With most soups you can do this easily. Vegetables can be chopped, broth can be added, meat can be cooked and added, and uncooked chicken can be thrown in as well (if the recipe calls for it). There aren’t many soups that can’t be prepped ahead of time. The only thing you need to keep in mind is the type of vegetables that are going in. Normally, potatoes can’t be cut and saved for later. But, they can if you are storing them in liquid! So if you’re making a soup with potatoes, be sure that they’re submerged in the broth if prepping ahead. Most other vegetables are more forgiving and will be fine thrown in and ready to go.
Which crockpot soup recipes can I freeze?
Most soup recipes freeze beautifully after cooking, so I don’t think it’s ever a bad thing to make a big batch and save some for a crazy day. There are a couple types of soup that can be frozen, but may not freeze as well as the rest: creamy soups, pasta soups and potatoes. Milk or cream doesn’t always freeze well, but the higher fat you have the better. If you’re making soup to freeze, I would recommend using a higher fat cream as it won’t be as likely to separate. Cooked pasta in the freezer works fine, but the texture is often softer after thawing than when you put it in. If you’re picky about your pasta being perfectly al dente, then you may not enjoy noodle soups as much as freezing. Potatoes are another thing that can go either way depending on your preferences. If you are picky about the texture of your potatoes, you may want to avoid freezing them.
Tips for knowing your slow cooker:
Every slow cooker and crockpot cooks a little differently, so keep in mind you may have to adjust the timing slightly. If you usually find the cook times too short, your slow cooker may be a little low on heat, and vice versa. A smaller slow cooker will heat more quickly, which may result in a reduced cook time. I always either use my 2.5 quart crockpot (which I love!) or my 6 quart Hamilton Beach slow cooker, and I know the cook time differences between them is significant.A fuller crockpot will cook more slowly, so if you end up doing a double batch of something or adding in more things, keep in mind you may need to increase the cook time.
Here are some of my favorite Crockpot Soup Recipes!
This stovetop soup recipe includes crockpot instructions in the post!
