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Hash Brown Potato Soup

Hash brown potato soup with tender shredded potatoes simmered in chicken broth, then thickened with cream cheese for a rich, creamy texture. Loaded with cheddar and finished with bacon bits and green onions.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
  • 30 oz frozen shredded hash browns thawed
onion, diced
  • 1 onion diced
garlic, minced
  • 4 garlic minced
chicken broth
  • 6 cup chicken broth
cream of chicken soup
  • 10.5 oz cream of chicken soup 1 can
cream cheese, cubed
  • 8 oz cream cheese cubed
shredded cheddar
  • 1.5 cup shredded cheddar
sour cream
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
garlic powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
onion powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
salt
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper to taste
bacon bits
  • 0.5 cup bacon bits for serving
extra cheddar
  • 0.25 cup extra cheddar for serving
green onions
  • 2 tbsp green onions for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the soup base
  1. Combine thawed hash browns, diced onion, minced garlic, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, garlic powder, and onion powder in a large pot. Stir until evenly distributed, with no dry pockets of seasonings.
  2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender.
  3. Mash some of the hash browns directly in the pot to thicken the soup. Look for a slightly thicker body with visible mashed potato throughout.
Make it creamy and serve
  1. Stir in cubed cream cheese until completely melted. Continue stirring until the soup looks glossy and smooth.
  2. Add sour cream and shredded cheddar, then stir until the soup is smooth. The texture should be creamy and evenly colored without streaks.
  3. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Taste and adjust so the flavor pops without overpowering the cheese.
  4. Serve topped with bacon bits, extra cheddar, and green onions. Finish with a fresh-looking garnish for color contrast.

Notes

For the thickest soup, mash more of the hash browns after simmering and stir thoroughly when adding the cream cheese. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently, stirring often to keep it creamy. Freezing is not recommended because the sour cream can break when thawed and reheated. If you want a dairy-light option, use low-fat cream cheese and reduce cheddar slightly to keep the flavor balance.