Potato & Mushroom Chowder

Slow cooker potato and mushroom chowder with the kind of low effort that feels like cheating. Sautéed onions and celery get a quick roux made with butter and flour, then the whole works hits the Crock-Pot along with potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms to braise gently for hours.

The two ingredients you keep out of the slow cooker until the end are the milk and the Parmesan. Dairy held at low heat for hours can curdle and break, especially over a six to eight hour cook. Stirring it in during the last 30 minutes gives you a creamy, glossy finish without grainy texture.

The shortcut version using frozen hash browns and frozen carrots cuts active prep down to almost nothing, which makes this a real workday-into-dinner soup. The roux step is what lifts the chowder above watery slow cooker soups. Don’t skip it.

Pro Tips

• Brown the onions and celery properly before they go into the cooker. They won’t get more flavor sitting in liquid
• Cook the flour with the butter for at least a minute before adding water, or the chowder tastes pasty
• Save the Parmesan for the last 30 minutes, stirred in with the milk
• Taste before adding extra salt at the end. Parmesan and canned mushrooms both bring sodium

Variations

• Swap canned mushrooms for sautéed fresh cremini or button mushrooms
• Add a half cup of cooked diced bacon or ham for a smokier soup
• Stir in baby spinach during the last 5 minutes for color and freshness