Instant Pot Potato Soup is warm, creamy, and loaded with flavor. It is so quick and easy to cook up bacon, onion, and celery in a pressure cooker, then add broth and potatoes to get a filling soup in half the time. Enjoy this baked potato in a bowl as it is, or easily make it dairy-free.
I’m just not sure if there is anything else more comforting than a big ole’ bowl of some ultra-creamy Loaded Potato Soup.
Plus, when you use the Instant Pot, it cooks it up in a fraction of the time, so you don’t have to wait long to get to that heart-warming and soul satisfying bowl of comfort food.
A few secrets that make this recipe so darn good:
- Start with a base of bacon fat that infuses throughout the entire soup.
- Add in a few herbs to give it some notes that make the taste buds dance.
- A good bit of milk is used along with the broth to really make this soup creamy.
- Then it’s all blended together into smooth perfection.
If you love baked potatoes (like these Air Fryer Baked Potatoes or these Cheesy Hasselback Potatoes), then you have to try this recipe.
And it is perfect to warm back up for a quick lunch, that is if you have any left over!
Or, whip up a batch just because it’s a fun Friday night! There are no rules here.
Ingredients
- Potatoes. Opt for Russet for the best texture. While red or Yukon gold potatoes can be used, they are waxy and the final result won’t be the same.
- Milk. Regular or a plant-based version both work. Oat milk is the preferred dairy-free alternative. Choose a full fat kind for the creamiest soup with the most flavor.
- Herbs. A combination of thyme and rosemary is best, but you can get creative and swap these out for your favorites.
- Bacon. Choose your preferred style and flavor. The fat is used to make the base, but you can top the soup with bacon bits, as well.
- Garlic. Minced garlic adds so much to the profile of the soup! You can use ¼ teaspoon garlic powder if needed.
- Vegetables. Onion and celery create the base of the soup, you can use white, sweet, or yellow, depending on your preference.
- Broth. Chicken or vegetable broth are the mildest flavored, but you could use beef if that is all you have.
- Cornstarch. This thickening agent is essential to get the perfect consistency.
How to Make Instant Pot Potato Soup
Please see the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and more detailed instructions.
Prepare the Potatoes
Rinse each potato and scrub the outsides to remove any dirt or debris.
Remove the skins with a vegetable peeler.
Cut each one into 1-inch chunks.
You can leave the skin if you’d like, but it will yield a chunkier texture to the soup.
Sauté the Bacon and Veggies
Turn your Instant Pot to sauté mode.
Cut the bacon into small chunks.
Carefully add the bacon to the bottom of the pot. Cook the pieces for 6 to 8 minutes, or until they’re crispy.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon, but leave the fat in the pot. Set the bacon chunks on a paper towel-lined plate.
Add the butter to the bacon fat, then carefully place the onion and celery into the pot. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
Toss in the garlic and continue cooking for an extra 30 seconds.
Add the Potatoes and Cook
Pour the chicken broth into the pot and add the dried herbs, salt, and pepper. Use a spatula to deglaze the pot, ensuring no brown bits are stuck to the bottom.
Carefully place the potato chunks into the broth. Try to submerge them as much as possible.
Put the lid on and turn the valve to sealed. Manually set it to high pressure, and pressure cook for 10 minutes.
Do a quick release of the pressure as soon as the time is up.
Purée and Thicken
While the soup is cooking, combine the warmed milk and cornstarch in a medium-sized bowl. Use a whisk to thoroughly mix the ingredients.
After you have done the quick pressure release, pour the slurry in and stir the mixture well.
If you have an immersion blender, purée the soup in the pot until it is smooth.
You can use a food processor or high-speed blender for this step, as well. Be very careful transferring the hot liquid. Process the soup in more than one batch, if needed.
Serve this soup like you would a baked potato! Some of the best toppings are:
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Green onions
- Bacon pieces
- Homemade croutons
Enjoy!
Meal Prep and Storage
- To Prep-Ahead: This soup can easily be made the day before. Or, chop up the potatoes, but keep them in an Ziploc bag in the fridge.
- To Store: Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days.
- To Freeze: Be sure to allow this soup to cool completely in the refrigerator before freezing in a glass or plastic freezer-safe container for up to 4 to 6 months.
- To Reheat: This dish is delicious warmed back up on the stovetop. You can also use the microwave.
Dietary Modifications
The recipe you’ll find below is already gluten-free as written. Here are some adjustments and substitutions you can make to help it fit your other dietary requirements:
- Dairy-free: Opt for a dairy-free milk and butter alternative.
- Vegetarian: Skip the bacon and use vegetable broth.
FAQs
When you make potato soup with a broth base, like this recipe, it is relatively healthy. Using a cornstarch slurry and milk instead of heavy cream reduces the amount of calories and fat. Potatoes are a good source of vitamin C, potassium, carbohydrates, and fiber, as well.
Be sure to choose a starchy potato, like Russet, and don’t overprocess them after cooking to avoid a sticky or gluey soup.
An easy cornstarch and milk slurry added at the end of cooking should thicken the soup right up.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Be picky. Choose a starchy potato, like Russet, for the best texture.
- Bacon first. Cooking bacon before the vegetables adds SO much flavor.
- Sauté all day. Don’t skip this step as the onions and celery come together to create a delicious base.
- Immerse yourself. An immersion blender is the easiest way to purée the soup.
- Double it up. This soup is so easy to make and perfect to save some for another easy meal.
What to Serve with Potato Soup
Pair this creamy and filling potato soup with any of these dishes for a hearty meal:
- Air Fryer Meatloaf
- Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
- Pasta Primavera
- BLT Pasta Salad
- Blackened Mahi Mahi
- Olive Garden Chicken Marsala
More Instant Pot Soup Recipes
Instant Pot soups are so quick and easy! Try one of these cozy recipes next:
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Vegetable Soup
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Ingredients
- 2 ½ lbs. russet potatoes
- 4 oz. bacon finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp. butter or oil
- 4 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 small onion diced
- 3 ribs celery diced
- 3 cups broth chicken or vegetable, regular sodium
- ½ tsp. each of thyme and rosemary dried
- 2 tsp. salt to taste
- ½ tsp. black pepper to taste
- 1 cup milk regular or a plant-based alternative
- 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
Toppings:
- Sour cream
- Cheese shredded
- Chives or green onions
Instructions
- Rinse and scrub potatoes to remove any visible dirt and then cut into 1-inch chunks.
- Add bacon to a 6-quart Instant Pot set to the saute function and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until crispy.
- Remove bacon using a slotted spoon and keep the remaining bacon fat in the pot. Let the bacon pieces drain on a paper towel lined plate.
- Add butter, onion and celery and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and continue sauteing for an additional 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
- Pour in the broth and then add the dried herbs, salt, and pepper. Scrape the bottom of the pot to release any bits or pieces that might be stuck.
- Add the peeled and cubed potatoes to the pot and submerge them as far into the liquid as possible.
- Using the manual function, set the Instant Pot to high pressure and the timer to 10 minutes. Quick release the pressure as soon as the timer goes off.
- While the soup is cooking, whisk together warmed milk and cornstarch in a medium-sized bowl to make a slurry.
- Once the soup has cooked, pour in the slurry, give it a good stir, and then puree the soup using an immersion blender until smooth. Alternatively, you can carefully transfer the hot soup to either a food processor or high speed blender and blend until smooth.
- Serve the soup with all of your favorite baked potato toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions, and those reserved bacon pieces. Enjoy!
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Notes
Meal Prep and Storage
- To Prep-Ahead: This soup can easily be made the day before. Or, chop up the potatoes, but keep them in an airtight bag in the fridge.
- To Store: Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days.
- To Freeze: Be sure to allow this soup to cool completely in the refrigerator before freezing in a glass or plastic freezer-safe container for up to 4 to 6 months.
- To Reheat: This dish is delicious warmed back up on the stove top. You can also use the microwave.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
