Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup
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Craving a hearty meal that doesn’t take hours to make? Try our delicious Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup recipe. It’s sure to become a family favorite.
If you like loaded baked potatoes you’re going to LOVE this soup! It’s perfectly chunky, filling and topped with crispy bacon, tangy cheddar cheese, creamy sour cream and fresh green onions. If you like soups with potatoes check out our slow cooker ham and potato soup recipe.
Our version of the classic soup recipe is perfect for busy weeknights or lazy weekends. Or anytime you want a warm meal but don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen. Let the Instant Pot do the heavy lifting and you’ll have dinner on the table in about 45 minutes.
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We’re sharing tips to help you get the best results with this recipe. If you don’t need the tips, scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and a printable recipe card.
Soup season is here and I could not be more excited! As busy as we are, I don’t have time to stand over a pot of soup and tend to it for hours. And soups that have milk and cream usually need a lot of attention so it doesn’t scorch or burn.
BUT, I created a pressure cooker version which allows you to skip all the “watching”. Not to mention, I feel like it’s better than the stovetop version (but that may be because it’s easier to make, ha!).
Cooking dinner in the Instant Pot is one of my go-to’s for busy nights. I love that I can toss everything in the pressure cooker and then it’s pretty much hands off til it’s done. Which leaves enough time to make a batch of our easy Bisquick cheddar biscuits.
And most meals are ready in about 30 minutes, like our easy Instant Pot Mississippi Chicken and Pulled BBQ Chicken recipes.
MORE eASY
Instant Pot Recipes
If you like cream-based soups be sure to try Laura Ashley’s Copycat Dolly Parton’s Stampede Soup recipe – it’s got all the comfort food vibes.
Ingredients for Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup
Bacon – we like to use a thick-cut bacon but you can use whatever you have on hand
Onion
Celery
Garlic
Salt and pepper
Thyme – you can use fresh sprigs or dried
Potatoes – we’ve found russet work best in this recipe
Chicken stock
Whole milk
Heavy cream
Cornstarch
Optional Toppings
Cheddar cheese
Bacon
Chives or Green Onions
Sour cream
Get the complete ingredients & directions in the recipe card below.
How to Make Loaded Potato Soup in the Instant Pot
Place the bacon into the inner pot and set the Instant Pot to Saute. Cook the bacon until it’s crispy, then transfer it to a paper towel to let the grease drain.
Next add the onion, celery, garlic, and seasonings to the pot and saute for 3-5 minutes until everything has softened.
Pour in the chicken stock and scrape the sides and bottom to remove any stuck-on bits. This helps to deglaze the pot which will prevent a burn notice while the soup is pressure cooking.
Stir in the diced potatoes and put the lid on. Push the valve to the Sealing position and cook on High pressure for 8 minutes.
Once it has finished, quick release the pressure by turning the valve to Venting. Be careful – the steam is HOT so you need to keep your fingers and face away from the venting steam. I use a wooden spoon to turn the valve. And if you’re worried about any splatter you can place a kitchen towel loosely over the vent.
Add 2 tablespoons of milk and cornstarch to a small bowl and stir to create a slurry.
Remove the IP lid and change the setting to Saute, then pour in the rest of the milk, heavy cream, and cornstarch slurry.
Stir well and let the potato soup come to a boil. Continue to cook it until it thickens, stirring often, which should take about 5 minutes.
Turn off the pressure cooker and let the soup cool about 5-10 minutes before serving.
Serve in your favorite soup bowls topped with cheese, bacon, chives, and sour cream if desired.
Tips for Making and Storing
- Chop potatoes a similar size for even cooking.
- For a smoother soup, mash potatoes with a potato masher. You can also use an immersion blender if you don’t like chunky soups.
- Leftovers will stay fresh for 3-4 day in the fridge when stored in an airtight container. Reheat leftovers on the stove top over low heat, stirring frequently.
Can you freeze potato soup?
We don’t recommend freezing this potato soup recipe. Because it contains dairy, the liquid part of the soup changes its consistency and loses its creaminess. Additionally, the potatoes tend to soak up the liquid leaving a grainy texture.
More Delicious and Easy Soups:
**Save the Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup Recipe**
Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup
Equipment
- Instant Pot 6 quart
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
- 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and diced into bite size cubes
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Toppings
- Cheddar cheese
- Bacon, cooked and chopped or crumbled
- Chives or green onions, chopped
- Sour cream, optional
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to the Saute setting. Add bacon to the inner pot and cook until crispy. Remove bacon and place on a paper towel to drain.
- Add onion, celery, garlic and seasoning to inner pot. Stir and cook for 3-5 minutes or until onions and celery are softened.
- Add chicken stock to pot. Deglaze the pot by scraping down the sides and bottom to remove any stuck-on bits.
- Stir in potatoes.
- Place lid on Instant Pot turning to close, set the pressure valve to “Sealing” and set to High pressure for 8 minutes.
- When timer goes off, carefully do a quick release of the pressure.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of milk and cornstarch to make a slurry.
- Remove lid from the pot and set to Saute.
- Pour in remaining 1 cup milk, heavy cream and milk slurry mixture.
- Stir to combine and let come to a boil. Cook for about 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally
- Turn off the Instant Pot and let soup cool 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with cheese, bacon, chives and sour cream if desired.
Notes
- Cooking time includes the time it takes to come to and release pressure.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Optional toppings are not included in the nutritional calculations.
Nutritional Estimate
Nutritional information is provided as a reference, using an online calculator. We recommend verifying the information independently for accuracy.
