This Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup is a creamy comfort food classic. It's a cozy, hearty meal full of tender, chunky potatoes and classic baked potato toppings. In this post, I'll show you how to make it quick and easy in your Instant Pot in just 30 minutes.
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Why This Recipe Works
This easy Instant Pot baked potato soup recipe is full of rich, creamy flavor. It's thick, hearty, and satisfying, making it a perfect cold weather soup. And making potato soup in the Instant Pot is so quick and easy. Just 30 minutes is all you need and, best of all, there's just one pot to clean up!
For another hearty Instant Pot soup check out my Instant Pot Chicken Stew recipe!
Ingredient Notes
- Potatoes - I recommend Russet potatoes for this soup. When cutting your potatoes, keep them around ½ to ¾ inch in size so they will cook evenly.
- Heavy Cream - The cream makes this soup rich and indulgent. Half-and-half will also work for a slightly lighter soup.
- Toppings - This soup features classic loaded baked potato toppings like bacon, cheddar cheese, and chives.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Note: I made my crumbled bacon ahead of time for this soup, but you can do it right in your Instant Pot if you want. Just cut your bacon into small strips and sauté until well browned. Then, set aside and drain off the grease before proceeding as directed.
- Sauté - Set your Instant Pot to Sauté mode and allow it to preheat. Then melt the butter and add in the onion. Cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent, then turn off the pot, add the minced garlic, and cook for another minute.
- Pressure Cook - Add the chicken broth, diced potatoes, salt, and pepper. Then close the lid and pressure cook on Manual for 10 minutes. Carefully quick release the pressure until the pin drops, then open the lid.
- Thicken - Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode. Stir together the cream and cornstarch in a measuring cup to make a slurry, then add to the pot and stir. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes until thickened.
- Add Toppings - Turn off the pot and stir in ½ cup of shredded cheese and around half of your bacon and chives. The serve in bowls and top each serving with the remaining cheese, bacon and chives.
Optional: For Smooth Potato Soup
If you prefer your potato soup smooth instead of chunky, after step 3, blend the soup with an immersion blender or transfer it to a regular blender and blend until smooth. Then, proceed with adding your toppings. You can do half pureed and half not also if you'd like.
Recipe Tips
- To create the thick and creamy base for potato soup you need to use a heavy cream or half-and-half. The base will be much thinner and less flavorful if you substitute milk.
- Try to cut your potatoes small and evenly so they will cook evenly. No one wants to take a bite of raw potato!
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Reheat in a pot over medium heat until warmed through. Smaller portions can be reheated in the microwave.
Potato Soup FAQs
I do not recommend freezing potato soup because of the cream. If you want to make this to freeze, prepare through step 2, then cool and freeze for up to 3 months. Then add the cream, cornstarch, and toppings when you reheat it.
I recommend using Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes. These varieties will get nice and soft during the cooking process. Red potatoes can also be used, but the texture will be firmer.
If using Yukon Gold or Red Potatoes you can leave the skin on for a more rustic potato soup. Just be sure to wash them well.
You can use flour instead of cornstarch to thicken this soup. Cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour, so you'll need 4 tablespoon (¼ cup) of flour.
To avoid lumpy soup, I reccomend making a beurre manié. Which is a mixture of softened butter and flour. The butter coats the flour particles and melts as you mix it in which helps prevent lumps. It also adds more buttery richness to the soup.
To make a beurre manié, mix ¼ cup of softened butter and ¼ cup of flour in a small bowl until it forms a thick paste or soft, dough-like ball. Whisk in about ¾ of the mixture after adding the cream and bring to a simmer for 2-3 minutes using the Sauté mode on your Instant Pot. If needed, whisk in more of the mixture until thickened to your taste.
More Soup Recipes
For more tasty soup recipes check out my soup recipe collection! I've listed a few of my favorites below:
- Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup
- Quick and Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup
- White Bean Soup with Kale and Chicken Sausage (Instant Pot)
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2.5-3 pounds russet potatoes, cut into ½-¾ inch cubes
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream, or whole milk
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 Tablespoon chopped chives
Instructions
- Set your Instant Pot to Sauté mode and allow it to preheat. Then melt the butter and add in the onion. Cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent, then turn off the pot and add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add the chicken broth, diced potatoes, salt, and pepper. Then close the lid and pressure cook on Manual for 10 minutes. Carefully quick release the pressure until the pin drops, then open the lid.
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode. Stir together the cream and cornstarch in a measuring cup to make a slurry, then add to the pot and stir. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes until thickened.
- Turn off the pot and stir in ½ cup of shredded cheese and around half of your bacon and chives. The serve in bowls and top each serving with the remaining cheese, bacon and chives.
Notes
Nutrition
* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.
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