The Easiest Instant Pot Potato Soup

This instant pot potato soup comes together in about 40 minutes and is made with simple ingredients so it’s easy to prepare on a busy weeknight! Loaded with bacon, potatoes, onion, carrot, celery, heavy cream, and sharp cheddar this easy potato soup is the ultimate comfort food that the whole family will love. Plus it’s cooked all in one pot!

 

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Bacon: I like to dice the bacon before adding it to the pot so that it cooks quickly and uniformly. You could also use ground sausage or another protein if you prefer.
• Mirepoix: Onion, celery, and carrots make up the mirepoix for this soup which creates a super flavorful base. To save prep time, check your local grocery store for pre-chopped mirepoix!
• Garlic: Freshly minced garlic is my go-to, but 3/4 of a teaspoon of garlic powder will also work in a pinch. 
• Italian Seasoning: If you don’t have Italian seasoning on hand, mix together dried basil, dried oregano, dried rosemary, dried thyme, and dried marjoram or a combination of the dried herbs you have on hand.
• Ground Sage: Sage adds a wonderful earthy flavor. I typically use ground sage but if you’re using rubbed sage you can add double the amount called for in the recipe.
• Flour: All-purpose flour works best for this recipe. It helps to thicken the broth and make it super creamy.
• Chicken Stock: For flavor, I like to use chicken stock or chicken broth, but vegetable broth or even beef broth will work too.
• Yukon Gold Potatoes: In my experience, for creamy soups like this one, the Yukon gold potato is the best option. They cook quickly and get super creamy when blended.
• Bay Leaves: Dried bay leaves are a must for simmering any soup because they add a complex peppery flavor that takes everything to the next level.
• Heavy Cream: Use heavy cream for the best flavor and texture. You can substitute half and half or whole milk but the consistency will be thinner.
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese: We’re big fans of sharp cheddar cheese over here and it’s the classic cheese choice for all things loaded potatoes, so I highly recommend a sharp cheddar if you have it.
• Red Wine Vinegar: A little splash of acid, like red wine vinegar, is my secret weapon for all creamy soup recipes. Adding vinegar to creamy soups makes all the other flavors pop and pulls all the spices and dairy elements together. You can sub with white wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar instead.

How to Make Easy Potato Soup

Turn the instant pot to sauté mode and cook the diced bacon until browned and crispy. Carefully remove cooked bacon with a slotted spoon leaving the grease and brown bits behind.

Sauté onion, celery, and carrot. Then add garlic, Italian seasoning, sage, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper to the pot and continue cooking.

Sprinkle veggies with flour and cook, frequently stirring for 1 minute.

Add a few large splashes of broth and deglaze the pot using a wooden spoon to scrape all the yummy bits off the bottom of the pot. Add potatoes, the remaining broth, bay leaves, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

Seal the lid on the instant pot and pressure cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Use the manual quick release valve to release the pressure. Use an immersion blender or a high-speed blender to blend the soup. Stir in heavy cream, cheddar cheese, and vinegar until the cheese is melted.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with crisp bacon, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and chives or green onions, and enjoy!

Stovetop Instructions

You can totally make this soup on the stovetop if you don’t have an instant pot!

• Heat a large heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Add diced bacon and cook, frequently stirring, until browned and crispy. Carefully remove cooked bacon with a slotted spoon leaving the grease behind.
• Add onion, celery, and carrot to the pot along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper.
• Cook, occasionally stirring for about 6-8 minutes.
• Add garlic, Italian seasoning, sage, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper to the pot. Cook, frequently stirring for 1 minute.
• Sprinkle veggies with flour and cook, stirring frequently for 1 minute.
• Add a few large splashes of broth and deglaze the pot scraping all the yummy bits off the bottom.
• Add potatoes, the remaining broth, bay leaves, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
• Turn heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 10-12 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through and fork tender.
• Use an immersion blender or a high-speed blender to blend the soup.
• Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream, cheddar cheese, and vinegar until the cheese is melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Garnish with crisp bacon, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and chives, and enjoy!

How to Make This Soup Ahead of Time

• This instant pot potato soup recipe is the perfect make-ahead meal!
• Simply make as directed and store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
• Once you’re ready to eat, reheat on the stove or in the microwave and enjoy!
• Be sure to season to taste with salt and pepper after reheating.

Recipe Variations

• If you’re looking to make this recipe vegetarian, omit the bacon or use vegetarian bacon.
• If you want to make this recipe dairy-free you can use coconut milk or Silk heavy cream in place of the regular heavy cream. You can then either leave the cheese out altogether or use vegan shredded cheddar cheese.
• To make this recipe gluten-free, you can use arrowroot powder or almond flour in place of the all-purpose flour.
• If you want a chunkier soup, skip the blending portion of the recipe instructions. If you want a soup that’s silky smooth and creamy but still has chunks of veggies, just transfer half the soup to a high-speed blender and blend, then add it back into the pot and stir to combine. This will yield a more chowder-like consistency.

Recipe Tip

• Moderately salt your soup throughout the cooking process. Because this instant pot recipe is made with simple ingredients, it’s important to add salt and pepper each time you’re incorporating new ingredients. They’re going to go a long way in boosting the overall flavors of the dish!

The Best Potato for Creamy Potato Soup

I’m a massive fan of Yukon golds, especially for a creamy instant pot potato soup you’re blending! If I’m making a chunky soup where I’ll be leaving large pieces of potato, I usually tend to stick with baby red potatoes or Russet potatoes. However, Yukon golds are super creamy and almost a little buttery once they’re cooked so blend really beautifully into a creamy soup.

What setting do you use for soup in the Instant Pot?

I prefer to just use the manual setting and choose the length of time that it cooks instead of using the soup setting on the instant pot.

Should you peel potatoes for potato soup?

You don’t have to! In this recipe, we blend the instant pot potato soup until it’s smooth and creamy so the skins just get blended right up anyway. Of course, you certainly can peel the potatoes before adding them to the soup if you prefer, but it won’t make much of a difference in the finished dish.

Why isn’t my potato soup creamy?

The best way to get that smooth, velvety texture in your potato soup is to add heavy cream. You don’t have to add much to get that creamy texture but if you skip it will notice a difference. If you’re looking for a lower-calorie option you could use half and half but my advice would be just to use real heavy cream and use a bit less.

How do you thicken potato soup?

One of the best ways to thicken potato soup is to make a roux. In this recipe, we don’t actually make a classic roux but the base of our soup has the same components. The grease from the bacon will combine with the flour to thicken up the soup and make it super creamy with no extra work required on your part! If you don’t want to use flour, you can also add a cornstarch slurry (made with cold water) to the soup along with the heavy cream and shredded cheddar cheese.

You Will Love This Potato Soup

• It’s an incredibly easy, one-pot meal! The great thing about the instant pot is that it makes creamy soups like this one even more effortless. The sauté function allows you to crisp up the bacon and saute the veggies and the pressure cook option gives you the freedom to throw it all together and let it go! This easy potato soup will quickly earn a spot in your monthly meal rotation.
• It’s made with pantry staples! My favorite soup recipes start with a mirepoix, pantry spices, and broth. That is honestly all you need to get a delicious flavor base for any soup – especially this creamy potato soup!
• If you loved this pressure cooker soup recipe, be sure to check out my instant pot lentil soup, instant pot chicken and rice soup, and my instant pot chicken chili.

Storage, Freezing, and Reheating

• Storage: Store leftover instant pot potato soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
• Freezing: You can also freeze this soup in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat and serve.
• Reheating: Reheat this loaded baked potato soup by placing it in a saucepan on the stovetop. Cook over medium to medium-low heat until warmed through. Whisk in a splash of broth or cream to loosen up the soup before reheating. You can also microwave the soup in 30-60 seconds increments until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Serve Potato Soup With

• Easy 5-Minute Garlic Bread
• Green Salad with Grilled Halloumi
• Cheesy Olive Bread
• Caprese Garlic Cheese Bread
• Olive Oil Bread Dip

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