This Loaded Instant Pot Potato Soup is quick, easy and so hearty. It cooks in no time in the pressure cooker for the perfect comfort food meal.
I have very fond memories of potato soup and hot dogs at church lunches way back when I was a kid.
Although it was probably watered down instant mashed potato flakes, if we’re being honest for a hot minute 😉
Either way, I loved going to those lunches, and it sparked a deep love of potato soup in me, even though the soup I had there was a quick fix to feed a crowd.
The recipe I’m sharing here is quite quick, too… But definitely not made with dehydrated potato flakes.
Loaded Instant Pot Potato Soup
I love making my potato soup in a pressure cooker, because it cooks SO fast, and the potatoes just get so miraculously creamy.
It’s also super hands-off. And you’ll end up with a pot of pure golden bliss.
Watch out for the Leprechauns on St Patrick’s Day! 🍀
How to make the best potato soup:
What potatoes are best for soup?
For soup, I prefer potatoes that get creamy but don’t fall apart.
My favorites are Yukon Gold or red potatoes. The Yukon Gold make the soup a little thicker/creamier and red potatoes hold their shape a little better, but the difference isn’t huge.
How to add flavor to potato soup
The trickiest thing about potato soup is that it can get a little bland, heavy and lack in flavor.
Here are a few ways I like to add flavor to my potato soup, so it ends up tasty:
- sauté bacon, garlic, onions and celery before adding the liquid and potatoes – it adds SO much extra flavor with only a little bit of extra work.
- use dried herbs and nutmeg to add more flavor to the soup.
- finish the soup with sour cream (instead of cream or cream cheese) for a little bit of an uplifting tang
- serve with yummy toppings! we love cheese, bacon and chives
How to thicken potato soup
I way prefer chunky potato soup over cream of potato soup, but I still like the base to be thick and creamy.
I do two things to make a thick potato soup:
- thicken the liquid with a cornstarch slurry
- blend a few cups of the soup, then stir it back into the pot
These combined make for a wonderfully thick and creamy soup with lots of chunky potatoes and bacon bits.
How to store and freeze potato soup:
While this isn’t a recipe where you can prep the ingredients ahead all too well, you can definitely make it ahead in other ways!
How long can you store potato soup in the fridge?
The soup lasts for about 2 days in the fridge. Reheat VERY gently and thin with a little bit of milk.
Can you freeze potato soup?
Yes, with a few caveats you can freeze the cooled potato soup.
- don’t reheat from frozen – make sure the soup is fully defrosted in the fridge
- reheat VERY gently
- slowly thin with milk until it reaches the desired consistency
More Soup Recipes:
- Creamy Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Get the printable recipe for this Instant Pot Potato Soup here:
Loaded Instant Pot Potato Soup
Ingredients
To cook:
- 4 ounces bacon
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 stalks celery diced
- 2.5 lbs potatoes about 5 cups, peeled and diced (into about 1/2 inch cubes)
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 14.5oz cans chicken broth
- Salt & pepper to taste
Add after cooking:
- 1 cup milk
- 1-2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup sour cream
To serve:
- shredded cheddar, cooked bacon and chopped chives optional
Instructions
- Sauté: Set the instant pot to sauté. Sauté the bacon, then remove a few tablespoons for garnish (leave the rest in the pot). Add butter, onion, celery and garlic and sauté until starting to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Turn off the instant pot and add potatoes, thyme, rosemary, nutmeg, broth, salt and pepper.
- Pressure cook: Close the lid on your instant pot and set the valve to “sealing”. Choose “pressure cook” on high for 5 minutes. Once the cooking time is up, do a natural pressure release for 5 minutes (just unplug your instant pot and leave it alone), then manually release any remaining pressure.
- Finish the soup: Open the instant pot lid. Set the instant pot to sauté. Whisk the cornstarch into the milk, carefully stir into the soup (try not to break up the potatoes) and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. If you want a thicker soup, remove 2-3 cups, blend and stir back into the soup. Stir in sour cream and serve with your favorite toppings.
