This potato soup is Instant Pot–ready and can be made in any pressure cooker. It has all of the goodness of a loaded baked potato—including the cheese and bacon—in a comforting and cozy soup.
While the soup is cooking, roast some garlic broccoli, and dinner will be on the table in just about 30 minutes.
Ingredients for Instant Pot Potato Soup
- Potatoes: Peel and cube your potatoes so that they cook evenly.
- Onion: Chopped onions add savory flavor and complement the earthy potatoes.
- Jarred roasted sweet peppers:Â Drain and chop the sweet peppers before adding them to the soup. They add vibrant color, sweetness and a hint of char.
- Celery: Herbaceous celery adds a light anise flavor. Get the most from your ingredient by using the leaves too.
- Chicken broth: Homemade or store-bought will work as the base for this potato soup.
- Garlic powder: Even easier than fresh garlic, the powder adds a toasty garlic note to the soup.
- Rubbed sage: Dried sage has a minty and woodsy flavor that adds complexity to this recipe.
- Flour: All-purpose flour thickens the soup to give it a luscious body.
- Cream: Heavy whipping cream makes the soup rich and decadent.
- Parmesan cheese: Some of this firm, nutty cheese is stirred into the soup to add depth of flavor, and the rest is reserved for garnishing each bowl.
- Bacon: Salty, crunchy bacon is a must for potatoes, whether baked or in soup.
- Fresh cilantro: Adding fresh herbs at the last minute keeps them green and tasting bright. If you don’t like cilantro, try parsley or dill.
Directions
Step 1: Use a pressure cooker to quickly cook potatoes and vegetables until tender
Add the potatoes, onion, sweet peppers, celery, broth and garlic powder to your pressure cooker. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to lock the lid, and cook on high for 15 minutes. Carefully quick-release the pressure.
Step 2: Finish the soup
Set the pressure cooker to the sauté setting. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and 1/2 cup of cream until smooth. Stir into the soup, along with 3/4 cup of the cheese, as well as the bacon, cilantro and the rest of the cream. Cook and stir until it just starts to bubble and thicken, about six to eight minutes. Garnish each bowl with additional Parmesan.
Instant Pot Potato Soup Variations
- Say cheese: The recipe calls for Parmesan, but feel free to use other cheeses you love. Try a sharp cheddar, a melty Gruyère or a spicy pepper jack.
- Bountiful veggies:Â This soup has basic aromatics (celery and onion) and some roasted red peppers, but why stop there? In the finishing step of heating and thickening the soup, you can add frozen peas or chopped spinach for a little extra green.
- That’s a hot potato:Â If you love it spicy, stir in some hot sauce to taste when finishing the soup and garnish with sliced fresh jalapenos.
How to Store Instant Pot Potato Soup
As for most soups, this Instant Pot loaded potato soup can be stored in a covered container in the fridge for three to four days.
How do you reheat Instant Pot potato soup?
Reheat the soup gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat until just bubbling, or in increments in a microwave until hot.
Instant Pot Potato Soup Tips
What are the best potatoes to use?
Russet potatoes withstand heat well and are perfect for soup, but any variety of potato will work.
Can I substitute something else for cream?
You can use half-and-half or whole milk in place of the cream. The finished soup will not be as rich, but it will still taste great.
How do I make this vegetarian?
Replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth, and omit the bacon bits (or use plant-based faux bacon bits).
