Go Back
–+ servings
Two bowls of Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup with bacon, sour cream, green onions and cheddar cheese.
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup

Warm up with a smooth, delicious bowl of this Instant Pot Potato Soup. No need to spend all day in the kitchen, this creamy soup can be made in minutes!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time2 minutes
Come to Pressure Time10 minutes
Total Time27 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American, Instant Pot
Keyword: Instant Pot Potato Soup
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 422kcal
Author: Erica Walker

Equipment

  • 1 Instant Pot Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (or russet potatoes)
  • 6 slices bacon
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 32 ounces chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup milk (optional for thickening)
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch (optional for thickening)
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup shredded cheese
  • shredded cheese (for garnish)
  • chopped green onion (for garnish)

Instructions

  • Rinse and dice potatoes into 1" cubes. Set aside.
    Cutting board with cut potatoes and knife.
  • Set Instant Pot to "Saute" mode and cook bacon until desired crispiness. Remove bacon to paper towels and allow to cool. Crumble bacon and set aside.
    Cooking bacon slices in Instant Pot.
  • Keep Instant Pot on "Saute" mode. Cook onions in bacon grease until transparent and cooked through. Add a little cooking oil if there isn't enough bacon grease to cook the onions.
    Cooking onions in an Instant Pot.
  • Add broth and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the Instant Pot. It is important to scrape up as much as you can off the bottom to avoid getting the burn notice. Press "cancel" on the Instant Pot to stop the "Saute" mode.
    Scraping the bottom of Instant Pot with spatula.
  • Add potatoes and press the "manual" button. Set for high pressure for 2 minutes. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and set the valve to "sealing". Quick release when finished.
    Instant Pot with broth and potatoes.
  • If you want some potato dices in the soup, remove half of the potatoes and set aside. If you want a purely creamy soup with no chunks, leave all the potatoes in the Instant Pot.
    Ladle scooping cooked potatoes from broth into bowl.
  • Use blender or an immersion blender (hand blender) and blend the potatoes in the Instant Pot until creamy.
    Blender with pulsed Potato soup base.
  • If you want a creamier soup, press "saute" on the Instant Pot. Combine milk and cornstarch to make a slurry and slowly stir into the soup. Only add a little at a time until thickened to desired consistency and be sure to constantly be scraping the bottom of the pot to avoid burning. You may not need all of the slurry mixture.
    Mixing bowl with milk and corn starch.
  • Set the Instant Pot to "Warm" and stir in the cream until smooth and well combined. Season with salt and peppers. Add cheese (and potatoes if you have some set aside).
    Ladle with cooked Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup. Green onions, cheese and bacon on the side.
  • Serve immediately and garnish with bacon crumbles, cheese, and chopped green onion.
    Two bowls of Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup with bacon, sour cream, green onions and cheddar cheese.

Notes

  • Use a metal spatula to stir your soup. That way you are always scraping along the bottom to make sure the soup isn't sticking or burning. 
  • If thickening, stir in cornstarch slurry slowly. It will thicken quickly and you may not need all the slurry.
  • Don't freeze the leftovers. Cream soups do not freeze well. It is best to refrigerate in an airtight container. 

Nutrition

Calories: 422kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 644mg | Potassium: 624mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 995IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 141mg | Iron: 1mg