Instant Pot Potato Soup is a fast and easy beginner recipe! A hearty and creamy soup made with milk, potatoes, bacon, cheese, and onion for a loaded potato soup recipe. A great Instapot recipe for cold weather.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time8 minutesmins
Total Time18 minutesmins
Course: Main Course, Side Dish, Soup
Cuisine: American, International
Keyword: 30 Min or Less, Gluten Free, Pork, Winter
chopped baconcooked, for topping, if desired (can be cooked in step 1 and kept aside for serving)
Instructions
Chop the bacon and cook in the Instant Pot on the sauté setting until crispy. Remove the bacon and set aside. Leave the bacon fat in the pot.
Add the onions to the bacon fat and cook on the sauté function until translucent but not browning, approximately 4 minutes.
Add the cornstarch, thyme, and garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add your stock and potatoes to the pot. Put the lid on. Cancel the cooking on the Instant Pot and then set the pot to manual cooking, set for 8 minutes. Make sure the pressure valve is closed.
Once the pressure cooking has completed, use the manual release by turning the valve in the back to release the steam and pressure. When the pressure is gone and the lid clicks, remove the lid.
Use a potato masher to mash some of the potatoes (as much or little as desired - I like it chunky so I mash about 1/3).
Add the milk and cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Add the bacon now too if desired, or keep it all for serving if you want it to stay crispy.Season to taste with cheese, salt, and pepper.See notes below regarding soup consistency and adjust as desired if necessary. I do not adjust consistency until after cheese is added as the cheese will help thicken.After the consistency is set, season to taste again with salt and pepper as needed.
Serve with additional toppings as desired such as cheese, sour cream, green onions/chives, and crispy bacon.
Video
Notes
You can also use red or Yukon gold potatoes. however the are waxy and will hold their shape more than a russet.
Whole milk is recommended because it is creamier and richer than a lighter milk. Lighter milks like 2% can be used however your soup will likely be thinner and might taste a little less creamy.
Soup Thickness:
If you prefer a thicker soup, more similar to a stew, reduce chicken stock to 2 cups.
The exact thickness or consistency will vary based on (1) how many potatoes are mashed, (2) type of milk used and (3) the cheese you use.
When you get to the end, if too thick, add a little more water, stock, or milk (1/2 cup at a time). If too thin, mash more potatoes, add more cheese, or make a slurry by whisking .5-1 Tablespoons cornstarch (1-2 Tablespoons of flour) with a little of the soup liquid in a small bowl, add back to the pot, stir, and simmer until it thickens.
Once you achieve the consistency you want, season to taste.