This soup has everything you love in a baked potato by the spoonful. Enjoy a filling bowl of this creamy soup today.
Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup
While I love cooking soups in the crockpot, the Instant Pot always comes to the rescue when I need to solve dinner fast. A healthy meal, happy taste buds, filled bellies: we can’t ask for more!
This Instant Pot Baked Potato Soup is a hands-free meal you can cook with staples we always have handy, like potatoes, cheese, broth, and bacon. Meaning: tasty and budget-friendly! Plus, leftovers taste amaaaazing the next day!
While many recipes use heavy cream, this recipe uses half & half (or whole milk). The potato soup turns out creamy but lighter and with fewer calories. Extra points for this epic recipe!
Ingredients
Simple ingredients come together quickly in the Instant Pot for the most delicious baked potato soup! Here’s what you need:
- Onion: an aromatic that makes any meal tastier.
- Yellow potatoes: washed, peeled, and chopped into large chunks.
- Ham steak: simply delicious! You can swap it for bacon.
- Broth: vegetable or chicken broth, you choose!
- Pepper: for seasoning.
- Half and half: creamy, tasty, and lighter than heavy cream. Whole milk also works.
- Shredded cheese: for making this soup super cheesy!
- Bacon: bits of bacon in every spoonful? Perfect!
- Green onions and chives: for sprinkling over this soup.
- Sour cream: adds creaminess and flavor. It’s optional!
For the ingredient measurements, check the recipe card below.
How to Make Potato Soup in the Instant Pot
Place the ingredients in the Instant Pot, and in less than 30 minutes, this incredible Baked Potato Soup will be waiting for you! It’s this simple:
- Add the ingredients
Add onions, yellow potatoes, ham steak, and vegetable broth to the bowl of the Instant Pot. - Close the lid
Close the lid and turn the vent valve to sealing. - Cook
Cook over manual high pressure for 10 minutes, then quick release the pressure. - Add half and half
Once the steam has completely released and the pin has dropped on the lid, open and stir in the half and half and pepper. - Keep cooking
Turn the Instant Pot to sauté and cook the soup for 4 to 5 minutes or until thickened. - Add toppings and enjoy!
To serve, ladle the soup into bowl and top with cheese, bacon, green onions, chives, and sour cream, if using.
Want to start drooling? In this video, I show you how I make the slow cooker version of this recipe:
How to Thicken Potato Soup
The best way to thicken this baked potato soup is breaking up a few pieces of potato with the back of the spoon and stirring. This will release the natural starches in the potatoes, making the soup thicker.
Another method consists of adding flour or cornstarch to the soup. First, you need to combine flour or cornstarch with cold water and whisk to combine to prevent clumps. Once done, add it to the soup and combine. Keep in mind that this method will make the soup no longer gluten-free.
Best Toppings
There’s a reason why cheese, bacon, green onions, and chives are classic potato soup toppings: they taste ridiculously well! I also like to add sour cream for extra creamy texture.
You can also load your potato soup with any kind of shredded cheese, like Cheddar or Parmesan, chopped broccoli, and even chili powder to add heat. The possibilities are endless!
Sides for Potato Soup
This Instant Pot Baked Potato Soup can get even better when you serve it with epic side dishes, like these mouth-watering Bacon Caramelized Brussel Sprouts or this healthy Cranberry Quinoa Salad.
This Caprese Sandwich is a terrific side for hungry bellies, as well as this epic Oven-Toasted Ravioli. Yummy!
How to Store Loaded Potato Soup
Considering double the recipe to enjoy this soup later? Great idea! Baked potato soup leftovers last up to 3 days in the fridge, so you can reheat it and serve it for dinner or pack a terrific lunch in a thermos.
While nothing can stop you from freezing this soup, I don’t recommend it. Both potatoes and half and half are not freezer-friendly since they tend to change their texture, turning the soup into a not-so-appealing one. If you still want to freeze it, store it in single-serving containers for up to 3 months.
Instant Pot Baked Potato Soup (Kid Favorite!)
Ingredients
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 pound yellow potatoes, washed, peeled, and chopped into large chunks
- 8 ounces ham steak, cubed
- 32 ounces low sodium vegetable broth
- 2 cups half and half or whole milk, – about 16 ounces
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Toppings:
- ¾ cup shredded cheese
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
- 4 green onions, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
- Sour cream, optional
Instructions
- Add the onions, yellow potatoes, ham steak, and vegetable broth to the bowl of the Instant Pot.
- Close the lid and turn the vent valve to sealing.
- Cook over manual high pressure for 10 minutes, then quick release the pressure.
- Once the steam has completely released and the pin has dropped on the lid, open and stir in the half and half and pepper.
- Turn the Instant Pot to sauté and cook the soup for 4 to 5 minutes or until thickened.
- To serve, ladle the soup into bowl and top with cheese, bacon, green onions, chives, and sour cream, if using.
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