Instant Pot Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Instant Pot Loaded Baked Potato Soup is a super easy pressure cooker recipe that's perfect for a quick weeknight dinner. Enjoy cheese, bacon, and creamy potato in a smooth, hearty soup.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

This is an easy, cost-effective, and totally yummy dinner idea!

There's no need to use a thickener like flour or cornstarch in this recipe - the potatoes do all the work. After blending potatoes, onion, and garlic, you'll add in several creamy elements to make this soup super rich and decadent. Adding cheese and bacon to that just takes the flavor to a new level!

This one is super simple to make on a weeknight - it can be ready in under 30 minutes. It's also incredibly cost-effective. Serve a whole family for not a lot of dough! 💰

Ingredients

(See ingredient measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.)

• butter
• onion
• minced garlic
• salt
• black pepper
• Russet potatoes - Yukon gold potatoes are also a good option, but Russets really do the trick; no need to spend more on Yukon gold if it isn't necessary!
• chicken broth - Either homemade chicken broth, canned, or from bouillon cubes works.
• cream cheese
• sour cream
• half-and-half - If you'd like to use heavy cream you can, but the soup will already be thick and rich from the pureed potatoes - no extra heaviness is necessary! You can even use whole milk without losing much of the richness.
• shredded sharp cheddar cheese - I like the bite of sharp cheddar against the creaminess of the soup.
• cooked & crumbled bacon
• green onions

Variations, Additions, & Topping Ideas

• Want to make this recipe vegetarian? Just omit the bacon and use vegetable broth!
• Making it vegan is a little more tricky, but it can be done. In addition to the vegetarian subs use...
  • Olive oil instead of butter
  • Tofutti brand of sour cream and cream cheese
  • Almond or oat milk instead of half-and-half
  • Vegan shredded cheddar cheese
• This potato soup is already naturally gluten-free; no alterations are needed.
• Additional topping ideas:
  • Extra sour cream
  • Pico de Gallo
  • Fried jalapenos
  • Cooked sausage
  • Sriracha mayo
  • Fresh herbs (thyme, sage, basil)
  • Bagged French fried onions

Tools & Supplies Needed

• Vegetable peeler
• Instant Pot
• Wooden spoon
• Immersion blender

If you love easy Instant Pot dinners, give my Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese or Cheesy Chicken and Rice recipes a try!

How to Make Instant Pot Potato Soup: Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Sauté and deglaze.

Set Instant Pot to sauté mode. Once hot, add butter. When the butter is melted, add chopped onion and saute for 3-5 minutes, until translucent. Season with salt and pepper.

Add garlic and saute for about a minute.

Add chicken broth to the pan and scrape up the brown bits at the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.

Step 2: Pressure cook.

Add potatoes and seal on the lid.

Set Instant Pot to manual pressure cook, high pressure, 15 minutes. Once cook cycle is over, quick release the pressure by turning the valve on the lid.

Step 3: Blend.

Remove the lid of the Instant Pot. Using an immersion blender, blend the potatoes.

Step 4: Blend creams and cheeses.

Add cream cheese, sour cream, and half and half. Stir well, until cream cheese is melted. Add half of the cheddar cheese and half of the crumbled bacon and stir until cheese is melted.

Step 5: Garnish and serve.

Pour soup into bowls and garnish soup with remaining cheese, bacon, and chopped green onions.

Alternate Method: Crock Pot Instructions

You can also make this loaded potato soup in the slow cooker! Just add all ingredients (reserving half of the cheddar, half of the bacon, and green onion) to a Crockpot and set the cooker for low, 8 hours.

Thirty minutes before serving, blend everything together with an immersion blender or potato masher. Garnish with remaining ingredients.

Alternate Method: Stovetop Instructions

To make this soup on the stovetop, saute the onion and garlic in butter over high heat (seasoning with salt and pepper). Reduce the heat to medium and add chicken broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes.

Once potatoes are soft, blend with an immersion blender or potato masher. Add half-and-half, sour cream, cream cheese, half the cheddar, and half the bacon, stirring until just blended.

Garnish with remaining ingredients.

Leftovers & Storage

This soup should be stored in the fridge for up to 3-4 days after preparation. Store it in an airtight container to prevent any food smells from blending into the soup. (Tip: this silicone lid is perfect for storing Instant Pot foods right in the stainless steel liner!)

To reheat, simply add soup to microwave-safe bowls and microwave a serving for about a minute, stirring well after heating.

Can I freeze this potato soup?

Yes, this is a great soup to freeze. I actually froze the soup you see me making in this post's pictures!

To freeze, cool the soup and spoon into a gallon freezer bag. Lay flat to freeze. This soup is good in the freezer for up to 6 months.

To thaw, place the frozen soup in the fridge overnight.

Great Dessert Pairings

This instant pot loaded potato soup is great on its own - no side items are needed! But, if you want a yummy dessert to accompany your soup, here are a few ideas:

• Lemon Cheesecake Bars
• Chocolate Strawberry Earthquake Cake
• Pecan Pie Dump Cake
• Cookie Butter Pie

More Expert Tips & Tricks

• The degree to which you blend the potatoes is totally up to you. You can puree very little of the potatoes if you like a chunkier texture. If you like a smooth, creamy texture, really blend the potatoes!
• If you want a lot of extra texture in the soup, use either Yukon gold potatoes or red potatoes and leave the peel on when cooking.
• The potatoes should be chopped into 1-2" pieces to ensure they will be properly cooked through.

Instant Pot Loaded Baked Potato Soup FAQs