Creamiest Instant Pot Loaded Baked Potato Soup
When I think of cozy, comfort food, my dump-and-cook Instant Pot Loaded Baked Potato Soup instantly comes to mind. One of the creamiest one-pot soups you will ever try. Cheesy and satisfying, it takes just 10 minutes to pressure cook, and I serve it with my favorite baked potato toppings. A family favorite that I can always rely on.
Instant pot recipes are a great time-saver. I especially enjoy making soup in my pressure cooker, since it takes less time and effort. Among other favorites is this Cheesy Potato Soup, and also this irresistible French Onion Soup, and you can’t have comfort food without naming this Ham and Potato Soup.
Table of contents
Just like a delicious baked potato, this creamy homemade soup is loaded with sour cream, lots of bacon, and cheddar cheese. With a luxuriously smooth and rich texture, it is perfect for dipping crusty bread into it. To achieve the soup’s unmistakable buttery texture, I have used a combination of sour cream, cream cheese, and heavy cream, with the secret ingredient being condensed soup.
I guarantee you that this delicious recipe will quickly become a family favorite, and the best part is that it has been tested on picky eaters and it has been kid-approved in my family. The recipe is so fuss-free that I can even make it on a busy weeknight, but it’s also so hearty, filling, and delicious that it makes the perfect starter on special occasions.
Why you will love this recipe
- Soup in 30 minutes: In just 30 minutes, I can make delicious homemade soup packed with bacon, cheese, and sour cream. This is the ideal recipe for a busy weeknight, when you still crave homemade comfort food.
- Potatoes stay chunky: The potatoes don’t turn into mush, unlike some recipes. I like to have some potato chunks to bite into.
- Flavorful and cheesy: With all the garlic, onion, and other herbs and spices, this soup is bursting with flavor. I love my potato soup rich and decadent, so I stir in a reasonable amount of cheddar cheese into it.
- My secret ingredient: I also add a secret ingredient that gives my soup a boost of creaminess and potato flavor.
What you will need
- Potatoes: I use a whole five-pound bag of Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed into the same-sized pieces.
- Other veggies: I also add diced celery to balance out the richness of the cream and potatoes, while adding texture as well. Chopped yellow onion has a savory flavor with a hint of sweetness and contains enough sugar to aid in caramelization. Minced garlic offers richness and complexity, along with a wonderful aroma that garlic powder cannot replicate.
- Wet ingredients: I use low-sodium chicken broth as the base because I prefer to control the amount of salt in my soup. Evaporated milk lends the soup velvety creaminess and does not separate like sour cream, allowing it to be added during the cooking process. I also use heavy whipping cream to give it a luxurious buttery taste that also thickens the soup.
- Seasonings: I like to use dried thyme and oregano to give my soup an earthy, minty, and herbal flavor that adds depth, along with a bit of red pepper flakes for a subtle touch of heat. And of course, salt and pepper as needed.
- My secret ingredient: It may seem like overkill, but I like to add a can of condensed cream of potato soup to the mixture. This makes it creamier, adds more potato flavor, and makes it richer and more satisfying.
After cooking:
- Cheeses: Once the pressure is released, the cream cheese, sour cream, and cheddar cheese can be added to melt.
- Bacon: I also add crispy bacon to whisk in with the cheese to make it incredibly delicious.
How to make
Cook the soup: First, I add all the ingredients to the pot and stir well. Then, I close the lid and cook for 10 minutes. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to come to pressure, though.
Mash the potatoes: After it is done cooking, I let it naturally release for 10 minutes and then open the vent. I open the lid and use a potato masher to mash just some of the potatoes.
Melt the cheese: Next, I add the bacon, cream cheese, sour cream, and cheddar cheese, whisking until they are combined and melted.
Serve with toppings: Finally, I serve the soup with my favorite toppings, such as additional bacon and cheese, green onions, and chives.
Expert tip
The best potatoes for potato soup
For this recipe, I highly recommend using starchy potatoes such as russets. I like Yukon Golds because they are both starchy and slightly waxy, which allows them to hold together better. I want to have chunks of potatoes in my soup, and russets tend to get too mushy to hold their shape. So, if you’re looking for chunks, opt for Yukon Gold potatoes or even waxy potatoes, such as red potatoes, because they retain their shape.
More tips to consider:
- Be sure to cut the potatoes about the same size so they cook evenly. I cut my potatoes into one-inch cubes.
- For creamier soup, I use an immersion blender. Or pour the soup into a food processor or blender.
- I shred the cheese myself. The store-bought stuff is treated with something that prevents it from sticking together, and it doesn’t melt well either.
- Do not add cream cheese, cheddar cheese, or sour cream until after cooking, as they may separate or curdle when heated.
- Be sure to season it with salt and pepper throughout the cooking process. Don’t just wait until the end and dump a bunch of salt and pepper in.
Recipe variations and add-ins:
- Make it vegetarian: To make this vegetarian, swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth and use vegan bacon.
- Add meat: On the other hand, to make this dish meatier, I sometimes add chunks of chicken, ham, or turkey.
- More vegetables: I also enjoy adding chopped bell peppers, carrots, peas, and green beans to my dishes.
- Lighter soup: For a thinner, lighter version, use milk or half-and-half instead of cream, omit the cream soup, and substitute the cream cheese with Greek yogurt.
- Spicy: To make this hot potato soup, I sometimes add chopped jalapenos.
- Slow cooker version: If you don’t own a pressure cooker, no problem, you can still enjoy this Crock Pot Baked Potato Soup.
- Stovetop version: If you prefer to make it on the stovetop, you can try this recipe for my famous Panera Bread Baked Potato Soup Copycat. It is very creamy and delicious.
Serving suggestions:
Instead of serving this soup with bread, sometimes I like to serve it in these gourmet bread bowls. They may appear to be complicated to make, but they are actually quite simple. I make round bread loaves and remove the insides. Then, pour the soup in and serve. The extra bread is perfect for dipping. And no bowls to wash! I also have a sandwich on the side, such as this Grilled Chicken Caesar sandwich, which I make with leftover grilled chicken breast.
This can also serve as a starter to my juicy Instant Pot turkey breast, which is incredibly fast and easy to make, whether for Thanksgiving or a weeknight dinner. Along with some veggies and this soup, all that I need is some dessert. My Instant Pot pumpkin cheesecake is a winner in this category, too, because it comes out creamy with no cracks, and I don’t even need a water bath!
Favorite topping suggestions:
- Bacon crumbs or chopped bacon
- Cheddar cheese
- Chopped green onions
- Diced chives
- A dollop of sour cream
- Garlic croutons
- Chopped jalapenos
- Crumbled blue cheese
How to store leftovers:
- Refrigerate: I can keep leftover soup in the fridge for up to four days in a sealed container.
- Freezing: To freeze, I use quart-sized freezer bags. Using a measuring cup to transfer the soup into the bags is easy, and then I can squeeze out the air and lay the bags flat, so they don’t take up much room. They can be stored for three to four months.
- Defrost: I thaw the frozen soup overnight in the refrigerator before serving it.
- Reheating: To reheat, I pour the mixture into a saucepan and let it simmer on medium-low heat until it is warmed through.
Frequently asked questions
I usually peel mine, but it is not a necessity. However, if you’re using russet potatoes, I recommend peeling them, as they can be tough for kids to swallow. Other potatoes, such as Yukon Golds, reds, and fingerlings, have thin skin, making them easier to chew. In fact, when cooked, they almost dissolve.
Once it is already cooked, the only way I would thicken it is to mash some more of the potatoes. Using a potato masher, mash as many potatoes as possible. Then, use an immersion blender to mix them until they reach a thick consistency. If it is still not thick enough, I would use a cornstarch slurry. Just dissolve one tablespoon of cornstarch into one tablespoon of cold water. Then, stir it into the soup until it thickens.
This is what happens when the pot is overfilled. To prevent this, I do not even let my soup get close to the fill line, just in case the potatoes or other ingredients cause it to overflow. According to the Instant Pot instruction manual, it should never be filled more than 2/3 full. Starchy ingredients can cause foaming, which can make it appear overfilled, and steam or liquid may escape through the vent. However, unless the pot was significantly overfilled, this is not normal, so I would call the hotline number.
If the cheesy part of the soup is clumpy, it is likely because it curdled due to being added too soon. The sour cream, cream cheese, and cheddar cheese should be added after the soup has finished cooking. In fact, I usually take this time to shred my cheese, so it is nice and fresh, and then add the cheese first before adding the creams a bit at a time. The creams cannot be added to hot soup, or they will instantly curdle.
More soup recipes:
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Ultimate Instant Pot Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Ingredients
Cook on High Pressure ingredients:
- 5 pound bag of Yukon or Russet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 cup celery diced
- 1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 can (10 1/2 oz) cream of potato soup condensed optional
- 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
Add after cooking on High Pressure:
- 4 ounces cream cheese cubed and softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream room temperature
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 6 oz bacon cooked
Toppings:
- Chopped green onions
- Cheddar cheese
- Cooked bacon
- Diced chives
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients listed under the "Cook on High Pressure" to the pot.
- Mix thoroughly, ensuring you don’t exceed the inner Max line of the pot.
- Ensure the lid is closed and locked, then set the knob to the "sealed" position.
- Set the Instant Pot to High Pressure and select a cook time of 10 minutes. Please note that it will take approximately 15-20 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure because of the large volume of soup.
- After the pressure cooker finishes cooking, allow for a 10-minute Natural Pressure Release. Then, carefully release any remaining pressure by moving the knob to the Vent position.
- Lift the lid and use a potato masher to mash some of the potatoes. If desired, use an immersion blender to further cream the soup.
- Select the Sauté function, then whisk in cream cheese, sour cream, bacon, and cheddar cheese until everything is fully combined. Using an immersion blender will make the soup incredibly creamy.
- Serve topped with favorite toppings.
Video
Notes
The best potatoes for potato soup
For this recipe, I highly recommend using starchy potatoes such as russets. I like Yukon Golds because they are both starchy and slightly waxy, which allows them to hold together better. I want to have chunks of potatoes in my soup, and russets tend to get too mushy to hold their shape. So, if you’re looking for chunks, opt for Yukon Gold potatoes or even waxy potatoes, such as red potatoes, because they retain their shape.More tips to consider:
- Be sure to cut the potatoes about the same size so they cook evenly. I cut my potatoes into one-inch cubes.
- For creamier soup, I use an immersion blender. Or pour the soup into a food processor or blender.
- I shred the cheese myself. The store-bought stuff is treated with something that prevents it from sticking together, and it doesn’t melt well either.
- Do not add cream cheese, cheddar cheese, or sour cream until after cooking, as they may separate or curdle when heated.
- Be sure to season it with salt and pepper throughout the cooking process. Don’t just wait until the end and dump a bunch of salt and pepper in.