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All the heartiness of a baked potato comes together in this rich and fast-as-can-be Instant Pot Loaded Baked Potato Soup, topped with shredded cheddar, crispy bacon bits, green onion, and sour cream.
There are some soups out there that I could eat by the bucket full, and this happens to be one of them. I absolutely love the comfort food kings that are baked potatoes; any chance that I can make a remixed variation of them, count me in.
Since this soup uses the Instant Pot for cooking, you only have one pan to wash, and it comes together in under an hour. Whoever invented this glorious appliance should win an award. It’s basically like a time machine for your food. Serve it with a quick bread, or if you have extra time, plan to impress the family by serving the soup in bread bowls!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ooooh so creamy and full of flavor, it’s the ultimate comfort food.
- This Instant Pot Loaded Baked Potato Soup comes together in under an hour and leaves hands free during cooking time to whip up some delicious buttermilk biscuits to serve with the soup.
- You can make this soup ahead and store in the refrigerator or freezer, and leftovers will reheat perfectly!
Recipe Ingredients
- Bacon
- Onion – white, yellow, or red onions all work well
- Garlic – fresh tastes best, but if you need to substitute garlic powder, use 1/8 teaspoon for 1 clove of fresh garlic
- Potatoes – russet, yellow, and red potatoes will all work
- Chicken broth – homemade chicken broth is great, but you can use store-bought broth or broth powder or cubes with water
- Cream – this is the heavy cream sold in the dairy section, sometimes called whipping cream
- Toppings – sharp cheddar cheese, green onions, and sour cream are the BEST toppings!
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Instant Pot Loaded Baked Potato Soup
- Cook bacon in Instant Pot on saute setting; remove bacon.
- Saute the onions and garlic in the bacon grease.
- Add potatoes and chicken broth and pressure cook for 10 minutes.
- Stir in cream and season with salt. Serve in bowls with toppings!
Recipe FAQs
Because there’s not much chicken broth added to this soup, it actually thickens quite nicely on its own without adding any thickeners. The starchiness of the potatoes as they cook under pressure contributes to the thickness. Plus, adding a cup of cream at the end also gives it a nice silky and rich texture.
Yes, you can! I recommend cooking the bacon on your stovetop. Reserve the bacon grease and add it to the Crock Pot with the onion, potatoes, and chicken broth. Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. Add the cream, salt, and pepper at the end once the potatoes have softened significantly. Serve hot with all the suggested toppings!
Let the soup cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the fridge; it should keep for 4 to 5 days. It also freezes very well! Keep it in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Expert Tips
- This recipe can also be prepared in the slow cooker. To make it in the Crock Pot, cook the bacon on the stove, reserve the bacon grease, and add it to the Crock Pot with the onion, potatoes, and chicken broth. Cook on low for 4-5 hours. When the potatoes have softened, add the cream, salt, and pepper and serve with toppings.
- Whether it’s being cooked in the Instant Pot or slow cooker, the potatoes can be mashed up once softened until the soup is the consistency your family likes—chunkier or smoother.
- I think the toppings really helps this recipe earn its name of “loaded baked potato” soup, so please don’t skip the toppings!
- Soups are just made to have bread served alongside, right? If I have time, I’ll make bread bowls or homemade Italian bread. But, honestly, the family is just as happy with quick biscuits!
More Instant Pot Soup Recipes to Consider
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Instant Pot Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 6 slices of bacon
- 1 medium white or yellow onion, chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2.5 pounds of potatoes, about 6 medium potatoes
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup cream
- 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, I like sharp cheddar
- 4 green onions, finely sliced
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Use a sharp knife to cut bacon into small chunks.
- Set the Instant Pot to "Saute" and add the bacon. Cook until the bacon is very crispy.
- Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel to drain the grease, leaving the bacon grease in the bottom of the Instant Pot.
- Leave the Instant Pot on “Saute,” add the onion, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the garlic, and stir until fragrant.
- While the bacon and onions are cooking, peel the potatoes and chop them into 1- to 1.5-inch cubes.
- After you have added the garlic and it has gotten fragrant, add the potatoes and the chicken broth. Stir well to combine.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot, and press "Pressure Cook." Set the time for 10 minutes, and be sure the valve on the lid is set to "Sealing."
- After cooking at pressure for 10 minutes, release the valve on the lid for an instant pressure release.
- When the pressure drops all of the way, remove the lid carefully. Stir the contents of the pot, and let it cool for about 5 minutes with the Instant Pot turned off and the lid off.
- Stir in the cream and salt to taste. (I used 2 teaspoons of salt; adjust to your liking.) Add pepper to taste.
- Dish the soup into bowls, and then serve with the cooked bacon, shredded cheese, green onions, and sour cream on top just like you would a baked potato.
Notes
- I didn’t use any thickeners for this recipe because I didn’t use too much chicken broth AND the potatoes cook down a lot in the Instant Pot, which means it thickens itself.
- If your family likes a smoother soup, mash the potatoes in the pan once they’re softened until they’re the consistency you want.
- Don’t forget those toppings! They aren’t garnishes—they are what give this soup its name.
- Leftovers reheat very well, so this soup can be made ahead and stored in the fridge or freezer and reheated before serving.
This recipe became quickly my family’s favourite! The kids may be into it so much because of the bacon, but it is the most asked for meal at my house!
Made this for dinner and it was divine! Came together so easily with the help of the insant pot.
Can you make 12 servings of this recipe and then freeze half of it?
Yep, it freezes great!