Instant Pot Potato Soup is creamy, comforting, and loaded with potatoes and veggies. It is the ULTIMATE comfort food and my favorite soup!
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It’s no secret that I’m a big soup lover.
Even though I’m not a big veggie eater, I will eat just about anything in a hearty soup.
The way the flavors blend together just makes everything taste amazing!
Some of my favorite soup recipes are my Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup, Chicken Rice Soup, Sausage Tortellini Soup, and this Easy Roasted Tomato Soup Recipe.
They’re all delicious, comforting, and filled with nutrients.
But potato soup? It’s my #1.
Potatoes are my love language because they’re creamy, chunky, and hearty too!
They sometimes get a bad rep, but these tender potatoes are healthy and filled with tons of good things, too, like fibre, vitamin C and potassium.
Some people go all out with their loaded potato soups, adding in cream cheese, a bucket of sour cream, or a package of bacon.
I like to keep mine on the healthier side and add in toppings as needed — this way everyone gets their perfect bowl of potato soup!
Looking for more cozy, easy Instant Pot recipes? Try my Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo Pasta, this Instant Pot White Chicken Chili Recipe, Instant Pot Chicken Tortellini Soup, or my Sausage Potato Soup with Kale!
Ingredients Needed:
- Oil: I use canola oil because it has a high smoke point and is full of good fats. Any cooking oil with a high smoke point will work fine, though.
- Onion: use whatever onions you have on hand! Sweet onions are great, and red onions have a nice flavor, but any onion will taste great.
- Seasoning: use a combination of salt, freshly minced garlic, dried parsley, dried thyme, and freshly ground black pepper to season this soup with lovely savory flavors.
- Chicken broth: I use low-sodium chicken broth in pretty much everything because that way I can control the amount of salt added and adjust the seasonings to my tastes.
- Red potatoes: any kind of potatoes will work for this recipe, but I use red potatoes for this recipe because I prefer not to peel them. Potato skins are a great source of fiber, and peeling potatoes will also add more prep time. Russet potatoes and Yukon Gold potatoes also work well in this recipe, peeled or with the skin on.
- Carrots and celery: Carrots, celery, and onion form the basis for many soup recipes! It’s the classic savory trifecta. You can definitely add to these, but I wouldn’t omit them unless you absolutely have to. See my tips below on how to make this soup your own!
- Evaporated milk: I like to use evaporated milk because it’s a little lighter, and I can keep some cans stashed in the cupboard to use when I don’t have cream on hand. You can substitute with light or heavy cream (I recommend half and half or higher, 10% to 30% fat).
- Cornstarch: this will help thicken the soup.
- Garnish: use your favorite toppings. Some great ideas include cheese, green onions, and bacon!
How to Make Instant Pot Potato Soup
This recipe is quick and easy to make. Full instructions are included in the recipe card below.
- Sauté onions: Sauté the onions in oil on the Sauté setting, until they start to brown. Add the seasonings to toast.
- Deglaze: Turn the Instant Pot off, add the broth, and deglaze the pot, scraping with a wooden spoon.
- Add potatoes and vegetables and pressure cook until tender.
- Thicken the soup: Stir in the evaporated milk with cornstarch, and sauté to thicken.
Instant Pot Potato Soup FAQs
I add a few veggies for flavor and added nutrients. Because potatoes are the perfect base but don’t add a lot of flavors by themselves. The other veggies really add something special, though.
I like to keep my soup simple, with chicken broth, milk, and seasonings, but I like to get a little more interesting with my toppings.
This way, you can have your sour cream, bacon, or buckets of cheese, but it’s still quite a bit lighter than if you just dumped them all right in the soup (and this way, everyone can customize their own meal).
Store Instant Pot Potato Soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Allow it to cool to room temperature before putting it in the fridge.
This soup can be frozen but I don’t recommend it. The potatoes and the dairy will both change in texture after freezing and may not be as appetizing.
Instant Pot Potato Soup Variations
- Bacon. Everything tastes better with bacon. I’m sure that’s been scientifically proven… Simply add some bacon in with your onions and sauté until crispy.
- Bump up the seasonings. Add in a bit of cayenne pepper or red chili flakes for some heat if you like it that way!
- Mix up the veggies. I use onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes — a classic soup combo! But you can add in sauteed mushrooms, bell peppers, and sundried tomatoes, or stir in some fresh green beans or broccoli florets after pressure cooking.
- Make it creamier! Use just ¾ cup of evaporated milk and add in ¼ cup of sour cream for a rich and tangy flavor.
- Add some cheese. Melt 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese into the soup with the evaporated milk, then top with more cheese for the cheese lovers in your life!
- Make it thicker. To make the soup thicker, remove ⅓ to ½ of the soup and puree it with an immersion blender until smooth, then stir it back into the soup.
Serving Suggestions
Of course, this meal calls for some bread on the side to soak up the delicious soup in the bottom of the bowl!
Try my No Knead Artisan Bread, this Cheesy Garlic Bread, or some slices of this Whole Wheat Bread with butter. We also love this soup with Homemade Breadsticks or a buttery Brioche Bun as they’re great for dunking!
You can also serve this creamy potato soup with some veggies on the side to add nutrients and make it a fuller meal. Try my Air Fryer Green Beans, Roasted Carrots, or this Cheesy Baked Asparagus!
More Delicious Instant Pot Soup Recipes To Try
Instant Pot Potato Soup
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 2 teaspoons salt reduce if using salted broth
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 lbs red potatoes about 6 medium
- 2 large carrots peeled and sliced
- 1 rib celery chopped
- 1 cup evaporated milk or cream
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- For garnish cheese, green onions, and bacon
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to sauté and add the oil. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until they start to brown.*
- Add the salt, garlic, parsley, thyme, and pepper. Stir and cook for one minute. Turn the Instant Pot off and add the broth, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to remove any browned bits.
- Slice and cut potatoes into 1 cm cubes and add to the Instant Pot.
- Add carrots and celery. Put the lid on, turn the valve to sealing, and select Manual, high pressure, for 3 minutes.
- It will take about 20 minutes in total, including the time it takes to build pressure. Once the cooking time is over, do a gradual quick release by slowly opening the valve to release the pressure. You don’t want to let it all release at once, or it could sputter and foam.
- When the lid is off, turn the Instant Pot to sauté.
- Make cornstarch slurry by whisking together the evaporated milk and cornstarch, then stir it into the soup. Cook and stir until thickened.
- Now it’s time to season and serve. We use cooked, crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, and chopped chives or green onions for garnish. If you like, you can add extras right into the soup for more flavor!
Notes
- Store: Store Instant Pot Potato Soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Allow it to cool to room temperature before putting it in the fridge.
- Freeze: Freeze this soup without the cream in it if you use cream (cream can tend to separate weirdly when you defrost it). Make the soup as instructed but without the cream. Cool it completely, then store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it completely in the fridge, warm it on the stove or in the microwave, add the cream, and then serve with your toppings.
Nutrition Information
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Suzanne says
If you double this recipe, how does it effect the timing? Thank you
Ashley Fehr says
It shouldn’t affect the timing but it will take longer to come to pressure (it can take up to 20-30 minutes if it’s full!)
Stephanie Goode says
This is a fabulous recipe! My husband said next time make more! ? I substituted Coconut milk for Evaporated Milk and added just a bit more salt, pepper, onion powder and a tad of garlic powder. It suited our tastebuds just right. Thanks for sharing this! So glad I found it!
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so glad to hear you liked it! Thanks for the tip about the coconut milk!
Lavinia says
Oh my this soup is delicious! Perfect for a cold evening.
Thank you for a great recipe. We will be having this again!
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so happy to hear you liked it!
SS says
This was delicious! Super creamy, thick and flavorful, as well as very easy to make. I’ll be making this again in the future for sure.
Ashley Fehr says
It makes me so happy to hear that!
Dilice Bayley says
Delicious, used milk and heavy cream, fresh thyme and parsley
Bonnie says
What can I substitute for milk and cream to make it non dairy?
Ashley Fehr says
You could use any non dairy milk that you think would work well or you can skip the milk altogether. I don’t have a lot of experience with non dairy milks so I’m not sure which one would work best!
Davan Deckard says
I used almond milk. It works just like regular milk.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks for the tip!
Taiya says
This turned out great! My boyfriend is vegetarian, so instead of bacon I added 1/2 tsp of Smoked Paprika and it was delicious.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks for that tip! I’m so happy to hear you liked it!
Mario says
Just to be sure…celery stalk is it one rib (stick), or the whole head?
Ashley Fehr says
You’re right– one rib! I have update the recipe. Thanks for letting me know the error!
Mario says
Thanks Ashley, looking forward in trying this recipe.
Daisy says
This is so good, it tastes like soup you would get at a girl’s lunch tea room.. Don’t change a thing, this recipe is perfect!
Ashley Fehr says
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that Daisy!
Mary Caruso says
Thanks for sharing this recipe….just made it and I’m sure it will be devoured since it is a cold wet day here in my neck of the woods. You were spot on with the around 20 minutes of total time (and I even added a minute since my potatoes were diced much bigger than yours)
This is a keeper!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Mary! I’m so happy it turned out well for you!
Mary Caruso says
Ashley. I have made this several more times and tweaked it here and there. Such an easy recipe that anyone that I know who has an Instant Pot and hasn’t used it yet, I send them a link to your site…especially this recipe. So good when it is cold and damp.
Ashley Fehr says
Thank you so much Mary! I’m so glad you like it!
Elizabeth Davila says
Made this today! A cold front blew in and so of course it brought with it the craving for soup. Using what I had in the fridge I began looking for a good, quick recipe and I came across this amazing recipe! Definitely a keeper! Thanks for sharing!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Elizabeth! I’m so happy to hear you liked it!
Kimberly says
Sooo creamy and flavorful, potato soup perfection!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Kimberly!
Rachael Yerkes says
I am obsessed with the ease of the Instant Pot. This one looks so good. Soup season is my favorite. Thank you.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Rachael!
Aimee Shugarman says
I’m so bad about using my instant pot…i always reach for my slow cooker. BUT, this is ONE delicious soup recipe 🙂
Ashley Fehr says
And I’m bad about not using my slow cooker enough! Lol
Gina says
Can this be made in a slow cooker
Ashley Fehr says
Yes definitely! You would cook it in much the same order, and I would add the dairy at the end.
Anna says
I am a huge fan of IP soups! This is perfect for this cold fall day!
Ashley Fehr says
Yes, me too!
Kara says
Potato soup is one of my favorites, but I’ve never made it in the Instant Pot. I love the idea of using red potatoes, because you can leave the skins on. I can’t wait to give this recipe a try!
Ashley Fehr says
I never peel my potatoes! I’m way too lazy. Lol. Thanks Kara!
Betty Alexander says
Will this soup freeze well?
Ashley Fehr says
Generally potato soups aren’t the best for freezing, this one especially because I use lower fat milk. Cream freezes better than milk, so you could try that but it’s generally not a soup that freezes well.
Olga says
Can I use yukon potatoes or gold in place of red? Also, can the evaporated milk be replaced with regular milk? Never tried evaporated milk, not even sure how it tastes 🙂 .
Ashley Fehr says
Yes, definitely any potatoes work! And you can use light cream or whole milk in place of the evaporated milk, they’ll both work just fine
Marcia says
Can your instant pot (soup) recipes be converted to crock pot recipes? If so, does it depend on the recipe or across the board on how to cook a particular recipe in a crock pot. How would I make this one in the crock pot.
Ashley Fehr says
Most of them can and don’t require much reworking at all! For this one, I would use the same method (leave the cream and thickening agent out until the end), and cook on low until the veggies are tender (maybe 6-8 hours). I hope that helps!
danielle says
I am also a huge soup lover! It’s one of my favorite things ever, but I’m totally with you on the potatoes too. Looove potato soup – this is a great recipe!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Danielle!