Instant Pot Baked Potato Soup

This Instant Pot Baked Potato Soup is like a loaded baked potato in cozy, comforting soup form! It’s a rich, creamy potato soup topped with sour cream, chives, cheddar cheese, and crispy bacon bits.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe

Nothing is better than a big, warm bowl of soup on a chilly fall night. And this Instant Pot Potato Soup is just the cozy soup you’re looking for.

This loaded baked potato soup tastes just like a baked potato topped with your favorite toppings, including bacon, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and chives.

It’s creamy, comforting, simple, delicious, gluten-free, and can easily be made dairy-free! Plus, it’s made super fast in your instant pot (with options for your crockpot or stovetop, too!)

Ingredients Needed

This loaded potato soup recipe requires a few simple ingredients—many of which you might already have.

• Bacon: You’ll need eight pieces of bacon, cooked and then diced for topping off the soup. I love Air Fryer Bacon or Bacon in the Oven
• Potatoes: I use Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2″ pieces.
• Broth: I use chicken broth, but feel free to use whatever broth you have on hand.
• Spices: We add robust flavor with a simple blend of sea salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and smoked paprika.
• Sour Cream: Or, for a dairy-free option, a plain, dairy-free yogurt or homemade cashew cream. For a lightened-up dairy option, use plain Greek yogurt.
• Lemon Juice: A squeeze of lemon juice adds some necessary zing to the soup.
• Garnishes: I love to top each bowl of soup off with sliced chives and shredded cheddar cheese. Feel free to add any of your favorite loaded baked potato toppings.

Variations

• Dairy-free. This recipe is super easy to make dairy-free! Skip the sour cream and cheese and use plain dairy-free yogurt or cashew cream instead. To make it vegan too, swap the chicken broth out for veggie broth and skip the bacon.
• Vegetarian. Use veggie broth instead of chicken broth and use a vegetarian alternative of bacon (or just leave off the bacon altogether.)
• Extra spicy. This soup already has a bit of heat thanks to the smoked paprika and black pepper. If you want extra spicy, add a dash of cayenne or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.

What Kind of Potato is Best for Soup?

My favorite variety of potatoes to use for soup is Russet. Their higher starch content and, as a result, yields the creamiest soup texture!

If you don’t have Russet potatoes on hand, you can swap them out for Yukon gold.

How to Make Instant Pot Potato Soup

• Cook the bacon: Press the sauté function on your instant pot, add in the bacon, and cook until crispy. Once the bacon is crisped, shut off the sauté function, remove the bacon, and set it aside. Drain all but 1 teaspoon of the grease from the instant pot.
• Combine soup ingredients: To the instant pot, add broth, salt, garlic powder, pepper, and paprika. Stir to combine, then close the lid and cook on manual high pressure for 12 minutes. Once cooked, use the natural release for 5 minutes, then release any remaining pressure manually. Remove the lid, then remove 2 cups of the potato chunks. Set them aside.
• Blend, finish, and serve: Use an immersion blender to blend the soup in the instant pot. Once creamy, whisk in the sour cream or dairy-free alternative, then add the potatoes back into the instant pot. Taste and re-season as necessary, then serve topped with bacon, cheese, chives, etc.

Serving Suggestions

This loaded baked potato soup is great on its own with all the toppings, but also delicious paired with a tasty side dish or two. Here are some ideas:

• Garlic Bread
• Air Fryer Broccoli
• Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Muffins
• Sheet Pan Grilled Cheese

How to Store

This loaded baked potato soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I don’t recommend freezing it because the texture of the potatoes (and the sour cream if you use it) won’t hold up well when thawed.

To reheat, microwave single servings or heat a larger amount on low in a pot on the stove.

More Instant Pot Soup Recipes to Try

• Easy Black Bean Soup (VEGAN!)
• Instant Pot Southwest Chicken Soup
• Classic Chicken Soup (Slow Cooker & Instant Pot)
• Egg Roll Soup

Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup

5 from 7 votes

This Instant Pot Potato Soup is like a loaded baked potato in cozy and comforting soup form! It's a rich and creamy potato soup topped with sour cream, chives, cheddar cheese, and crispy bacon bits.

Servings 4 -6

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

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Ingredients

  

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• 8 pieces of bacon diced
• 3 pounds russet potatoes peeled and cut into ½” pieces
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoons garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 4 ounces sour cream or dairy free yogurt or cashew cream
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Chives sliced, for garnish
• Shredded cheddar cheese for garnish

Instructions

• Press the saute function in a 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot. Add bacon and cook until crispy, about 7 minutes. Shut off the saute function, remove bacon and all about 1 teaspoon of bacon grease.
• Add potato, broth, salt, garlic powder, pepper, paprika and stir. Close the lid, set the pressure valve to sealing and cook on manual high pressure for 12 minutes. Use the natural release for 5 minutes, then release any remaining pressure.
• Remove 2 cups of potatoes and set aside.
• Using an immersion blender, blend remaining soup. Whisk in sour cream and lemon juice or dairy free alternative (see note) and whisk until completely combined.
• Add the potatoes back to the pot, stir and season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
• Serve soup and top with bacon, cheese, chives and additional smoked paprika, if desired.

Notes

• Reserve 1 teaspoon of bacon grease. Once the bacon is cooked, drain all of the grease except 1 teaspoon. That extra teaspoon adds tons of flavor to the soup.

• Peel the potatoes. I recommend removing the peel before chopping and cooking the potatoes. Left on, it can mess with the creamy texture of the soup.

• Cut the potatoes evenly. Be sure to chop the potatoes into even, 1/2″ cubes. Bigger or smaller and the cooking times listed won’t be accurate.

• Don’t over-blend. Over-mixed potatoes can become thick and gluey. For the best texture, blend just until nice and creamy, then stop.

• If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can transfer the soup into a stand blender, blend until creamy, then pour back into the pot. This does add an extra step and an extra dish, but works just as well!

Alternative Cooking Methods:

No instant pot? No problem. This loaded potato soup recipe can easily be made in your crockpot or on the stovetop! Here’s how:

Slow Cooker Potato Soup

1. Cook the bacon until crispy and set aside.
2. In a large slow cooker, combine potato, broth, and spices. Stir, cover, and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
3. Once the potatoes are tender, remove 2 cups of the potato and set aside. Use an immersion blender to blend the remaining soup directly in the crockpot. Whisk in some sour cream or your dairy-free alternative.
4. Add the reserved potatoes back into the pot, stir, and re-season as necessary, then serve topped with all your favorite toppings.

Stovetop Baked Potato Soup

1. In a Dutch oven, cook your bacon over medium heat until crispy. Once cooked, remove the bacon and drain the grease, reserving 1 teaspoon in the pan.
2. To the Dutch oven, add potato, broth, and spices. Stir, cover, and cook until the potatoes are tender (about 20 minutes.)
3. Remove 2 cups of the potatoes and set them aside. Then, blend the remaining soup in the pot using an immersion blender. Stir in the sour cream or dairy-free alternative.
4. Add the potatoes back into the pot, season again as needed, then serve with toppings!

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Gluten-free

Author: Lexi

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