Easy Instant Pot recipe for loaded baked potato soup

If you are looking for a hug in a bowl, then look no further than this tasty Instant Pot Loaded Baked Potato Soup. It is so simple to make, and using fresh and hearty ingredients, you can have a satisfying meal on the table in minutes. 

Why you need this recipe

There is something about a delicious bowl of soup and this is one of the best recipes. Fully loaded with fresh and tasty ingredients this Instant Pot soup transforms the simple potato and turns it into a masterpiece. There is bacon and a huge amount of cheese, what’s more to like? 

I love how this is a delicious soup that uses ingredients we probably already have in our homes. It may sound simple but this soup packs a flavour punch. The Instant Pot does all of the hard work for you.

Adding all of the ingredients together you can have a meal in minutes. Perfect when you have that midweek rush and you want something warm, filling, and tasty. This is certainly a soup that the whole family is going to love. 

Ingredients needed to make the Instant Pot Loaded Baked Potato Soup

First of all, it is a good idea to ensure that you can get all of the ingredients together. Focusing on this first means that the cooking process will be simple. You will need:

• ½ brown onion, diced
• 2 tbsp of minced garlic
• 470ml chicken stock
• 110g cream cheese
• 4 medium russet potatoes diced
• A pinch of salt
• 250ml semi-skimmed milk
• Pepper to taste
• 165g grated cheddar cheese
• 70g of bacon lardons or crumbles

For garnish:

• Bacon lardons or crumbles
• Green onions
• Shredded cheddar cheese

How to make the Instant Pot Baked Potato Soup

Now that you have all your ingredients, it is time to make the. 

Gather all of your ingredients together and prepare any. Scrub and dice potatoes and cut them into small chunks. Dice the onions and mince the garlic in preparation. Turn the Instant Pot to saute.

Once the Instant Pot has reached temperature you can add the bacon lardons and saute for 3 minutes, stirring as needed.

Then add the diced onion and saute for 2 minutes or until soft, stir as needed.

Add the minced garlic and saute for a further 1 minute. You should turn the instant pot off to avoid burning the garlic!

Add the potatoes to the instant pot. Add a pinch of salt and the chicken broth.

Place the lid on the Instant Pot and seal the valve.

Set the Instant Pot to manual setting and set the timer for 10 minutes.

When the timer dings, quickly release the steam.

Immediately add cream cheese, and cut it into chunks for easier melting.

Add the milk and pepper to taste. At this stage, you will also want to add the grated cheddar cheese. Stir everything to make sure it has combined. 

Replace the lid and allow the cheeses to melt into the soup for about 5 minutes.

Stir and serve immediately.

Garnish with sliced green onions, additional bacon crumbles or lardons and extra cheddar cheese. Yum!

Recipe notes and tips

When it comes to any recipe, it is always a good idea to understand what notes and tips you can use to help you fully utilise the recipe and have success each and every time. If you want to make the most of this delicious Instant Pot potato soup then here are some recipe notes and tips to help.

• It is always a good idea to ensure that you have all of your ingredients prepped before starting the recipe. You can do this while your instant pot heats up. 
• Be careful when you manually release the pressure from the Instant Pot. That steam will be hot. 
• You want bite-sized chunks of ingredients so be mindful of this when you are dicing your onions and potatoes. You don’t want too many big chunks. 
• Get the cream cheese out of the fridge as you start this recipe. It will come down to room temperature and combine quicker with the soup when you add it. 

Variations to try

Like with many recipes, once you have tried them out a few times you can look to make some changes and vary the recipe to suit your tastes and preferences. So I wanted to share with you some of them that you might want to try. 

• Why not add some leftover roast meat to this soup? This is a great recipe to use the day after a roast and you could add leftover roast chicken, gammon, or pork quite easily. You don’t need to cook it, just add it at the end to warm through. 
• Add some extra veggies. You could easily add other vegetables to this soup. Perfect if you usually have veg-avoiding family members. Carrot, parsnip, broccoli and cauliflower will all work well with this recipe. 
• You can use any milk you like. I used half and half but it will be creamier with whole milk. 
• Add ham instead of bacon. If you don’t have any bacon you could use deli ham easily enough. Just add it towards the end instead. 
• No bacon lardons or crumbles? Chop up streaky or normal bacon slices into small chunks and cook them as you would bacon lardons. 

FAQs

Like with any recipe, there are often questions that need answering. I thought I would share some of the common questions here, but if you have any comments or questions please don’t hesitate to contact me directly.

How should I serve the Instant Pot Baked Potato Soup?

This soup is delicious and served as a main meal with some crusty bread to dip in. You could also enjoy it with some bread rolls or sliced baguettes. 

How do I store the fully loaded soup? 

If you have any leftovers, allow them to cool completely and then transfer them to an airtight container. You can then store it in the fridge for up to three days. To reheat, use the microwave or warm up on the stove. Perfect for lunch in a hurry. 

Can you make this Vegetarian or Vegan?

If you want a vegetarian version of this then use vegetable stock and substitute the bacon for a vegetarian alternative. You might want to add some extra vegetables instead if you prefer. 

This would be difficult to make vegan, but it isn’t impossible. Just your preferred plant-based milk and cheese options instead of the listed dairy products. Use extra vegetables or vegan alternatives to bacon and vegetable stock instead. 

I hope you enjoy making and eating the Instant Pot Loaded Baked Potato Soup. 

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