This cheesy loaded Instant Pot Potato Soup is the ultimate comfort food and can be made in a pressure cooker or slow cooker!
OMG WE HAD OUR FIRST COLD FRONT!
Laugh all you want, but this is the highlight of the year for us Floridians who run the risk of heat stroke through most of Fall.
We don’t wear flip flops in the Fall just to make Northerners cringe, it’s out of sheer necessity! Wearing them in Winter is an entirely different story… don’t judge my hoodie and flops.
Now that there’s officially a chill in the air, the soup kick that I’ve been on since August is exponentially more acceptable.
To celebrate the need to crank the heat and bring my potted veggies and herbs indoors, I made soup. Potato soup!
Just looking at that bowl-o-deliciousness makes me want to grab a spoon and dive in!
Serving Suggestions + Topping Ideas
There are SO MANY delicious toppings you can add to potato soup.
Keep things classic with a combination of cheddar, sour cream bacon, and chives or opt for a vegetarian version with plant based bacon bits or skipping the smoky topping altogether.
My Sriracha Roasted Chickpeas and Crispy Roasted Shawarma Chickpeas also taste absolutely stellar on top of potato soup. They’re smoky and spicy and just so delish!
Another fun topping combo that I absolutely adore is to add a scoop of vibrant green pesto and garlic croutons on top.
Instant Pot Potato Soup with Pesto and Parmesan
Let your slow cooker or Instant Pot do all the work!
This super simple soup is a set it and forget it type of deal and can be whipped up with minimal effort. Some quick peeling and chopping and you’re on your way to a delicious bowl of soup with leftovers that taste even better the next day!
Instant Pot Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 3 lbs yukon gold potatoes
- 1 medium onion (yellow or white)
- 3 celery ribs/stalks
- 2-3 TBSP butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth plus 1 cup extra if desired
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 2-3 TBSP chopped green onion or chives
- ¼ tsp salt and pepper plus any extra to taste
- grated cheddar cheese for topping
TASTY TOPPINGS: Choose your favorites!
- crushed red pepper flakes
- extra green onion or chives
- extra grated cheese
- sour cream or greek yogurt
- crispy bacon or vegetarian bacon bits
- garlicky croutons
- pesto
Instructions
SLOW COOKER INSTRUCTIONS:
- Scrub and peel your potatoes and roughly chop.
- Chop your onion and celery and toss all your veggies in the pot!
- Next add veggie broth, garlic, butter, salt, and pepper.
- Set your slow cooker to HIGH and cook for 4-5 hours, or, if you’re gone for the day, set it to LOW for 8 hours.
- For a silky smooth soup, an immersion blender to blend fully, or leave it a bit chunky by only blending about 2/3 of the soup.
- Ready to eat? Simply mix in your milk, cheese, and green onions.
- Taste and re-season as needed.
- Pile on your choice of toppings from the list above and dig in!
INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS:
- Scrub and peel your potatoes and roughly chop.
- Chop your onion and celery and toss all your veggies in the pot along with the veggie broth.
- Adjust valve to seal, lock lid, and set Instant Pot to 10 minutes.
- Once finished, quick release the pressure by carefully switching the valve to vent.
- For a silky smooth soup, an immersion blender to blend fully, or leave it a bit chunky by only blending about 2/3 of the soup. You can also use a potato masher for an extra thick and chunky soup – anything goes!
- Next add garlic, butter, salt, pepper, milk, cheese, and green onions.
- Add any additional seasoning to taste and pile on all your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
If you get a chance to try this easy peasy loaded Instant Pot Potato Soup recipe, let me know. Leave me a comment or review using the form below. I’m always so excited to hear from you!
Questions & Reviews
Soup weather is here and this is such a great recipe. Potato soup makes me feel so cozy.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Ugh, put more of this in my face, NOW! Delicious, quick and easy, and super fulfilling.
LOL Thank you Jeannie!
Thanks so much for the tip on making the pesto stay green. I never thought of blanching the leaves first, but it makes perfect sense! I often make a batch and freeze part of it in the fall when the garden is winding down and always disliked how brown looking it is when I pull it out of the freezer. Sure it tastes OK, but not as eye appealing as fresh. This technique is awesome – can’t wait to try it!
It was a total lightbulb moment for me too! Now my pesto is shockingly green – love it so! <3 Hope you get a chance to try it soon Char 🙂
Now that is one delicious bowl of comfort food and that pesto and garlicky croutons take this dish over the top. Totally know how you feel about the cold…I swear my blood has gone thin living in Hong Kong. Shring, of course!
Potato soup, you had me at potatoes. Love potatoes, and I’m sure I will love this soup. I always keep a jar of pesto in the fridge for making quick and easy meals and adding some to this soup sounds just right to me. Cold fronts are fun, we just had one come through Texas and I’m so happy. I’m ready to start wearing my winter clothing, it’s almost December.