Instant Pot Potato Soup (20-Minute Dinner, Creamy & Comforting)

Setting the Scene: Cozy Comfort at Pressure-Cooker Speed

Weeknights don’t always grant you a simmering hour, but they still demand a bowl that comforts. Enter Instant Pot Potato Soup—buttery-soft potatoes in a velvety broth, ribbons of melted cheddar, and a scatter of chives and bacon that turns every spoonful into a baked-potato moment. The magic trick? Pressure. In the time it takes to set the table and warm some crusty bread, your Instant Pot coaxes russets into plush submission and infuses the broth with oniony sweetness and garlicky warmth.

This is that rare intersection of fast and cozy: a soup with real body and depth, finished with a swirl of sour cream for tang and shine. Keep it classic with bacon, or make it vegetarian with olive oil and smoked paprika—the blueprint is flexible, weeknight-friendly, and endlessly welcoming.

What You’ll Need: Ingredients & Tools for Silky, Speedy Soup

Ingredients (Serves 6)

Base & Potatoes

• 4–6 slices thick-cut bacon, diced (optional; see vegetarian swap)
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter or olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped (optional, chowder vibes)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2½ lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes (or Yukon Golds for creamier texture)
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• ½ tsp smoked paprika (optional)
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• ½ tsp black pepper

Creamy Finish

• 1 cup whole milk or half-and-half (2% works; see DF swap)
• ⅔ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 tbsp butter (optional, glossy finish)
• 1–2 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, to taste

Toppings (load it up)

• Crisp bacon, extra cheddar, sliced chives or scallions, sour cream, freshly ground pepper, hot sauce

Dietary swaps

• Vegetarian: Start with olive oil; skip bacon. Add ½ tsp smoked paprika for “bacony” depth.
• Dairy-free: Use unsweetened oat milk, skip cheddar, add 1 tbsp nutritional yeast for savoriness.

Tools

• 6–8 qt Instant Pot (or similar electric pressure cooker)
• Wooden spoon, ladle, potato masher
• Measuring cups/spoons
• Small bowl & whisk (for dairy mix)
• Optional: immersion blender (for ultra-smooth finish)

How to Make It

Sauté for Flavor: Bloom the Aromatics

Set Instant Pot to Sauté (Normal/Medium). If using bacon, cook the diced strips until mahogany-crisp, 5–7 minutes. Scoop to a paper towel–lined plate; leave 1–2 tablespoons drippings behind. If skipping bacon, add 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil. Stir in onion (and celery, if using) with a pinch of salt; cook 3–4 minutes until glossy and sweet, scraping up any fond. Add garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant—this quick sizzle wakes up flavors you’d expect from a longer simmer.

Tip: If the bottom browns too fast, splash in a tablespoon of broth to deglaze. You want the tasty browned bits, not scorch.

Pressure & Potatoes: Tender in Minutes

Add potatoes, broth, smoked paprika (if using), 1 teaspoon salt, and the pepper. Stir to combine, ensuring no browned bits remain stuck to the base (this helps prevent the burn warning). Lock the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes. When the timer beeps, Quick Release carefully; when the pin drops, open the lid away from you to avoid steam.

The potatoes should be fork-tender and aromatic, the broth lightly cloudy with released starch—already halfway to creamy.

Finish Creamy & Luxurious: Mash, Swirl, and Season

Switch to Keep Warm. Use a potato masher to mash about one-third to half of the potatoes right in the pot for body while leaving plenty of soft cubes. In a small bowl, whisk milk (or half-and-half) with sour cream until smooth; stir into the soup along with 1 cup cheddar. Let residual heat melt the cheese. For a restaurant-style sheen, swirl in the optional 2 tablespoons butter.

Taste and adjust: potatoes drink up salt, so a final pinch often makes flavors pop. Add ½–1 teaspoon cider vinegar or lemon juice to brighten. If you prefer a silkier texture, give the pot a few brief blends with an immersion blender—avoid over-blending to keep it from getting gluey. Too thick? Add warm broth. Too thin? Simmer on Sauté a few minutes or mash a bit more.

Ladle & Load: Make It “Loaded”

Spoon into warm bowls and top with crisp bacon, a snowfall of cheddar, chives, a twist of pepper, and a small dollop of sour cream. A few dashes of hot sauce add a lively counterpoint to the richness. Serve with buttery toast soldiers or a simple green salad for contrast.

Creative Twists: Make It Your Signature

• Broccoli Cheddar Boost: Stir in 2 cups small broccoli florets after pressure cooking; simmer on Sauté 2–3 minutes until tender-crisp, then add the dairy and cheese.
• Corn & Jalapeño Chowder: Sauté a diced jalapeño with the onion; fold in 1½ cups corn kernels after pressure cooking for sweet pops.
• Roasted Garlic Dream: Roast a head of garlic until caramel-sweet; squeeze cloves into the pot with the dairy for deep, mellow garlic flavor.
• Herb Garden: Finish with chopped dill and parsley, plus lemon zest for brightness.
• Protein Play: Stir in 1 cup diced ham or rotisserie chicken after pressure cooking; warm through before adding dairy.
• Lighter, Still Creamy: Use 2% milk and Greek yogurt; skip the extra butter.
• Gluten-Free Thickener (if desired): For ultra-thick, whisk 1 tbsp cornstarch into the milk before adding; simmer on Sauté 1–2 minutes to thicken.

Nutritional Spotlight (Per serving, ~1/6 recipe with bacon & cheddar)

Values vary with toppings and swaps; using turkey bacon, 2% milk, and Greek yogurt trims saturated fat while staying cozy.

Final Inspiration: Real Comfort, Real Fast

There’s a thrill in lifting an Instant Pot lid and being greeted by a bowl’s worth of comfort in a fragrant cloud of steam. This Instant Pot Potato Soup delivers that theater with weeknight speed—no babysitting, no long simmer, all the creamy satisfaction of a slow-cooked chowder. It’s endlessly riffable, reliably crowd-pleasing, and friendly to whatever’s already in your fridge. Keep potatoes and broth on hand and this becomes your “nothing to make—oh wait, soup!” solution.

Serve it with warm bread and a bright salad, let everyone top their own bowls, and enjoy that hush that falls at the table when the first spoonful hits. Fast, cozy, and impossibly satisfying—this is 20-minute dinner done right.