Instant Pot Cheesy Potato Soup
This cheesy Instant Pot potato soup is quick, easy, and so tasty! With less than 10 minutes of pressure cooking time, this soup is fabulous for an easy weeknight dinner and delicious enough for entertaining!
The fact that I’ve made this soup at least five times in the last six weeks must count for something, right?
It started when I gave myself a little personal challenge. If you have an Instant Pot, you might know what I’m talking about. Basically, at least several times a day, I think to myself: I wonder if I can make THAT in the Instant Pot.
THAT being anything from banana bread (nope, didn’t work) to…well…obviously, potato soup. If you’ve had this winner of a creamy vegetable and potato soup, you’ll know why I wanted to try an Instant Pot version.
This Instant Pot potato soup is similar to that age old favorite, with some key changes.
Namely, I added bacon. It was a good decision.
I also added corn and nixed carrots and celery. Not that I have anything against those veggies, but I wanted to give this soup more of a chowder flair. But if that decision offends you or will haunt your dreams, please add some to your soup to cook with the potatoes.
My only goal in life is to make sure everyone is happy. Happy with their vegetables. Happy with their soup. Happy with their lives.
The Instant Pot never ceases to amaze me. I had my doubts a creamy, cheesy potato soup could actually be done in the Instant Pot. But it can. And it’s delicious.
A quick note about Instant Pot timing.
I agree with many of you (that have voiced concern over this) that it’s annoying to see a pressure cooker recipe that looks like it might only take five minutes, when in reality, it’s actually quite longer.
Especially once you consider you have to account for the time the Instant Pot comes to pressure – and the time it takes to release the pressure.
While I think this can be a frustrating aspect of Instant Pot cooking (and trying to filter through doable recipes), I will say that even though this Instant Pot potato soup version may not save you much actual time compared to a stovetop version, the hands-off aspect of cooking the potatoes is awesome and well worth it.
Not to mention, the soup can stay on the warm setting for at least an hour (and probably longer). So you can walk away and paint your toenails. Or watch Poldark uninterrupted. Or take a quick nap on the couch (no judging).
If warm, creamy, cheesy, potato soups are your jam AND you love your Instant Pot more than life itself, this potato soup is a no-brainer. And just a heads up: the leftovers are a.maz.ing. While slightly thicker in consistency, the flavor is out of this world delicious.
What To Serve With This:
One Year Ago: Piled High Zucchini and Cheese Topped Pizza
Two Years Ago: Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
Three Years Ago: Classic Pesto {And A Quick Tip on Freezing To Use Later}
Four Years Ago: No-Bake Healthy Granola Bites
Five Years Ago: Oreo Truffle Brownies
Instant Pot Cheesy Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 6 cups peeled chopped potatoes, (850-907 grams), about 1/2-inch pieces (see note)
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided (meaning you’ll use 1 cup at first and the other 2 cups later)
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 ounces cream cheese, lowfat or regular, softened
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1-2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2-3 cups cooked, shredded or diced chicken, optional (see note)
- 1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels
- Cooked, crumbled bacon for serving
Instructions
- Using the Saute function on the Instant Pot (or similar function on another electric pressure cooker), heat the butter or oil.
- Add the onions and garlic, and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the onions begin to soften. Add the potatoes, 1 cup broth, parsley, salt and pepper. Give the mixture a good stir.
- Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes. Quick release the pressure (if liquid spurts from the release valve, wait 5-10 minutes and try again).
- In a blender, combine the cream cheese, flour, milk, and remaining 2 cups broth. Process until smooth.
- Turn the Instant Pot to Saute again. Stir in the cream cheese/flour mixture (it’s ok if the potatoes break apart a little as you combine the ingredients). Continue cooking, and stirring constantly, until the soup simmers and thickens.
- Add the cheese and stir until melted. Add the chicken (if using) and the corn and heat through.
- Serve immediately (or keep warm in the Instant Pot for up to an hour). Top individual servings with bacon.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (adapted from this old stovetop favorite in my archives, as well as some additional inspiration from Pressure Cooking Today)
190 Comments on “Instant Pot Cheesy Potato Soup”
Yum! So fast and so easy!
I made this recipe, and commented, in 2019 and I don’t think I’ve made it since then! I thought I’d share how I cooked it on the stove since I didn’t see that in the comments. My IP was tied up making yogurt. I did steps one and two in my soup pot, but added more of the broth to cover the potatoes better. Simmered until they were tender, maybe 10 minutes or so, then added the blended cream cheese mixture. Brought that to a simmer, added the cheese and corn and seasoned to taste. I didn’t have bacon, and the chicken didn’t sound appealing to my first trimester pregnant tummy so I left it out.
This soup is fantastic and so forgiving! As Mel suggested other potatoes (like red potatoes) work just fine and no peeling required. On a day I didn’t have chicken I just kind of emptied the fridge and added carrots, celery, and yellow squash. It still turned out delicious. This recipe is a keeper for sure.
This is delicious! This past time I made it, I had an errand to run in the middle, so I left the IP on warm after cooking the potatoes and was able to pick everything up again with no problems. And since I needed to use them up, I added some Thanksgiving leftovers like the corn confetti and diced turkey and ham. Very adaptable soup.
I love this recipe but each time time I’ve made it the bottom burns. Do you have any suggestions?
Thsnk you!!!
Hi Lynn, is it burning after you add the milk mixture?
No, it starts when I’m sautéing the onions. I added a little more oil and then added the potatoes and chicken broth. The burn notice comes on when its about halfway done. It hasn’t affected the taste, but the potatoes are stuck to the bottom of the pan and they’re browned. Maybe its my Instant pot!
Darn, Lynn! I’m sorry that’s happening! I’ve noticed on mind that sometimes the saute setting gets really hot. You might try turning off the saute setting and just let the residual heat continue cooking the onions and see if that helps.
This is probably my favorite potato soup I have ever made. I left out the chicken and the bacon, and it tasted like cheesy potatoes in soup form. YUM.
I agree, the instant pot recipes aren’t so much for saving time as they are for being “hands off.” So much less cleanup and mess. I have some medical conditions that prevent me from doing a lot of things, or rather, I can do them but it causes much pain and fatigue. The instant pot has improved my life so much. I am so grateful to see so many instant pot recipes from you, Mel. I love all your recipes.
Delicious! My go to potato soup recipe…so quick and easy!
This is a favorite of ours. We have it probably at least once a month. We never add chicken or bacon and don’t miss them. I love how quick and easy it is and everyone is happy when this soup is on the menu. Thanks for such a great recipe!
It is about time I leave a comment. Mel, you have changed my cooking! I came across your site years ago after one of my 4th graders told me about a delicious coconut and lime chicken on the grill his mom cooked. I said that sounded so good will you please ask your mom for the recipe. She sent me the link to it. We made it, and our whole family LOVED the meal! I decided to try cooking another meal off your site, and again our whole family enjoyed it. From that point on, I have been making your meals every week and still to this day do so! I pick out what I want to make on Sunday for each day, then do the shopping for the meals for the week. I think through all these years there have just been two meals we haven’t all cared for, the rest have been top notch every time, including this one. I have made several recipes 2-3 times, but each week is is mostly something different. Thank you for all you do to put out there such wonderful recipes! We enjoy all the different flavors in the dishes and especially ones from different cultures. I use spices I would have not ever thought about using now. I have become so confident in my cooking and my family looks forward to dinner all the time! A huge thank you to you!
We love this.
It freezes very well. It is, if fact, better after it is frozen and then reheated.
I use garlic seasoned chicken breasts and also add some umami seasoning.
This was delish! I did 1 cup cream & 1 cup 1% milk. I added all the broth at first (accidentally), but it was fine. I also added ham chunks, which were good with it. Great recipe!!
Another Mel dinner winner! I browsed your recipes for inspiration/meal planning earlier this week and we had everything on hand for this, even the exact bag of Little Potato Company potatoes from Costco. I made the recipe exactly as stated and did include two cups of finely chopped leftover beer can chicken that we made for dinner the night before (on our Camp Chef pellet smoker!). This soup was very easy to put together. Our kids (ages 8 and 6) enjoyed helping add ingredients to the Instant Pot and helping with the most important part…taste testing! We did not need to adjust any of the flavors after the chicken and corn heated through, everything was just right. Delicious and very filling. Thanks again for another successful recipe, Mel!
Made this tonight——another winner!! I spaced on adding the bacon at the end but it was still so delicious. Thanks again Mel!
Amazing! Everyone loved it!
Sooooo easy and delicious!!! Followed directions exactly and came out amazing!!!
So….I did not like potato soup growing up. The rest of my family loved it. It was watery and sometimes the potatoes were crunchy. No cheese. Bland. That is still the soup that my family enjoys. They don’t like my fancy food, made with more than 4 ingredients. It is hard to cook for them. I am preparing all the food for our family Christmas weekend and I have to be very selective and careful. I get my feelings hurt a little too easily when it comes to cooking for my family…who are very opinionated. That being said….I am adding this to the 2019 family Christmas list. I wish I could cook it ahead of time, but I don’t think it will work. I wish I could double it in the IP, but I don’t think that will work either…BUT, I DO think they will love it! Simple but lots of flavor. Cross your fingers!
Clearing food out of the pantry and refrigerator in preparation for our Thanksgiving…always come to your site for ideas and WOW! We now have a new and simple Potato Soup. Everyone loved it: husband, two young adults and a 17 year old boy. This was so simple, and really tasty. I had rotisserie chicken in my freezer, had close to the right amount of potatoes left in the bag, nearly 4 oz of cream cheese left in the package…I usually don’t get that close ha ha.
My family loves your site as much as I do…my older girls have used your site to get new recipe ideas when they are away from home..
Thank you for another winning recipe, Mel.
Ive been looking for the perfect potato soup and i found it! Delicious! Will definitely put into rotation!
THis is the second time I made this soup. It is delicious! I didn’t have cream cheese, so I used sour cream instead. I used 1 cup of cheese. Also, I had some leftover shredded carrots that I tossed in, and I didn’t have bacon for topping, so I added some diced ham with the corn. Delicious!
ps I have an 8qt IP and it says to use a minimum of 500ml water. So I added 2cupsmwater with the potatoes to cook, and then 1 cup with the sour cream, milk, etc. I used water instead of broth. Okay! I’m done now.
Could I do this in a crockpot? And if so do I need to change the recipe up? THANKS!
I’m not sure – I haven’t tried it! Have you read through the comments? I think a couple others have commented back when they gave it a try in the slow cooker.
I LOVE this soup. I inadvertently won two different soup cookoffs with this recipe this fall. I just brought it as a potluck item because it’s my favorite, totally not caring about the competition. And then I won. I give all the credit to you though!! And share your site with any who ask for the recipe. Thanks for another winner!
Delicious!! I wasn’t sure about the cream cheese, bu it added a creaminess that I loved.
Very easy and delicious recipe. Definitely will make it again and again. I used red potatoes (and didn’t peel them), ham instead of chicken, and canned corn. Thanks for sharing it.
I have a 3 qt Insta Pot Mini Duo.
What changes do I make to ingredients etc for the potato soup.
You should be able to halve the recipe ingredients and use the same cooking time – but that’s just a guess since I don’t have a 3-quart mini IP so I haven’t tried it myself.
Excited to try this tomorrow! I am feeding between 9-15 people. Have you ever doubled this recipe? I don’t use my IP very often, so I’m not sure if that’s a no-no or not Thanks!
I have doubled it, but I had to use my larger 8-quart Instant Pot – I don’t think a doubled batch would fit in the 6-quart IP.
For doubling it in a larger pot, do you increase the time?
I keep the time the same and it seems to work just fine.
I made this soup for the 2nd time this weekend and it was delicious! This one is a keeper for sure.
How much soup does this make.? And what size IP? I’m new to IP and don’t want to mess up this delicious sounding soup!
I use my 6-quart IP for this recipe.
Thanks for another delicious recipe! I used leftover ham instead of the chicken. This is a new family favorite.
Made this (again) last night and every person loved it. I love when that happens. Makes me want to cry tears of joy!
Oh my this was delicious, fast and easy! Top 5 best recipes to come out of my Instantpot. Thank you for the awesome recipe!
Just made the soup and it was amazing!!! We had a lot left over… do you think it can be frozen?
It might have a slightly grainy texture on reheating, but yes, I think you could try and freeze the leftovers.
I was thinking of making this soup a day ahead of time and then just reheating it in the slow cooker and maybe adding additional chicken broth. Do you think that would be ok?
Thanks so much!
I think so!
What would I do differently by making this in a crock pot?
If you scroll down just a bit, a reader, Christine, left a detailed comment about how she made this in a slow cooker. It should help!
It seems to be new to me. I love the way of making soup with instant pot. Found it easy and simple. Thanks for your recipe. I will be back with feedback.
I used this recipe (minus the chicken and corn) for my sausage soup. Just added cut up smoked sausage, green beans, and a jar of cheeze whiz and my family loved it! Much thicker than the way I normally make it (on the stove). Amazing!
We LOVE this soup! I’ve also made it for new moms and it’s always a big hit. I just pulled it up to make for dinner tonight and I just noticed the bread in the background…. Not sure how you accomplished that fancy cutting technique. But inquiring minds want to know!!
Haha, it’s called being unstable with the knife!! I’m pretty sure I cut that loaf while it was warm and so the knife slipped creating the rather jagged (but kind of unique and creative) edge. 🙂
loved this delightful recipe gonna cook this again this weekend..
Are you a wizard? This was amazing! I have loved every single recipe of yours that I’ve tried. Gotta go! Getting seconds! 🙂
I made it and it was fabulous. Thanks for sharing..
I would love to try this recipe! Lactose is not my friend so what could you substitute for the cream cheese?
Hey Heidi – I don’t know. Sorry! I haven’t ever subbed the cream cheese out for another ingredient, so I won’t be a lot of help.
There is a vegan cream cheese…I made a cheesecake for my vegan niece with it, no complaints.
Little late I know, but thought you’d like to know.
do you know of any spices to flair up the flavor ? if i leave the chicken and cheese out but add in carrots and corn, would that effect the flavor that much?
You’ll have to experiment, Kurt. Good luck! The cheese does add yummy flavor (and saltiness), so you’ll want to compensate for that.
Seriously some of the best soup I’ve EVER had!
This is a wonderful recipe, tasty and the leftovers are even better. I made this last night and it was fantastic! I modified the recipe substituting 1/4 C corn starch for the flour, and used mostly broth instead of milk, I only had a 1/4 C of heavy whipping cream and I used no bacon and added carrots. I will make this recipe over and over – thank you!
I can’t get over how much I LOVED THIS SOUP!!! I had leftovers for lunch today and they were just as good as the original meal. BEST blog ever and this recipe will be on repeat the entire year (yes, even in the summer 🙂 ) Thanks, Mel!
Is it good to try with some chilli? My husband love spicy food, but my kids not. I will try this out with some additional ingredients. Bookmark to share with my friends. Thanks.
I made this recipe last night. My question is was the corn added frozen?
Yes, I add the corn frozen and let it heat through (shouldn’t take very long with the hot soup).
Made this today and loved it! First time I have made potato soup ever! Will definitely add this recipe to my favorites! I didn’t do the chicken or corn. I just wanted a basic good potato soup. Perhaps I will add to it in the future, but to make this from start to finish including clean up in under an hour is amazing! Thanks for the recipe
I made it with a number of changes but used your times and (generally) amounts. I followed an old Crock Pot recipe that has been a family favorite. 2 Tbl butter. Added one stalk sliced celery and sautéed with onion. Used red potatoes in large chunks and added one large carrot sliced with the potatoes. Used Roast Chicken Better Than Bouillon with water rather than broth. Cooked for 5 minutes but 4 minutes would have been enough. Hand mashed (slightly) potatoes and added one can evaporated milk. Cooked on sauté for about 10 minutes stirring often to keep from sticking to bottom. Added about 1 Tbl flour in cold water to speed thickening. At this point you could add cooked chicken, cheese, etc if using. Didn’t add the corn. Result – came out as good as the old Crock Pot recipe in less than an hour as compared to 6-8 hours.
Just finished eating this.
Mel, it’s BOMB! I love that it’s so simple in the Instant Pot. I typically despise dragging out my blender or food processor for things, but it was worth it here and really a breeze.
I didn’t have pre-cooked chicken. I added cubed, raw chicken in the beginning with my onions to cook a bit. The chicken pressure cooked with everything else and was just right.
We topped with bacon. Wish I had some chives!
This is a keeper!
Another incredible recipe! I subbed the milk for unsweetened almond milk and the consistency was perfect. My toddler stopped eating to tell me she loved it, that is a first! The soup burned to the bottom of my pot a bit so I might spray it before starting next time.
I swapped out the cream cheese for sour cream, used 1 c milk and 3 c broth in the milk mixture, and used Mexican blend cheese from Costco instead of sharp cheddar. Also, Yukon gold potatoes. It worked out great that way!!
I’m new to the whole IP craze and have been looking around for recipes. Came across this one and decided to give it a shot. So easy to prepare and cook and the taste was amazing! Everyone had seconds which is good and bad…good because they loved it…bad because it left me with no leftovers. I’ve got this one printed and saved. Thanks!
How would this work using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth? Want to try it for a sick friend who is a vegetarians. Thank you!!
I definitely think you could use veggie broth!
I just made this and it was really good! I added a few handfuls of chopped kale with the potatoes to up my greens for the day. My husband loved it! Thank you!
I am an IP newbie & a picky eater. This recipe had no offensive ingredients so I decided to try it since potato soup is a favorite. I can not even begin to explain how great it turned out! It really built my IP confidence. I chose to add the chicken & it was delicious & even worked for my mom’s new low sodium diet. Perfection!!! Thanks so much for this recipe.
Just made this. 1st thing in my new Instant pot. My boys are in love. Thank you.
Mel! My husband LOVED this. 3 year old loved it and 6 year old with a soup prejudice loved it. Win! It was my first time using my (scary) instant pot and it turned out great. Thank you for a great, easy to follow recipe, even for a beginner. BUT that soup stunk up my pot lid! How can I get the stink out?
Yeah, that’s the downfall with the Instant Pot ring…it absorbs odors no matter what you cook in it (it’s far worse with foods like chili!). I sometimes soak the ring in vinegar/baking soda and it helps, but my ring always has a slight smell to it and I’ve learned to deal with it (it really doesn’t transfer to other savory dishes – but I have bought an extra ring for if I want to make rice pudding or something sweet in my IP).
I’ve read to leave it out in the sunlight…something about the UV rays!
If you put 1 C. Water, 1 C. White Vinegar, and a few Lemon Peels in the IP then seal and steam for 3 minutes it will clean and deodorizer 😉
Also used this recipe for my first IP experiment and it was incredible. Thank you so much!
I read some leave the lid upside down to air out, and that works for me!
Finally got my Instant Pot for Christmas and loving it but loving this soup even more!! We just heated up leftovers of this and the Turkey and Brown Rice soup(Both Instant Pot made). Both were great even the second time around!!
We made this recipe as is and it was absolutely delicious! Thanks- I will definitely be making this again. 🙂
Hi;Mel–Thanks for all your great recipes. I especially appreciate the Instant Pot recipes. Made your cheesy potato soup (in Instant Pot) for lunch on this frigid December day, and
it is yummy. The recipe will definitely go in my IP file. I have the 3 qt. mini Pot, so I halved the ingredients, using 1 cup of broth for the potatoes and added another 1/2 cup broth later. Maybe could have used the full amount of ingredients, but I’m cooking for 2, so just went with one-half the amounts. Followed the recipe as written, except I used half and half instead of milk.
Thanks again. Happy New Year to you and your family.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Mel! Despite my best attempts for a mellow Christmas, the 24 hours of Christmas Eve to Christmas night were non-stop. I went back to work yesterday with a “holiday hangover.” My cute husband is home from work this week (he works for a tech firm…lucky guy).
When I walked in the door last night, my mind was focused on the hot cocoa bar I had to coordinate today for my 90+ colleagues (one.more.thing.to.do!). I was feeling a little bit overwhelmed when I noticed the table was set for a candle light dinner. My sweet husband had made dinner!!! Not just any dinner but your awesome potato soup.
I thought you would appreciate the back story. Apparently, he Googled “life changing mashed potatoes) to find your site (since the only way we make mashed potatoes now is with your recipe for the IP) and made this UH-MAZING soup. He rated it in his top five favorite soups, which is saying a lot because he’s a bit of a soup snob.
We had a wonderful Christmas, but this really was the best gift of all–to come home to a home cooked meal. The soup was delicious and my hubs was singing praises to your name–as was I. Thanks for making him look and feel like a rockstar. It was such a treat to have comfort food waiting for me. We love you at our house!! Thanks for all you do to keep this blog running and our breakfasts, lunches and dinners and everything in between delicious. I’ve been a loyal follower for 9 years now…you are my go-to source for all things delicious (and apparently my husband’s too :)).
Oh, I loved this so much! What a sweet thing for your husband to coordinate for you! (and hot chocolate bar for 90? Oh my). I hope your stress level is back down…thank you for taking the time to comment! So happy you keep coming back after all these years. 🙂
This is soooo yummy. I just made it for the 3rd or 4th time and it’s everything I love about a baked potato in comforting soup format! I also started adding cauliflower because I need more veg in my life. Thank you for a lovely recipe!
(also, in case anyone else finds it useful, I add my defrosted but uncooked cubed chicken with the potatoes and cauliflower and then cook for the recommended 4 minutes. I then do a 10 minute release to let the chicken have a bit longer to cook and then go on as recommended. It works really well!)
So good that I’m making it on Christmas!
Absolutely DELISH!!!
Amazing!!!! The best soup I have ever made.
I just made this soup for lunch. It is delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
I didn’t have enough Russets for this so I made it with half Sweet potatoes and half Russets and it was to. die. for. I love all your instant pot recipes. Thanks!
This was delicious! Thank you for sharing the recipe!!
STOP the presses!! This was ahh.may.zing!! I’m going for my second batch now mostly to store in the freezer for days when I “need” something awesomely yummy. Thanks, Mel!!
Delicious soup, very easy!
I have everything except cream cheese. Would sour cream be a decent substitute?
You could try that, Chelsea – the flavor and texture will be different, but it’s worth a try
I took your suggestion and bought an Instant Pot on Black Friday (should have waited for Cyber Monday – oh well!) I made this recipe for dinner last night – yum! I even had some of the little Costco potatoes left over from last week. We all loved the soup. Please keep posting Instant Pot recipes.
This soup is so fast and easy, it’s almost ridiculous! So good, too! I’m going to have to make it for our Thanksgiving potluck next year!
This was a hit with my picky toddler, and the rest of the family! I followed the recipe but did not add chicken meat. I mixed bacon crumbles into the entire batch of soup so all the portions were fair. Thank you for sharing this yummy budget friendly meal
Just what I was looking for!! Love how thick it is!! Thanks for sharing!
THIS WAS SO GOOD!!!! I don’t have an Instant Pot (insert crying emoji) so I tried it in my stovetop pressure cooker and it turned out perfectly! YASS!! So good. I was too lazy to do the bacon, but my hubby mentioned that bacon would be good, so I will do it next time!! So excited for lunch tomorrow!!!!
This is probably a really dumb question, but I’m really new to using my Instant Pot. I tried this recipe out last night and it was a huge hit, so thank you so much for your recipes! I make more of yours than any other site. My question is after the saute, when you say to cook at high pressure, should I press Manual or one of the other settings before setting the time? I tried to press Manual but it didn’t seem like it did anything so I ended up pressing Soup, I think, and then adjusting the time. Thanks so much for your help!
That’s not a dumb question at all! Sorry for not making it more clear in the recipe. When I’ve been using the saute function, I always hit cancel before selecting manual. That seems to do the trick.
Awesome! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer all our questions! 🙂 Love your site! Please keep up the Instant Pot recipes…I need to make that thing worth it and haven’t yet. Had it for about a year now and only used it a handful of times. 🙂
Delicious soup! I made it gluten free by omitting the flour and instead I added 2 1\2 tablespoons of cornstarch to the cold milk, mixing until dissolved before adding to the pot. I also added 3 diced carrots and cooked them with the potatoes and left out the corn.
This soup is delicious! I love your Instant Pot recipes and will definitely be making this recipe again. I diced my chicken breasts while they were partially frozen and added them to butter and sautéed them until they were cooked and then removed them and added them back when I added the cheese and corn.
Made this the other day and added some bacon grease to the soup. So delicious!! I’ll definitely make this again.
This soup is delicious and I love your Instant Pot recipes! Keep ’em coming!
Thanks, Theresa! I have some more up my sleeve coming soon!
Made this soup tonight and it was a hit! I even forgot to put in the cream cheese (left it in the microwave ♀️) but it was still so awesome. I use your recipes all the time and just love them! Thanks!
Thanks, Debbie!
This was so easy! I can’t wait to try this method with your clam chowder recipe!
I made this last night and it was delicious! Leftovers for lunch today were excellent too. I used raw chicken, adding it with the onions at the beginning, as you suggested. I steamed some fresh broccoli separately and added it as a topping, along with turkey bacon. Very yummy! Thank you for another great recipe, Mel.
Made this last night (minus the bacon, added chicken, added carrots, a little worchesteshire, a splash of lemon juice and some “Slap Yo Mama” cajun spice) and it was a HUGE hit. We all had seconds. For fun, I added some crushed roasted/salted almonds on top. Definitely will do that again! Yummmm.
Delicious variations!
I made this in my regular crock pot and it worked great. I put the chicken(frozen), potatoes, onions and I added celery with the garlic and broth and cooked in the crockpot on high for 4 hours. I blended the milk, flour, cream cheese in my blender then brought to a simmer during the end of the 4 hours. I added corn and cheese to this and then mixed with the crock pot, shredding the chicken and adding the cheese. It was delicious.
Thanks for the feedback about using a slow cooker!
I need clarification! Make this all the time in instapot and it is our family favorite. Need to make in in slow cooker for 92 year old grandparents. I understand to blend flour, cream cheese and milk together at the end, but do you add to slow cooker then wait for it to come to simmer? Or bring it to simmer on stove, then add into slow cooker?
Do you know if this would freeze well? I am wanting it to, but worried about the dairy components?
I froze some a few weeks ago – it’s pretty tasty still but just slightly grainy because of the dairy, I think.
Ok. Good to know. If it still tastes good, we can deal with grainy for convenience!! Thank you!!
I made this recipe in the slow cooker using Christine’s tips in the comments. I cooked the chicken, potatoes, onions & garlic. I froze half for later. For the frozen soup, I waited to add the rest of the ingredients, such as the milk & cream cheese, until I was ready to make it again.
Mel, I made this last week and it was amazing! I am not a big fan of potato soup but this has changed my mind! The kids also loved it so it will be on regular rotation! The only change I will make next time is to add some broccoli ( my daughters suggestion). Thanks for another great IP recipe!
Broccoli would be a GREAT addition! Glad you loved it!
Thank you for sharing the recipe! It looks so good, creamy and cozy, the best idea for Fall.
So good. Thank you! I did about 4 cups of potatoes and 2 cups of carrots instead of all potatoes. Another IP winner!
I thoroughly enjoyed this recipe as did my friends at the potluck. My family wouldn’t try it but that’s ok cause I loved the leftovers. 🙂
Holy moly so delicious! Will definitely be making this again frequently. Big hit with the whole family. I did not make it in the instapot but did it one pot on the stove – sautéed onions garlic and bacon together, added the potatoes and sautéed for a few then the chicken broth and brought to a boil for 10 ish minutes. Did the cream cheese etc in the blender and poured into the pot and brought back to a boil. Worked great, total time probably 40 minutes. I love the idea someone posted of adding some green chili’s and am going to try that next time. I did not add any chicken.
Hi Mel, I love your instant pot recipes I bought an instant pot this summer after seeing all of your IP recipes. Definitely my favorite kitchen item at the moment! This potato soup was delish! My kids and I loved it!
Thanks, Nita!
Going to make this today! My question is, could I use frozen cubes hash browns and would cooking time be affected? Thanks!
You could definitely try! I haven’t cooked that type of hash brown in the IP so I’m not sure about cooking time – I’d probably suggest a minute or so less since those hash browns are pretty small.
Can I double this in the instant pot?
I think the quantity is too much (doubled) for the 6-quart IP, but it would work doubled in the 8-quart.
I wondered the same thing, but you are right. Once all of the ingredients were added to my 6 quart, it was close to 3/4 full (using about 2c of chicken).
We all loved this soup. Even the kids finished off their bowls. I forgot to buy an onion so that was missing but a bit of onion powder worked. Please keep the Instant Pot recipes coming!
I certainly will – I have another fantastic one coming Wednesday!
So I’ll admit I forgot you had posted this, and I made the recipe from PCT that you cited as inspiration. It was delicious, but it didn’t thicken up very well, and I was thinking next time I’d purée part of the potatoes to add to the texture of the soup. Fast forward to being reminded of this recipe and I think your method of blending the cc/flour/milk is brilliant. So… now I need to make it your way and finish kicking myself for not going here first. I’m mildly embarrassed. 😉
I made this the the other afternoon and left it in the IP with keep warm feature for 3 hours. We had it for supper after we got done with parent teacher conferences and it was perfect! I think it’ll be my new go-to potato soup recipe.
Oh! This one is super easy to adapt to the stovetop pressure cooker. Adding it to my menu this week.
Delicious! I didn’t worry about the chicken, and served crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, and chives with the soup rather than adding all the cheese into the soup. It would be great with cornbread on the side. Will absolutely make again!
Glad you loved it, Beth!
Could this be made in a crockpot? I don’t have an Instant Pot, but love to make soups in the crockpot. Thanks Mel for all your great recipes!
Hi Rhonda – I think so! I haven’t tried it, but I think it probably stands a good chance of working.
I saw on Amazon that they have different size Instapots. What size do you use? I have a family of 7 also, although I think my kids might be older than yours.
Hey Jenni – that’s a great question. I’d say 99% of the Instant Pot recipes online right now are developed for the 6-quart. It’s by far the most popular size. I have it and use it almost every day…but I also have the 8-quart and it’s awesome for when I’m making dinner for more people than just my family. I’d say the 6-quart is substantial enough for a family of 7 moderate eaters but might possibly run short when making things with beans or rice (since you can only fill it up halfway because those ingredients foam/expand). I tend to pull out my 8-quart when feeding company, making larger batches of beans, rice, etc. With a pressure cooker, you can make even the smallest quantity in a larger pressure cooker, but you can’t and shouldn’t push the limits of quantity in a smaller one. So if you have the budget, I’d recommend the 8-quart. It will make any recipe written for the 6-quart but give you the flexibility to increase quantities, if needed.
Mel,
I made this two nights ago. I did add the chicken, I diced it while it was partially frozen and added it with the potatoes. It turned out great, my family loved it. Thanks for the recipe. I am really getting the hang of my pressure cooker and I use it more and more.
Ann F.
I made this tonight and we all loved it. Pretty simple and very delicious. I was too lazy to dice up the chicken raw, so I just cooked it in the pressure cooker first, then took it out and proceeded with the recipe, without washing the pot or anything. Definitely making this one again!
Delicious! I love its creamy texture!
I made this in my instant pot last night and it ended up turning out amazing like all your recipes do but for some reason on the #8 step where it says to continue cooking & stirring until the soup thickens for the life of me could not get it to this point!! Finally after maybe 30-40 minutes of waiting and stirring & wondering if it would ever happen (and having a very patient husband ;o) I ended up just transferring it into a pot on the stove to get it to boil and all was well. I’m still a newbie to using the instant pot so maybe that’s why but what do you think I did wrong? I just had it on sauté. Should I have closed the lid? Thanks for any input you might have!!
Sounds like you may need to adjust the temperature setting on the Saute function. When you press Saute, you can use the + or – to increase or decrease the “level” of heat. I’m guessing that once you dial that up, it will simmer and bubble just fine!
Thank you so much for the reply. This was my first recipe using sauté so I didn’t realize that you could crank that up. Good to know.
I threw in a bag of frozen cauliflower before pressure cooking. It fell apart so much that you couldn’t tell it was there. Perfect way to hide veggies! Love that it’s only 4 oz cream cheese as my husband doesn’t love cream cheese and it blends in well.
Didn’t mean to make that a reply to another comment. Oops 🙂
This sounds delicious. I don’t have an instant pot but I may try it stovetop. I am happy it’s soup season!
Made this tonight! I got a thumbs up from everyone. So good, easy to put together. Thanks so much Mel!
Thanks for taking the time to let me know, Jessica!
Made this tonight and happy to say it’s a keeper for sure!!! Quick and easy and I always have potatoes on hand! I forgot all about the corn but know that would have been even yummier! Printing and saving in my IP binder because I’ll know I’ll be making it quite often in the colder months to come. Thanks for a yummy recipe!
So happy you loved it – thanks for taking the time to let me know!
Looking forward to making this. Poldark….a woman after my own heart. Love that show.
My 9yo, who has loathed potatoes since infancy, said “this is the first potato dish I have ever liked.” And then got seconds.
Haha, that was adorable…and totally made me laugh.
Loved it! My teenagers devoured it. Much better than the baked potatoes I had originally planned on making. Made the Macaroni Grill Rosemary bread as well – also 5 stars! Thanks for your humor and great recipes!
Thank YOU, Lavinia…I appreciate the review on the recipe! I’m so happy you and the teenagers loved it! 🙂
I make a recipe that is very similar to this but I add jalapeños with the veggies. Try it! The flavor combo is awesome.
I was wondering if you were keeping up on Poldark ever since you mentioned it at BYU. I love it. It is getting juicy. I am looking forward to giving this soup a try in the IP. Thank you for the report that banana bread is a no go.
I broke up with it during season 2, but I decided to get caught up on it again. I kind of have a love/hate relationship with it…and now I’m irritated I waited so long because it’s impossible to find Season 3 online to watch for free.
Season 3 is on the PBS.org website for free right now — in my area, anyway — maybe not yours which would be very sad indeed!
Also sad is that I do not have an Instant Pot.
I can watch the first three episodes of season 3 for free but after that, I have to pay, darn it. Even on PBS. I’m sad you don’t have an Instant Pot, either! 🙂
I MUST try this ASAP!!! Sounds perfect for the cooler weather. I had to say–the Poldark quip made me laugh out loud. I was about to sit and watch it. Best. Show. Ever. Thanks for all your delicious recipes Mel. You are so awesome!!!
Thanks, Natalie. 🙂
I have this in our IP now! Can’t wait to serve it for supper!
🙂
Hope you loved it, Laura! Always fun hearing from you. 🙂
Thank you for this recipe Mel! I just said to my husband a few days ago that I wished I knew how to make potato soup in our Instant Pot.
Still hot here in KS, but the first sign of cooler temps, I am making this. Thanks for challenging yourself for all of us…bravo girlfriend! Love the idea of watching Poldark while cooking and eating this…just wish it could be without interruption. Thank goodness for a pause button. 5 stars just for having it to try, that and I love Potato Soup
Okay, Mel, I’m making this one for sure. I’ll just have to experiment with a gluten free sub for the AP flour but that shouldn’t be very hard. Looks so good!
Okay, I have an Instant Pot question to ask, even though it doesn’t have anything to do with this particular recipe. I’m asking it right here loud and proud because I wonder if anyone else has ever had this issue. I’m not very Instant Pot savvy at ALL (although I’ve had one for over a year, I think).
The other day I broke mine out (you always inspire me, Mel!), and made something that called for sauteeing first, and then cooking under pressure afterward. When it came to cooking under pressure, the pot started to count down the time even though it wasn’t at pressure. Is that because the pot was already too hot from the sautée function, so the gauge was off?
Has that ever happened to you? How do you cope with it, or do you have any suggestions based on your clearly vast IP experience?
xo Nicole
I always love seeing your gluten-free adaptations, Nicole. I’m guessing this one would be pretty easy. I *think* I know what you are asking, because I’ve had something similar happen to me, but it was after I had cooked something at high pressure, quick released, added other ingredients and brought it up to pressure again…the IP started counting down even though it wasn’t at high pressure (the knobby-gauge thingie hadn’t popped up). So, here’s what I do, if I’ve done the aforementioned situation (cooked something at high pressure already and need to bring it up to pressure again) OR even if I’m using the Saute mode and then securing the lid and cooking at high pressure, I turn the IP off (just the cancel button), unplug, replug it in, and set things from there. Additionally, if the lid has been in use, I wipe any condensation out between lid and ring and make sure the ring is pushed all the way into position. It seems tedious, but I don’t have the pseudo-cooking countdown when I do that. Does that help??
I’ve had this happen to me when something is burned on the bottom of the IP insert after sautéing. I think it’s a safety feature of the IP, but it can be frustrating (and so time consuming!) if you don’t know what’s causing the pot not to pressurize. When it happens you might try pouring what you’ve just sautéed into another bowl while you check the bottom of your insert and scrape any burned bits off of it. Hope that helps!
Thanks for chiming in, Savanna!
Yes yes yes that helps, Mel. Thank you!!
I want to make this right now…. Please tell me what to do about chicken in this … yes or no for my first time making it?? I love chicken with potatoes, but I also love a great corn/potato chowder with bacon as the only meat. So…. for my first go round… chicken or no chicken… opinion/advice please :0!!
Honestly, I think it’s delicious either way, Helen! I’d say if you don’t already have cooked chicken on hand, leave it out this first time. 🙂
I made this and it is AMAZING!! I took your advice and since I didn’t have any cooked chicken on hand I did it without the chicken. Now that I have made it I can totally see why chicken would be wonderful in it too!! So next time I will add the chicken… but totally yummy without also!!! Thanks for another easy, yummy IP recipe ! So glad I took your advice a while beck and got my hands on an Instant Pot!!
Glad you loved it, Helen!
I’m quite pleased with myself because I’ve been recently tricking my soup adverse children into eating soup by re-marketing it as “bowls” and adding a little less broth! My most successful attempt was “cheesy potato bowls,” so I’ll look forward to trying this version! Your chicken gnocchi soup/bowls are up tonight! Fingers crossed 🙂
Haha, I like that type of dinner psychology, Becky. 🙂
I don’t have an instant pot but this sounds delicious. Is there a stove-top version?
Hi April, I’d recommend the soup recipe in the archives that I link to in the post: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/cream-cheese-chicken-and-vegetable-soup/
You have two lines of chicken broth. 1 is for 1 cup the other is 2 cups. Should we add a total of 3 cups broth to this recipe?
My husband and I love your Loaded Broccoli Cheese soup and know this will be another winner.
Thanks!
Heather
Sorry, that was a little confusing. You add 1 cup with the potatoes and cook them…and the other 2 cups are added with the milk/creamy mixture. I clarified a bit in the recipe.