Name: Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 4 slices bacon, cut in small pieces; 1 yellow onion, diced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 2½ lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks; 3 cups chicken broth; ½ cup milk; ½ cup sour cream; 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese; ¼ cup sliced green onions; salt and pepper to taste

A baked potato, in soup form

Take everything that makes a loaded baked potato good and put it in a bowl with a spoon. Bacon, cheddar, sour cream, green onions. The potato just changes shape. That is the whole idea here, and it is a good one on a cold night.

The bacon cooks first, in the pot, and the onion cooks in what it leaves behind. That one choice does most of the flavour work in the whole soup. I would not skip it, and I would not wash an extra pan to do it elsewhere.

You decide how thick it gets

The potatoes cook for 8 minutes under pressure. Then let the pot sit for 5 minutes while the pressure drops on its own. That slow drop is a natural release. After that, open the valve and let the rest of the steam out before you lift the lid.

Thickness is your call. Mash a little for a thinner soup, mash more for a thick one that holds the toppings up. If you want the potato times for other cuts and sizes, the cooking times chart has them. Stir the dairy in at the end, off the heat, so the soup stays smooth.

Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup

A baked potato, in soup form

You decide how thick it gets