Ultimate Potato Soup + Instant Pot Option (Step-by-Step) (original) (raw)
This Loaded Potato Soup is a creamy, flavorful, and satisfying vegetarian meal. Use an electric pressure cooker like Instant Pot or slow cooker, to make this delicious homestyle soup with minimal efforts.
Few meals feel as comforting as a warm bowl of potato soup. Whether you love it chunky, silky-smooth, or loaded with toppings, this guide shows you exactly how to make classic potato soup — plus an easy Instant Pot option when you want dinner fast.
This soup is full of hearty comforting ingredients. Melt in your mouth potato bites with silky smooth creamy broth and bits and pieces of cheese and pepper... It is the best Comfort Food !
Lentil Quinoa Soup, Vegetable Barley Soup, and Vegan Black Bean Soup are some of our family favorite soups. I am sure you will love them too.
And if you are potato lovers like us, try these finger licking delicious recipes like Air-fryer Fingerling Potatoes, Instant Pot Masala Potatoes, Creamy Potato Salad or Potato Cheese Poppers.
Potato Soup Ingredients
Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's what I used to make this soup in little more details.
Potatoes – For the Soups, always go for a starchy variety of Potatoes. I have mentioned below which varieties can be used to make this Soup.
Flavoring Agents – For homestyle soup flavor add garlic and onion. You can also add celery and carrots if easily available. I use low sodium vegetable broth. It adds wonderful flavor to the soup since potatoes are cooked in it.
Milk and Flour– These ingredients make the soup rich, filling and creamy. I am using almond milk and gluten-free all purpose flour. Regular kinds also work.
Other Ingredients – You will need some oil to get the cooking started. Salt and ground black pepper are used for flavoring. I like to add red pepper flakes for a hint of spice. Fresh chives or green onions are perfect for that loaded potato soup feel.
Cheese : Optional but highly recommended. My favorite kind of cheese to use in this soup is Monterey Jack. You can also use cheddar. Choose plant based cheese or nutritional yeast for the vegan version.
How to Make Potato Soup in Instant Pot?
Add oil to the Instant Pot and turn on the sauté button. Once it displays HOT, add in the onions, sprinkle some salt and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for one additional minute until fragrant, stirring constantly.
Add the broth, ground black pepper, seasoning and potatoes to the pot, and stir well. Deglaze the pot. Cancel SAUTE.
Close the lid on the Instant Pot and turn the vent valve to "sealing." Cook over manual high pressure for 6 minutes. After it's done cooking, a quick release the pressure after 5 minutes.
Whisk the flour and milk together and make a slurry.
Once the cooking is done, open the lid and stir in the milk and flour slurry. Turn the pot to sauté and cook the soup for 4-5 minutes, until thickened.
Using the back of your spatula, roughly mash some of the potatoes. You can also use potato masher. Creamy potato soup is ready. Ladle the soup in serving bowls. Serve garnished with chopped chives or green onions, cheese, red pepper flakes. Enjoy!
Pro Tips
- For even cooking, make sure to chop your potatoes into roughly the same size. I prefer to make about 1 inch cubes.
- I also like to peel the skin of the potatoes for this soup. It's personal preference so you can choose accordingly.
- If you prefer a smooth texture, need less chunky pieces, use an immersion blender to smooth out your soup at the end of cooking.
- This soup thickens further substantially. So you will need water or broth to thin it out when reheating.
- Similar to most potato dishes, I do NOT recommend freezing this soup. Texture won't be the same and it won't heat properly.
- It is very important not to over cook the potatoes. You want tender pieces that still have some bite to them. Otherwise it will become liquid mashed potatoes which won't be fun.
- No need to use heavy cream to thicken the soup. Starchy potatoes cooked with milk are enormously creamy and velvety.
How to make Slow Cooker Potato Soup
Put all the ingredients except milk and flour in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. The potatoes should get fork tender. Open the lid. Add milk and flour slurry and let it cook for additional 30 minutes on medium setting. Top with all the garnishes and serve warm !
Best Potatoes for Potato Soup
Choosing the right potato makes or breaks your soup’s texture.
Best options:
- Russet potatoes – High starch, ideal for thick, creamy soups
- Yukon Gold – Buttery flavor, great balance of creaminess and structure
- Red potatoes – Hold shape well for chunky soups
Avoid waxy-only blends if you want a thick soup — they won’t break down enough.
Potato Soup Too Thin?
Mash more potatoes
Add cornstarch slurry
Simmer uncovered 10 minutes
Soup grainy or gluey?
Over-blended starch
Use immersion blender lightly
Switch to Yukon Gold next time
Dairy Curdled?
Heat was too high
Add dairy off heat and stir gently
Instant Pot burn notice?
Deglaze bottom thoroughly
Keep thick ingredients above liquid
Add dairy only after pressure cooking
Some additional Tips
- I also like to peel the potatoes before using. Since it's a soup, the skin doesn't blend in that well.
- It is easy to veganize vegetable soup recipes. Use certified gluten free flour and products to ensure gluten free recipe.
- For a vegan and dairy free alternative, use plant based butter or just the cooking oil. Also use plant based milk like almond milk, soy milk or rice milk. And for cheese, choose nutritional yeast or vegan cheese alternative which is plant based cheese.
- Make this Loaded Potato Soup gluten free by using certified gluten free all purpose flour. You can also substitute regular flour with rice flour, chickpea flour, or oat flour.
★ If you make this Creamy Potato Soup Recipe , do let us know how you like it by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below.
📖 Recipe
Learn how to make the best potato soup on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot. Step-by-step instructions, texture tips, variations, and expert troubleshooting.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Comfort Food
Cuisine American
Servings 6 cups
Calories 384 kcal
- ▢ 5-6 medium sized russet potatoes peeled and chopped into 1 inch cubes (about 2.5 pounds of potatoes)
- ▢ 1 Tablespoon oil
- ▢ 1 medium onion diced
- ▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
- ▢ 3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ▢ 1 cup milk - I used Almond Milk
- ▢ 1 Tablespoon flour - I used gluten free all purpose flour
- ▢ 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- ▢ Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Garnishes: Optional
- ▢ Chopped chives sliced green onions
- ▢ Shredded cheese
- ▢ Red pepper flakes
How to Make Instant Pot Potato Soup
- Add oil to the Instant Pot and turn on the sauté button. Once it displays HOT, add in the onions, sprinkle some salt and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft. Add in the garlic and cook for one additional minute until fragrant, stirring constantly.
- Add the broth, ground black pepper, seasoning and potatoes to the pot, and stir well. Deglaze the pot. Cancel SAUTE.
- Close the lid on the Instant Pot and turn the vent valve to "sealing." Cook over manual high pressure for 6 minutes. After it's done cooking, a quick release the pressure after 5 minutes.
- Whisk the flour and milk together and make a slurry. Once the pin drops, open the lid and stir in the milk and flour slurry.
- Turn the pot to sauté and cook the soup for 4-5 minutes, until thickened. Using the back of your spatula, roughly mash some of the potatoes. You can also use potato masher. Creamy potato soup is ready !
- Ladle the soup in serving bowls. Serve garnished with chopped chives or green onions, cheese, red pepper flakes. Enjoy!
How to Make Potato Soup in Slow Cooker
- Put all the ingredients except milk and flour in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. The potatoes should get fork tender. Open the lid. Add milk and flour slurry and let it cook for additional 30 minutes on medium setting. Top with all the garnishes and serve warm !
For chunky soup: mash lightly.
For creamy soup: blend half with an immersion blender.
Never add dairy before pressure cooking in the Instant Pot. It can scorch, separate, and trigger burn notices.
Serving: 1cupCalories: 384kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 13gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 515mgFiber: 7gSugar: 8g
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This recipe first appeared on ProfusionCurry Website on September 2021.
