Instant Pot 8-Minute Cheesy Potato Soup
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You’ve heard us sing the praises of the Instant Pot before, and we’re not going to stop anytime soon. It’s SO much more than a pressure cooker… it’s like three appliances in one or something. It saves a ton of time on so many recipes and (unlike a slow cooker) you can really cook everything in one pot, even when something needs searing or sauteeing. Take this soup, for instance. It’s an unbelievably cheesy and comforting potato soup and the cooking time with the Instant PotInstant Pot is only EIGHT MINUTES. You heard us.
All in all, this is a pretty simple soup. It gets its heartiness from potatoes, its creaminess from cream cheese, and its cheesiness from a healthy dose of sharp cheddar. There are a few extra adornments, but it’s pretty straightforward in what it’s trying to be: a hearty and comforting soup that’s full of delicious flavor. Believe us, it accomplishes its goals. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that it’s so quick and easy to make.
You start by getting out your Instant Pot and setting it to “sauté” mode…
Once it’s heated up, you melt some butter and sauté some shallot until it’s nice and soft. (You can of course use onion if you’d like; shallot just lends a little bit of a more mellow flavor.)
You add the broth, potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and paprika and twist the lid closed on the Instant Pot. It will sing a little song at you to let you know it’s closed, and you check to make sure the vent is set to “sealed” before you set it to cook for 8 minutes on high pressure.
It will take a few minutes to come up to pressure and begin cooking, but the time goes by fast. When the cooking time is up, let it sit and release pressure naturally for just two minutes before switching the steam valve to “venting” for a quick release. Stir in all that cheddar and cream cheese and let it melt into ooey-gooey goodness.
To get everything nicely melted, it helps to chop your cream cheese into chunks and let it come to room temperature first. If you do have trouble getting everything melted, you can always set the pot to “sauté” again and bring it up to a simmer for a few minutes.
A little crispy bacon and bright green onion on top don’t hurt matters, but with or without, this soup is one we wouldn’t mind eating every day. It comforts you in the way that only a cheese and carb-laden concoction can and sometimes that’s just what you need.
Instant Pot Cheesy Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 8 cups potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 4-6 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- Bacon, to garnish (optional)
- Green onion, to garnish (optional)
Preparation
- Set the Instant Pot to “Sauté” and add butter to the pot. Once butter has melted, add onion and cook until soft and translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Add potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and paprika to the pot. Add broth just to cover the potatoes, and stir to combine.
- Press “Cancel” to quite the “Sauté” mode and place the lid on the Instant Pot. Make sure the valve on top is set to “Sealing.” Press the “Manual” button and set the time to 8 minutes.
- When the timer goes off, let it sit for 2 minutes, and then turn the valve from “Sealing” to “Venting” to release the pressure. When pressure is released (it will stop steaming and you’ll hear a little pop when it’s done), remove the lid.
- Stir in the cream cheese and cheddar cheese until melted. (It helps to break the cream cheese up in to chunks first.) Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with bacon and green onion on top, if desired. Enjoy!
Adapted from Heather Likes Food.