Ingredients
6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
4 c. low-sodium chicken broth
2 1/2 lb. russet potatoes (about 5 medium), peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
1 1/2 c. half-and-half
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c. sour cream, plus more for serving
Shredded cheddar cheese and sliced chives, for serving
Preparation
Step 1Set Instant Pot to “Sauté” setting. Cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a plate, leaving fat in pot. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in flour, garlic, and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 1 minute more. Pour in broth and stir until flour is dissolved, about 30 seconds.Step 2Add potatoes, half-and-half, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and stir to combine. Cover pot, then set to Pressure Cook on High and set timer for 8 minutes. Slow release pressure. Step 3Uncover pot and stir in sour cream. Using an immersion blender, blend until some chunky bits of potato remain. Alternatively, you can use a standard blender to blend about half of soup and return to pot.Step 4Divide soup among bowls. Top with more sour cream, bacon, cheddar, and chives.
After throwing all your ingredients in the pot, you’ll have the coziest, most comforting soup on your hands in under an hour. If you love a loaded baked potato brimming with bacon, cheese, sour cream, and chives, you’ll go crazy for this easy soup recipe. What kind of potatoes work best for potato soup? We use (and prefer) large russet potatoes in our potato soup due to their high starch content. Potatoes with high starch will yield a thicker soup, and that’s exactly what we’re going for in this recipe to create the creamiest soup possible. Can I make this vegetarian? Absolutely! Simply skip the bacon and sub out the chicken broth for vegetable broth to make this into a comforting vegetarian dinner. Can I make this ahead? You can make this soup in its entirety the day before you plan to serve. Just refrigerate the soup right in the inner pot insert and keep the garnishes separate. When it’s mealtime, pop the insert back in the Instant Pot, close the lid, turn the valve to the sealing position, press the “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” button and set the time to zero minutes. By the time it comes to pressure, your soup will be warmed through. Tip: If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can simply ladle some of your soup into a traditional blender, blend until smooth, and pour back into the soup. You can also play with the texture to your liking. If you prefer a chunkier soup, just blend about one-quarter of the soup. Looking for a slow-cooker version? Check out our Crockpot potato soup! Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below!