This gluten free Instant Pot baked potato soup is my answer to a cold, rainy Pacific Northwest evening when I want something cozy on the table fast. It tastes just like a loaded baked potato, with bacon, cheddar, sour cream, and green onions in every spoonful. Best of all, everything goes into the pot at once. There's no frying bacon first, no draining grease, and no blender to wash when dinner is over.
I first made this soup after a long day of chores on the farm. Now it's one I come back to all winter, because it uses simple ingredients I can always find, even at my small rural grocery store.
The potatoes cook until they're soft enough to mash right in the pot, and a little sour cream and cream at the end make it thick and creamy. Leftovers are even better the next day, so I like to make a full batch and plan on lunch too.
If you are looking for more instant pot recipes try my Gluten Free Instant Pot Chicken & Dumplings, my Instant Pot Beef and Vegetable Soup, my Gluten Free Instant Pot Chili Mac and Cheese or my Instant Pot Pesto Chicken Soup.
You can find more soup recipes here: My Favorite Gluten Free Soup Recipes
You can find all of my instant pot recipes here: The Best Gluten Free Instant Pot Recipes
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Gluten Free Instant Pot Baked Potato Soup
- The Best Potatoes for Instant Pot Potato Soup
- How to Get the Perfect Creamy Texture
- Best Toppings for Loaded Baked Potato Soup
- Easy Variations and What to Serve With Them
- Top Tip
- How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat Potato Soup
- Supplies
- More Recipes You Might Enjoy
- Gluten Free Instant Pot Baked Potato Soup
- Did You Make This Gluten Free Instant Pot Baked Potato Soup?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Didn't find the answer you're looking for?
Why You'll Love This Gluten Free Instant Pot Baked Potato Soup
- It's truly dump and go: no frying bacon first, no draining grease, and no blender to wash.
- It tastes like a loaded baked potato in a bowl, with bacon, cheddar, sour cream, and green onions.
- It's a filling one pot dinner your whole family will eat.
- It uses simple ingredients you can find at any grocery store, even a small rural one.
- Leftovers are even better the next day, and it freezes well too.
The Best Potatoes for Instant Pot Potato Soup
I use yellow potatoes in this soup because they turn soft and creamy under pressure but still hold a few tender chunks. Their thin skins are so tender that I don't bother peeling them, which saves time and adds a little texture.
Russet potatoes work too. They break down more and make a thicker, starchier soup, so you'll want a little extra broth if you use them. Red potatoes are waxier and stay firmer, so the soup comes out thinner and chunkier. Whichever you choose, cut them into even ½ inch pieces so they all cook at the same rate.
How to Get the Perfect Creamy Texture
- Mash a few potatoes. After the pressure releases, press some of the potato chunks against the side of the pot with a potato masher or a big spoon. The more you mash, the thicker and creamier your soup will be.
- Turn off the heat before adding the dairy. Press Cancel before stirring in the sour cream, cream, and cheese. Very hot soup can make dairy separate and cheese turn stringy.
- Whisk the flour into the cream first. Whisk the gluten free flour into the heavy cream until smooth, then add it to the soup. This keeps lumps from forming.
- Add cheese a handful at a time. Stir until each handful melts before adding the next so it stays smooth.
- Too thin? Turn on Sauté and let the soup simmer for a few minutes while you stir, or mash more of the potatoes.
- Too thick? Stir in a splash of chicken broth until it's the texture you like.
Best Toppings for Loaded Baked Potato Soup
The toppings are what make this taste like a loaded baked potato. My favorites are extra shredded cheddar, chopped green onions, and crispy bacon bits. A spoonful of sour cream on top is always a good idea too. For a little heat, add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce or some sliced jalapeños. Chopped fresh chives work in place of green onions if that's what you have in the garden.
Easy Variations and What to Serve With Them
- Broccoli cheddar potato soup: Stir 2 cups of small steamed broccoli florets in with the cheese at the end.
- Ham and potato soup: Skip the bacon and stir in 2 cups of diced cooked ham after the pressure releases. It's a great way to use up holiday ham.
- Extra smoky: Use smoked cheddar and add ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika with the other seasonings.
- Lighter version: Use whole milk instead of heavy cream and plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
Serve bowls of this soup with a pan of my gluten free cornbread, warm buttermilk drop biscuits, or thick slices of cheesy sourdough bread for dunking. A crisp kale Caesar salad on the side balances out all that creamy, cheesy goodness.
Top Tip
Press Cancel before you stir in the sour cream, cream, and cheese. Adding dairy to bubbling soup can make it separate.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat Potato Soup
To reheat, warm the soup in a pot on the stove over medium low heat, stirring often, or microwave single bowls in short bursts. If the soup thickened up in the fridge, stir in a splash of chicken broth or milk. Frozen soup can look a little separated after thawing, but a good stir while it reheats brings it back together.
Supplies
More Recipes You Might Enjoy
I get a lot of my ingredients from Thrive Market. Thrive Market has been a game changer for me eating gluten free. They have so many options I can't get at my rural grocery stores! Use this link to get 40% off your first order!
Gluten Free Instant Pot Baked Potato Soup
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This gluten free Instant Pot baked potato soup tastes just like a loaded baked potato in a bowl. Everything goes into the pot at once with no sautéing or draining, so it's one of the easiest comfort food dinners you can make. It's thick, creamy, and even better as leftovers.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Yellow Potatoes, cut into ½-inch chunks
- 8 ounces Uncured Bacon, chopped
- 32 ounce Chicken Broth
- 1 small Yellow Onion, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. Minced Garlic
- ½ tsp. Sea Salt
- ½ tsp. Ground Black Pepper
- 2 tsp. Dried Chives
- ½ cup Gluten Free Flour
- ½ cup Sour Cream
- ½ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 2 cups Cheddar Cheese, shredded
- 3 Green Onions, chopped, for topping
Instructions
Add the potatoes, bacon, chicken broth, onion, minced garlic, salt, pepper and chives to the pot of your Instant Pot or pressure cooker. Stir to combine ingredients.
On manual setting cook for 14 minutes and then let the steam release naturally.
After the steam has released remove the lid. Whisk the flour into the heavy cream until smooth, stir it into the soup, and simmer on sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until it thickens. Then press cancel and stir in the sour cream and 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese (½ cup at a time so it melts smoothly). Stir to combine.
Serve the soup hot with the remaining ½ cup cheddar cheese sprinkled on top along with chopped green onions and extra bacon bits if you would like.
If you made this recipe please leave a star rating and comment below. It helps other readers find this recipe and means so much to me.
Notes
Timing: The Instant Pot takes about 10 to 15 minutes to come to pressure, and the natural release takes another 10 to 20 minutes. Plan on about 1 hour from start to finish.
Potatoes: Cut the potatoes into even ½ inch pieces so they cook at the same rate. For a thicker soup, mash some of the potatoes in the pot after cooking.
Dairy: Turn off the heat before stirring in the sour cream, cream, and cheese so the soup stays smooth.
Broth: Check that your chicken broth is labeled gluten free.
Storage: Refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 1 month. Stir in a splash of broth when reheating if the soup is too thick.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Did You Make This Gluten Free Instant Pot Baked Potato Soup?
If you make this soup, I'd love to hear how it went and what toppings you piled on! Please leave a star rating and a comment at the bottom of this post. Your ratings help other gluten free cooks find easy dinners they can count on, and I read every comment.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. For this recipe I chopped the raw bacon and then put it in the instant pot to cook. There is no need to cook the bacon before adding it to the soup ingredients to cook in the pressure pot. The bacon turns soft as it cooks in the broth, so if you love crispy bacon, sprinkle some extra cooked bacon bits on top when you serve it.
Reheat this soup on the stove, not under pressure. Thick, creamy soups like this one can scorch on the bottom of the Instant Pot. Warm it in a pot over medium low heat, stirring often, until it's hot all the way through. You can also microwave single bowls, stirring every minute. If the soup thickened in the fridge, stir in a splash of chicken broth or milk as it warms.
I use yellow potatoes because they turn creamy but still keep a few tender chunks. Russets make a thicker, starchier soup, and red potatoes stay firmer and make a thinner soup.
Mash some of the cooked potatoes right in the pot, or turn on Sauté and let the soup simmer for a few minutes while you stir. The soup also thickens as it cools.
Yes. Add everything except the flour, sour cream, cream, and cheese to a large pot, bring it to a boil, then simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the rest.
Yes, whole milk works for a lighter soup. It will be a little thinner, so mash a few more potatoes to thicken it up.
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