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Instant Pot White Cheddar Potato Soup: Just in Time for Chilly Fall Nights
Instant Pot White Cheddar Potato Soup
If you’re looking for a quick and easy dinner to serve this fall and winter season, this is it. Instant Pot White Cheddar Potato Soup is warm, comforting, and ready in no time. It’s perfect for busy weeknights and filled with a delicious blend of sharp white cheddar and savory potato.
Ingredients
- 4 large Russet potatoes, scrubbed clean
- 1/2 cup water
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup flour 1/2 cup if you want it thicker
- 1 quart half and half
- 2 tablespoons dried onion
- 32 oz chicken broth or stock
- 1 lb or 4 cups sharp white cheddar cheese, grated I used Tillamook
- 1-2 teaspoons salt or to taste
- teaspoon pepper or to taste
Instructions
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Place potatoes and water into Instant Pot. Make sure rubber ring is in place inside of lid and the vent is set to the “sealing” position. Using the MANUAL setting, or HIGH PRESSURE setting, cook potatoes for 10 minutes.
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When the timer goes off, release the pressure using a manual pressure release. Remove potatoes from the Instant Pot. Peel and dice potatoes, and set aside in a bowl. Drain off any remaining water and discard. Rinse out the Instant Pot insert with water, and place back into the Instant Pot.
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Turn the setting to SAUTE and place butter into the Instant Pot. After the butter melts add flour, salt and pepper. Whisk the ingredients together.
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Whisk in half and half. Add dried onion and chicken broth. The soup will start to thicken at this point.
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Add cut up potatoes to the soup base and stir with a large spoon.
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Stir in sharp cheddar cheese and add salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe Notes
- If you don’t have dried onion on hand, you can finely chop 1/2 cup of onion and sauté in butter on step 3 of instructions.
- You may also use milk in place of half and half, the soup will not be as thick, but still have great flavor.
- I use Russet potatoes, but you may also use white or red potatoes. I think Russets are the easiest potatoes to peel after cooking in the Instant Pot.
- I used Sharp White Cheddar Cheese (Tillamook brand) but you may use yellow cheddar, medium or sharp. I’ve also used Pepperjack Cheese in this soup for a little bit of a spicy kick.
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This sounds delicious! Do you think it would be good with chicken? Would you add it raw to the IP or cooked afterwards? Thanks!
Hi Rebecca, that would be a great addition. You could cook the chicken before or after in the instant pot and add it to the soup. Thanks for asking!
xo
Si
After you turn it to saute the first time so you leave it that way until the cheese is melted?
Hi Amy,
yes, after using the pressure cook setting, remove the potatoes and then rinse the pot. Add the butter and flour on the saute setting and the rest of ingredients, and the cheese just until it is melted. You can then turn the saute setting off and just use the “keep warm” setting.
thanks for reading ABK!
so
Si
Can I divide this in half with no problem? This might be a really dumb question, but I’m always curious because the instant pot is so new to me. Thanks!
Made this last night for dinner. Our entire family LOVED it!! I think I ate 4 bowls myself!! ha ha. We served it with that yummy back-at-home sourdough bread from Costco and sprinkled some cooked bacon on top. So delicious!! I struggled with my potatoes, though (only third time I’ve fixed anything in my IP). They peeled perfectly but weren’t cooked through enough, so I ended up dumping everything on the stove to try to finish cooking the potatoes there but still had a few a little more crunchy. Still, definitely making this one again and again and again!!
Hi Nicole, I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed it. That sourdough bread is perfect to serve it with. It’s one of those soups that I could eat bowls and bowls of too! Thanks for sharing,
xo
Si
My potatoes didn’t cook through either and were crunchy. Any ideas? Otherwise, the soup was delicious!
Hi Katy, did you use Russet potatoes?
xo
Si
My potatoes didn’t cook through either and were crunchy. Any idea how to fix this? Otherwise, it was delicious!
Could the potatoes be peeled and diced before cooking? It seems like it might be harder to do while they’re hot.
And how do you think that would affect the cooking time?
AC,
I am not sure how it will effect cooking time? Im guessing they will cook faster, maybe half the time? I never recommend peeling before cooking the traditional way in boiling water, because the potato takes on too much water. Let me know if you try this!
thanks,
Si
Do you think cornstarch and water would work ok instead of the flour and water? I can’t have flour.
Hi Shelli, yes cornstarch and water would work just fine! Thanks for asking and for reading ABK,
xo
Si
Made this tonight for dinner. WE LOVED IT!! Thank you for another delicious recipe!
Thanks Sherice. I love how easy it is to make this soup! I appreciate your feedback. Thanks for reading ABK!
xo
Si
This soup is amazing and totally easy! I made this for my family and took the extra to my in laws because they were sick. The following day both my husband and daughter wanted it for lunch so I made another batch. The croutons on it are super yummy so don’t skip them.
I agree, Tiffany, the croutons make all the difference. I’m so glad you enjoyed it and thanks for reading ABK!
xo
Si
Do you have a cooking time suggestion for a slow cooker? I don’t have an instant pot. 😬
Hi Stephanie, I would cook it on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8 hours. Hope this helps and thanks for asking!
xo
Si
This soup was SO good! I took it to a couple of ladies who had just had new babies with a batch of dinner rolls on the side. I am always nervous to serve people meatless meals (I love them, I just know people usually expect meat in their dinners), but got some texts afterwards saying how much they enjoyed it. Thank you for this delicious and EASY meal. We will be making it over and over.
I’m sure they were just grateful someone made them a yummy dinner! This recipe is definitely a keeper and perfect for the cold weather. I’m so glad you enjoyed it and thanks for sharing, Alex.
xo
Si
I’ve made this twice now. So delicious! A quick and easy lunch or dinner.
Made this today. It was my first instant pot meal. It was delicious.
I, too, had issues with my russett potatoes being quite crunchy. Because of the comments I cooked them 11 minutes on high pressure. To fix the issue. I just cooked the soup on sauté extra long till they softened up. Any ideas how long I should cook them for next time? They weren’t crazy big? Also had some issues finding white cheedar cheese (I’m in sandy, Utah). Any suggestions. Walmart had it but a weird brand. It worked out though.
This soup really was delicious. I can’t wait to make it again and again! Thank you.
Second time making this soup. We absolutely love it. We use an immersion blender to make it thick and creamy. It’s so yummy. I haven’t had any problems with my potatoes bring crunchy. I put them on the rack with 1/2 c water for 10 minutes. Love this soup!
I’m so glad to hear that, Laura. This is one of my favorite soups to make during the chilly weather season. Thanks for sharing!
xo
Si
Could you make this in a slow cooker or stove top? How would you do it? Thanks 😊
Hey Tammy, You could make it in the slow cooker- cooking it on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8 hours. Hope this helps! LMK how it turns out for you!
XO
Si