Southern Mom Loves: Instant Pot Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Instant Pot Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Monday, October 22, 2018

This post was sponsored by Better Than Bouillon as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.



Hi, guys! Its been a while since I posted a recipe and I thought this one would be perfect for this chilly weather. It's a potato soup with a difference; It's hearty, flavorful, and positively loaded!

The potato soup base is chunky and creamy and full of flavor from garlic and chicken broth, chives, sour cream, bacon, and two kinds of cheese, then topped with everything you love about baked potatoes! You can also leave out the bacon for a meatless meal option.

It's also super-easy to make in the Instant Pot, but I'll also give directions for the Slow Cooker for those who haven't gone the pressure cooker route yet. Plus, keep reading for the chance to win a Better Than Bouillon Prize Pack and one of 9 $50 Visa Gift Cards! [CLOSED]


This soup, you guys! It's really a little bit of tummy-warming heaven. While it's loaded inside and out, it can be lightened up by using the low fat and/or low sodium versions of the ingredients.


Even though there is a bit of chopping to prep the ingredients, the most time-consuming part is cooking the diced bacon, which is done right in the Instant Pot, but if you need a quick meal for a busy weeknight, pre-cooked bacon can be used; I would recommend buying thick-cut bacon if you're going that route, but if you have the time, freshly cooked bacon makes this soup so much tastier.


This is one soup that the kids adore, so it's perfect for a family meal and aside from the bacon, it's super quick to prepare. Just peel and dice a few large baking potatoes, dice an onion, cube a brick of cream cheese, and the rest is just measure and dump. You can also choose to buy shredded cheddar instead of shredding it yourself to save some time.


One of my secrets for making this soup super-tasty is using two flavors of bouillon. Better Than Bouillon to be exact. This stuff is divine if you haven't tried it yet; It really is some next-level stuff!

Better Than Bouillon is a paste that can be used as the equivalent of a bouillon cube or powder but is not gritty and you won't get those chunks of undissolved bouillon; It just melts right into your dish! You can use it to make a broth, to flavor up a bland dish, or make a marinade for meats.

Once the jar is opened you keep it in the fridge until the Best By Date. Mine is around mid-2020, lol. Sure beats having to toss unused broth after a few days. These will be your new go-to!


They also make lots of options, no matter what dish you need it for. They have Premium, Vegetarian, Organic, and Reduced Sodium varieties in all of the flavors you're used to seeing: Beef, Chicken, and Vegetable, but they also make flavors you probably never thought you'd see in a bouillon: Roasted Garlic, Chili, Clam, Fish, Ham, Lobster, Mushroom, and Turkey. Yum!

I got mine at my local Walmart store, but you can find them in lots of places. Go to the Better Than Bouillon website to use the store finder or you can order online to get just the flavor you're looking for.

Let's get cooking!


Loaded Baked Potato Soup for the Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:
  • 1 lb. bacon, diced
  • 5 cups peeled & diced baking potatoes (about 4 large potatoes)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 5 cups water
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, cubed
  • 1/2 cup sour cream + more to garnish
  • 2 scant Tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base
  • 2 scant Tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Roasted Garlic Base
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh chives + more to garnish
  • 8 ounces of Cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
  • Pepper to taste


Directions:
1. Place the diced, raw bacon into the pot while cold and set to saute. As the pot heats, it will melt the fat slowly so you don't need any added cooking oil to prevent sticking. :)


Brown the bacon to your liking and scoop onto paper towels.


Drain the grease into a heatproof container and wipe the pot with a wad of paper towels.

Slow Cooker: Follow the above instructions to cook your bacon in a pan on the stove.


2. Place the diced potatoes, diced onion, water, cubed cream cheese, sour cream, Chicken and Garlic bouillons, chives, and half of the bacon into the pot. Reserve the other half of the bacon to garnish your bowls.


Slow Cooker: Same. :)


The recipe calls for scant Tablespoons of the bouillon, so dip your measuring spoon in and make sure that you pour off any extra. You want it just under the rim of the spoon.


3. Lock the lid in place and set the steam valve to the closed position. Press the Soup button, change the time to 45 minutes and make sure the pressure is set to high.

Slow Cooker: Set your slow cooker on high and leave to cook for 4-6 hours.


5. While the soup is cooking, shred your cheddar cheese (if needed) and separate it into two portions: One will go into the soup and one will be used to garnish the bowls.


6. When the soup is finished, allow it to vent on its own for about 20-30 minutes. If you try to manually vent the steam, it will volcano out of the valve. Give the soup a good stir and if you still have very large chunks, use a potato masher to break them up more.

Slow Cooker: Stir well and use a potato masher to break up any large chunks.


7. Taste and add pepper to your liking. I use a freshly ground pepper melange for the best flavor, but pre-ground black or white pepper works wonderfully. If you like a bit of heat, you can add in a dash of cayenne, too. To finish the soup base, add in half of your shredded cheese and give it a good stir!

Slow Cooker: Same!


8. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with extra chives, shredded cheddar, bacon, and a dollop of sour cream.




potato, soup, slow cooker, instant pot,
Main Dishes
American
Yield: 8
Author:

Loaded Baked Potato Soup for the Instant Pot or Slow Cooker

Loaded Baked Potato Soup for the Instant Pot or Slow Cooker

The potato soup base is chunky and creamy and full of flavor from garlic and chicken broth, chives, sour cream, bacon, and two kinds of cheese, then topped with everything you love about baked potatoes!

ingredients:

  • 1 lb. bacon, diced
  • 5 cups peeled & diced baking potatoes (about 4 large potatoes)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 5 cups water
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, cubed
  • 1/2 cup sour cream + more to garnish
  • 2 scant Tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base
  • 2 scant Tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Roasted Garlic Base
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh chives + more to garnish
  • 8 ounces of Cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
  • Pepper to taste

instructions:

How to cook Loaded Baked Potato Soup for the Instant Pot or Slow Cooker

  1. Place the diced, raw bacon into the pot while cold and set to saute. As the pot heats, it will melt the fat slowly so you don't need any added cooking oil to prevent sticking. :) Brown the bacon to your liking and scoop onto paper towels. Drain the grease into a heatproof container and wipe the pot with a wad of paper towels.
  2. Slow Cooker: Follow the above instructions to cook your bacon in a pan on the stove.
  3. Place the diced potatoes, diced onion, water, cubed cream cheese, sour cream, Chicken and Garlic bouillons, chives, and half of the bacon into the pot. Reserve the other half of the bacon to garnish your bowls.
  4. Slow Cooker: Same. :)
  5. Lock the lid in place and set the steam valve to the closed position. Press the Soup button, change the time to 45 minutes and make sure the pressure is set to high.
  6. Slow Cooker: Set your slow cooker on high and leave to cook for 4-6 hours.
  7. While the soup is cooking, shred your cheddar cheese (if needed) and separate it into two portions: One will go into the soup and one will be used to garnish the bowls.
  8. When the soup is finished, allow it to vent on its own for about 20-30 minutes. If you try to manually vent the steam, it will volcano out of the valve. Give the soup a good stir and if you still have very large chunks, use a potato masher to break them up more.
  9. Slow Cooker: Stir well and use a potato masher to break up any large chunks.
  10. Taste and add pepper to your liking. I use a freshly ground pepper melange for the best flavor, but pre-ground black or white pepper works wonderfully. If you like a bit of heat, you can add in a dash of cayenne, too. To finish the soup base, add in half of your shredded cheese and give it a good stir!
  11. Slow Cooker: Same!
  12. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with extra chives, shredded cheddar, bacon, and a dollop of sour cream.

NOTES:

The recipe calls for scant Tablespoons of the bouillon, so dip your measuring spoon in and make sure that you pour off any extra. You want it just under the rim of the spoon.
Calories
640.30
Fat (grams)
43.70
Sat. Fat (grams)
19.82
Carbs (grams)
28.25
Fiber (grams)
2.60
Net carbs
25.64
Sugar (grams)
3.95
Protein (grams)
33.50
Sodium (milligrams)
1616.21
Cholesterol (grams)
129.58
This nutritional info is automatically generated from a database and may not represent the actual nutritional information of the ingredients you use.
Created using The Recipes Generator

I hope you love this warm, hearty bowlful of baked potato heaven!



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Giveaway ends on 11/5/18. Must be 18 years or older, open to all legal residents of the 48 contiguous United States and the District of Columbia, who are 18 years of age or older at time of entry (void where prohibited.) I-C will randomly select winners from all program entries and will facilitate fulfillment of the winning prizes 9 winners.

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Are you a fan of potato soups or baked potatoes? Have you ever used Better Than Bouillon? Will you be making this soup anytime soon? I love to read your comments!

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