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Instant Pot Cream Cheese Potato Soup

Instant Pot cream cheese potato soup with tender potato chunks and an ultra-smooth, velvety texture made by pressure cooking and stirring in cream cheese. Finished with cheddar and sour cream so the soup turns creamy without baking or thickening roux.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Russet potatoes
  • 3 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
Aromatics and broth
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 garlic, minced
  • 4 cup chicken broth
Dairy and cheese
  • 8 oz cream cheese, cubed and softened Soften for faster melting.
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
Seasonings
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
Toppings
  • 1 bacon bits For topping.
  • 1 chives For topping.
  • 1 cheddar For topping.

Equipment

  • 1 Instant Pot

Method
 

Pressure cook the soup base
  1. Add russet potatoes, onion, garlic, chicken broth, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper to the Instant Pot.
  2. Seal the Instant Pot and pressure cook on High for 10 minutes, then use a quick release to stop the cooking.
Mash and melt until smooth
  1. Mash the potatoes to your desired consistency with a potato masher.
  2. Add the cream cheese in pieces and stir vigorously until completely melted and smooth.
Finish with cheese and adjust
  1. Stir in sour cream and shredded cheddar, cooking just until the cheese melts.
  2. Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve topped with bacon bits, extra cheddar, and chives.

Notes

For the smoothest texture, soften the cream cheese before adding so it melts quickly; mash to leave some potato chunks if you like a heartier bowl. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove or microwave until hot. Freezing is not recommended because dairy can break after thawing. For a lighter option, swap sour cream for plain Greek yogurt and use reduced-fat cream cheese and cheddar.