Instant Pot Boy Scout Soup has beef, baked beans, potatoes, corn and more. It’s an easy soup that tastes great served with warm cornbread and honey butter.

Instant Pot Boy Scout Soup
This is one of those soups/stews that originated as a campfire recipe…something that could be cooked by boy scouts over the campfire. Well, I don’t camp all that much and am grateful for my modern appliances to make dinner so I transformed this camping recipe into an Instant Pot (or Crockpot) recipe.
It’s quite simple. You brown up the ground beef and then add in the rest of the ingredients. Pressure cook for just 5 minutes and then ladle into bowls and serve! It tastes great served with warm cornbread or dinner rolls slathered in butter.
The baked beans add sweetness to the soup. So even though the pictures make it look like a taco soup it’s more like a baked bean soup. If you’re a fan of baked beans then I think you’ll love this soup! If you’re not a fan of baked beans then I would substitute the baked beans with an equal amount of chili beans (Bush’s brand is good).
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Ground beef–or ground turkey
- Onion–or 2 Tbsp of minced dried onion
- Cumin
- Chili powder
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Cayenne pepper
- Beef broth–or water and Better than Bouillon Beef Base
- Red potatoes–or peeled Russets
- Diced tomatoes–or stewed or crushed tomatoes
- Canned corn–or fresh or frozen
- Bush’s Best Homestyle Baked Beans–or another brand of baked beans you enjoy
Steps
- Brown the beef: Turn Instant Pot to saute setting (“more”). When display says HOT add in the beef and break it up. Add in the diced onion. Brown for about 5 minutes. Drain off excess grease. Stir in the cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne and coat the meat.
- Deglaze the pot: Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking.
- Add ingredients: Dump in the potatoes, tomatoes, corn and baked beans.
- Pressure cook: Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the SOUP button to 5 minutes. If you don’t have a soup setting on your Instant Pot just use the pressure cook/manual button. When time is up let pot sit for 5-10 minutes and then move the valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Serve: Stir and ladle into bowls and serve.
Notes/Tips
- Serve with rolls, breadsticks, cornbread or french bread.
- This recipe can be gluten free. Make sure your broth and baked beans are gluten free.
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in an 8 quart pot or halve the recipe in the 3 quart pot.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Other recipes you can make with red potatoes are Instant Pot Lemon Herbed Chicken And Red Potatoes and Instant Pot Man Lovin Potatoes.

More Instant Pot Soups You’ll Love…
Instant Pot Texas Cowboy Soup
An easy soup with hamburger, smoked sausage, corn, beans, potatoes and more! This soup has lots of flavor and will fill up your little cowgirls and cowboys!
Instant Pot 3-Item Beef Stew
The fastest, easiest beef stew recipe around! With only 3 ingredients you’ll be surprised at how tasty this soup is!
Instant Pot Texas Roadhouse Chili
Easy ground beef chili with lots of flavor and very little work. Make this copycat recipe at home in your Instant Pot or Crockpot.
Cozy Cabin Soup (Instant Pot or Crockpot)
An easy one pot meal of soup with beans, corn, rice, tomatoes and ground turkey. A super easy, no fail recipe!
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.


Boy Scout Soup (Instant Pot or Crockpot)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes (plus 5 minute NPR)
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Instant Pot or Slow Cooker Boy Scout Soup has beef, baked beans, potatoes, corn and more. It’s an easy soup that tastes great served with warm cornbread and honey butter.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 pound red potatoes, cubed
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (14.5 oz) can corn, drained
- 1 (28 oz) can Bush’s Best Homestyle Baked Beans
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the beef and break it up. Add in the diced onion. Brown for about 5 minutes. Drain off excess grease. Stir in the cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne and coat the meat.
- Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking.
- Dump in the potatoes, tomatoes, corn and baked beans.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the SOUP button to 5 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5-10 minutes and then move the valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Stir and ladle into bowls and serve.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Heat a pan over medium high heat. Add in the beef and break it up. Add in the diced onion. Brown for about 5 minutes. Drain off excess grease. Stir in the cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne and coat the meat. Add to the slow cooker.
- Add in broth, potatoes, tomatoes, corn and baked beans.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- Stir and ladle into bowls and serve.
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot or Slow Cooker

*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
I made this for dinner last night, my husband who hates beans had two big bowls and had the leftoverfor lunch! It really is delicious.
★★★★★
That’s a win!!
Was really delicious real comfort food and so quick and simple to make.
Thank you for the recipe
★★★★★
You’re welcome Sheila! Thanks for the 5 stars ★★★★★
I made this soup tonight with leftover taco night ground beef. Besides using already cooked ground beef, I followed the recipe exactly and made it stove top. My husband and I both absolutely love it! Thank you for this easy recipe!
★★★★★
Love that idea! Time saver too 🙂
Can Boy Scout Soup be made in a pot on the stove?
Sure I would brown the beef and onions and then add in other ingredients and simmer on low until potatoes are cooked through.