Comforting Potato Bacon Soup–Instant Pot or slow cooker soup made with tender Yukon gold potatoes, smoky bacon, sweet shoepeg corn, and sharp cheddar for an easy dinner ready in under 30 minutes.
Comforting Potato Bacon Soup
On a snowy day here this soup was perfect! With bacon, cheddar and potatoes I don’t think you can go wrong! I added in a can of shoepeg corn which was a fun addition that added a bit of sweetness. The green onions add some brightness to cut through the richness. You can make this in the Instant Pot or slow cooker. It’s a simple, reliable recipe and exactly what you want on a cold or busy day.
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Thick-cut bacon–or regular bacon
- Chicken broth–or water and Better Than Bouillon chicken base
- Onion–or shallot
- Yukon gold potatoes–or peeled russet potatoes
- Garlic powder–or 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Heavy cream–or sour cream, half-and-half, evaporated milk
- Shoepeg corn–or regular frozen corn
- Green onions–or chives
- Sharp cheddar cheese–or Colby-Jack or mild cheddar
Steps
Add broth, onion, potatoes, garlic powder, salt and pepper to Instant Pot.
Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set SOUP button (or pressure cook on low pressure if you don’t have the soup button) to 3 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
While soup is cooking, cook the bacon until crispy. Use whatever method you like best. I like to air fry bacon. Crumble and set aside.
Use a potato masher to mash up the potatoes a bit, leaving it as a chunky texture. Stir a cup of the hot soup into the cream to temper it. Then stir the mixture into the pot. Stir in the corn, onions and cheddar.
Ladle into bowls and serve. Top with bacon crumbles or stir them into the soup.
Notes/Tips
- Serve with crusty bread, cornbread or green salad.
- This recipe is gluten free.
- Shoepeg corn has smaller, more tender kernels and a slightly sweeter flavor than regular corn. Find it next to regular canned corn at the grocery store.
- How to cook bacon in the air fryer: Place bacon pieces or strips in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook at 380°F for 8–10 minutes, shaking the basket once or twice, until crispy. Drain on paper towels and crumble.
- For extra flavor, sauté the diced onions in a bit of bacon fat before adding them to the Instant Pot or slow cooker.
- You can either stir the bacon directly into the soup or reserve it as a topping. When used as a topping it stays crispy.
- I used my 3 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in a 4, 6 or 8 quart pot.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can freeze this soup, but keep in mind that cream-based soups can sometimes separate when thawed.
- Other recipes you can make with yukon gold potatoes are Instant Pot Farmhouse Potatoes and Loaded Million Dollar Casserole.
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.
Comforting Potato Bacon Soup
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes (plus 5 minute NPR)
- Total Time: 23 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Instant Pot or slow cooker soup made with tender Yukon gold potatoes, smoky bacon, sweet shoepeg corn, and sharp cheddar for an easy dinner ready in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 6 slices thick cut bacon, chopped
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 4 yukon gold potatoes (about 22 ounces), cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 (11 oz) can shoepeg corn, drained
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Add broth, onion, potatoes, garlic powder, salt and pepper to Instant Pot.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set SOUP button (or pressure cook on low pressure if you don’t have the soup button) to 3 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- While soup is cooking, cook the bacon until crispy. Use whatever method you like best. I like to air fry bacon. Crumble and set aside.
- Use a potato masher to mash up the potatoes a bit, leaving it as a chunky texture.
- Stir a cup of the hot soup into the cream to temper it. Then stir the mixture into the pot. Stir in the corn, onions and cheddar.
- Ladle into bowls and serve. Top with bacon crumbles or stir them into the soup.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Add broth, onion, potatoes, garlic powder, salt and pepper into slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours, or until potatoes are tender.
- While soup is cooking, cook the bacon until crispy. Use whatever method you like best. I like to air fry bacon. Crumble and set aside.
- Use a potato masher to mash up the potatoes a bit, leaving it as a chunky texture.
- Stir a cup of the hot soup into the cream to temper it. Then stir the mixture into the slow cooker. Stir in the corn, onions and cheddar.
- Ladle into bowls and serve. Top with bacon crumbles or stir them into the soup.
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
More potato soup recipes to try…
Outback Loaded Potato Soup
A creamy potato, bacon and cheese soup just like the restaurant but you can make it at home!
Amish Country Potato Soup
A creamy, comforting potato soup made with crispy bacon, tender potatoes, and evaporated milk, seasoned with Worcestershire sauce for a hearty, traditional Amish-style dish. Make it in the Instant Pot or slow cooker!
Bacon Chicken Potato Soup
Tender potatoes, carrots, and chicken simmered in a savory broth, then finished with Dijon, herbs, spinach, and a splash of half-and-half and crispy bacon for a cozy, creamy soup made easy in the Instant Pot or slow cooker.
Kielbasa Potato Soup
A hearty soup loaded with smoky kielbasa, tender potatoes, and veggies, finished with off with cheese. This one comes together fast in the Instant Pot and is just as easy in the 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.
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