Instant Pot Cheesy Hamburger Hashbrown Soup

Instant Pot Cheesy Hamburger Hashbrown Soup–seasoned ground beef, frozen hashbrowns and cheddar cheese come together in a hearty soup that is so addicting! Slurp slurp!

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Instant Pot Cheesy Hamburger Hashbrown Soup

This hearty soup, made in a pressure cooker, is so simple to prepare. It’s a perfect cold-weather comfort food. My family could NOT get enough of this. And even I, who had a large lunch, couldn’t really control myself. The key to this soup is just a little squirt of mustard on top and some diced dill pickles. Even if you think it sounds weird, believe me! It is so good!

Because you use frozen hash browns it comes together really quickly. It only needs a 1-minute pressure cooking time. There are lots of ways to vary this soup so keep reading for more info…

Ingredients/Substitution Ideas

• 1 pound lean ground beef–you can also use ground turkey or ground pork
• 1 cup diced onion–I used one medium onion (yellow). For faster prep buy frozen diced onions.
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder and 1 Tbsp onion powder –it seems like a lot but it’s not overpowering
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt–potatoes like to suck up salt so you may need to add more at the end to taste
• 1 1/2 tsp black pepper–for seasoning, you can also use white pepper or for a kick add in a pinch of cayenne pepper
• 3 cups chicken broth–or 1 Tbsp Better than Bouillon Chicken Base with 3 cups of water. You can also use beef broth. I like the taste of chicken broth better, personally.
• 4 cups frozen hash browns–I used shredded hash brown potatoes but you can also use the frozen potato cubes. For using real potatoes read the tips and tricks section
• 1 (14.5 ounces) can petite diced tomatoes–this is optional but I like the acidity it brings to the soup to cut through some of the creaminess. You can also use a can of Rotel.
• 3 cups half and half or milk–I used a combination of what I had left in my refrigerator (the end of the half and half container and some 1% milk).
• 1/2 cup melted butter–to add richness and to make the roux with the flour
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour–I haven’t tried this soup with other types of flours so I’m not sure how they would affect the flavor and the thickness. For a gluten free experience try thickening the soup with arrowroot or cornstarch.
• 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese–use medium, sharp or extra sharp for more flavor. I like to grate off the block so that the cheese melts better and doesn’t get clumpy. Another idea is to use velveeta cheese which melts like a dream. 
• Salt and pepper to taste–don’t forget this step…it can take a soup from mediocre to amazing.
• Toppings: diced dill pickles, mustard, ketchup–optional, but not really because it adds so much!

How to Make Hamburger Potato Soup in the Instant Pot

Instructions:

1. Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When the display says HOT add in the beef and break it up. I like to use this hamburger chopper tool*. Add in the diced onion. Brown for about 5 minutes. Drain off excess grease. Stir in the garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt and pepper. Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking (to prevent the burn error message). 
2. Add in the hash browns and the diced tomatoes. Don’t stir, just layer the ingredients on top.
3. Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the SOUP button to 1 minute (if you don’t have a soup button just use the pressure cook/manual button). When time is up you can let the pot sit or you can immediately move valve to venting. Remove the lid. 
4. Ladle a cup or two of the hot broth into the half and half to temper it (this will prevent the dairy from separating). Then stir the mixture into the pot.
5. Whisk the flour, a tablespoon at a time, into the melted butter until creamy and smooth (I like to use my little whisk*). Turn the Instant Pot to saute setting and stir the mixture into the pot to thicken the soup. Cook until raw flour taste is gone and the soup has thickened (about 4-5 minutes).
6. Turn off Instant Pot and then stir in the cheddar and let it melt. Salt and pepper to taste.
7. Ladle into bowls and top each serving with diced pickles and a squirt of mustard and ketchup, if desired. 

Tips and Tricks for Potato Hamburger Soup

• Other types of potatoes you can use: If you’d like to use fresh potatoes instead of frozen hash browns you can. Scrub, peel and cube potatoes (4-5 cups worth) and then use a 4 minute pressure cooking time instead of a 1 minute pressure cooking time. You can use any type of potato that you like (I suggest russets). You can also shred fresh, peeled russet potatoes and use them in the place of frozen hashbrowns. Rinse them well after you have shredded them. Use a 2 minute pressure cooking time with a quick release.
• Add in some veggies: You can add in diced carrots and celery to add a little bit more nutrition to this soup. Or try adding in a bag of frozen vegetable mix (with carrots, green beans and peas) if you want to add more color. Add them in when you add the broth. 
• Why the soup button? The soup button brings the contents of the pot to a nice gently simmer instead of a rolling boil which helps the broth stay clear. If you don’t have a soup button just use the normal pressure cook button. 
• Store leftovers: Add leftover soup to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• What to Serve with Hamburger Soup: this is a hearty soup so it doesn’t need much but you can serve it with a dinner roll or with croutons on top of the soup. A side salad will add some more vegetables to your dinner.
• Can I make this in the slow cooker? If you have a slow cooker with a saute setting/stove top setting then you can make this in the slow cooker. Otherwise, it’s a lot of steps on the stove to make the crockpot worth it. Follow the instructions in the recipe card below except slow cook on low for 3-4 hours instead of pressure cooking. 

Equipment

• I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*. But you can also make this in your 3 or 8 quart pot with no changes.
• Hamburger chopper tool* –this also comes in handy for mashing potatoes
• Saute paddle* –I use this to start about 90% of my meals
• Little whisk* –I love this whisk for so many uses!
• Cheese shredder* –don’t buy pre-shredded cheese, grate it off the block
• Ladle* –this ladle is so cool! It stands up on its own.

More Instant Pot Soup Recipes You’ll Love…

Instant Pot Cheeseburger Soup

Instant Pot Creamy Potato Hamburger Soup

Instant Pot Contest Winning Hearty Hamburger Soup

Instant Pot Creamy Hamburger Tortellini Soup

Instant Pot Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Instant Pot Marie Callender’s Potato Cheese Soup

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.

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*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.