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!
Kielbasa Potato Soup
As I was preparing this soup Greg was like, “I don’t know what you’re cooking in there but it smells amazing!” Not only did it smell wonderful it tasted wonderful too. We all loved this one and went back for seconds. It’s the perfect soup to make on a cold, dark wintry night. Enjoy!
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Olive oil–or canola oil, avocado oil, vegetable oil
- Kielbasa–or smoked sausage
- Onion–yellow or white
- Chicken broth–or water and Better than Bouillon chicken base
- Carrot
- Celery
- Russet potatoes–or red potatoes
- Garlic cloves
- Red pepper flakes
- Dried parsley
- Half and half–or ¼ cup of heavy cream and ¼ cup milk
- Pepper jack cheese
- Cheddar cheese–I used sharp
Steps
Turn Instant Pot to sauté setting. When display says HOT add in the oil and swirl around. Add in the kielbasa and brown until both sides have color. Stir in the onion and sauté for 4 minutes.
Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking. Turn off Instant Pot.
Add in the carrot, celery, potatoes, garlic, red pepper and parsley.
Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set SOUP button to 3 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
Temper the half and half by stirring a cup of hot broth into it and then stirring the mixture into the pot.
Stir in the cheeses. Taste test, salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and serve.
Notes/Tips
- Serve with crusty bread or a hunk of cornbread with honey butter.
- If you want a thicker soup, mash a few potato cubes against the side of the pot before adding the dairy.
- Always temper the half and half to prevent the dairy from separating.
- Taste before salting since kielbasa and cheese both add salt.
- This recipe is gluten free.
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in a 3 or 8 quart pot.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Another recipe you can make with pepper jack cheese is Instant Pot Disney Potatoes.
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.
Kielbasa Potato Soup
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes (plus 5-10 minute NPR)
- Total Time: 23 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
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!
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 (12 oz) package kielbasa, sliced into quarter inch rounds
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 carrot, peeled and sliced
- 1 celery rib, diced
- 24 oz Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 Tbsp dried parsley
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Turn Instant Pot to sauté setting. When display says HOT add in the oil and swirl around. Add in the kielbasa and brown until both sides have color. Stir in the onion and sauté for 4 minutes.
- Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking. Turn off Instant Pot.
- Add in the carrot, celery, potatoes, garlic, red pepper and parsley.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set SOUP button to 3 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Temper the half and half by stirring a cup of hot broth into it and then stirring the mixture into the pot.
- Stir in the cheeses. Taste test, salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and serve.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Heat a pan over medium high heat. Add in the oil and swirl around. Add in the kielbasa and brown until both sides have color. Stir in the onion and sauté for 4 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.
- Add in the broth, carrot, celery, potatoes, garlic, red pepper and parsley.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
- Temper the half and half by stirring a cup of hot broth into it and then stirring the mixture into the slow cooker.
- Stir in the cheeses. Taste test, salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and serve.
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
More soups…
Celestial Soup
A heavenly soup made with tender broccoli simmered in chicken broth, then blended smooth and finished with heavy cream and melty cheddar, all made fast and easy in the Instant Pot or slow cooker.
Pot Roast Soup
Everything you love about classic pot roast but in cozy soup form. Tender bites of beef, potatoes, carrots, celery and mushrooms are simmered together and made in the slow cooker or Instant Pot.
Cabbage Fat Burning Soup
A flavorful soup with lots of veggies including cabbage, carrots and cauliflower. With only 87 calories per cup of soup you can eat this with no guilt!
Cozy Cheeseburger Macaroni Soup
Browned ground beef, onions, carrots, tomato paste, and tender macaroni pressure cooked (or slow cooked) in savory beef broth, then finished with a splash of cream and melty cheddar-pepper jack for an ultra-comforting bowl.
*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.
Honestly I wasn’t sure about this recipe. However, I had all the ingredients on hand so I took a chance. Wow! So glad I did! It was so good, I’m adding it to my go to list. I did add more carrots and celery. Thanks Karen for your hard work creating recipes for us. It keeps me happy in the kitchen without grumbling about cooking.❤️
thank you so much. I love that you took a chance and that it paid off! Extra carrots and celery sound perfect, and knowing this keeps you happy in the kitchen (without the grumbling 😉) means more to me than you know. ❤️
One carrot and one celery stalk is not very much in proportion to the sausage and potatoes. Are the carrot and celery just for flavoring. Would it be okay to add more carrot and celery?
you can add more of anything to your liking cuz I would
yes, just for flavoring and yes you can definitely add more!