Name: Potato Soup — Cozy, Reliable, Weeknight-Ready (Instant Pot, 25 Minutes)
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 17 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil or unsalted butter; 1 medium yellow onion, diced; 1 small leek, white & light green only, thinly sliced (optional); 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes; 3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock (GF); 1 cup water; ½ tsp dried thyme or 1 tsp fresh, minced; ¾–1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper; ½ cup whole milk or half-and-half or ½ cup unsweetened oat milk (DF option); ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar, optional (plus more for serving); 2 tbsp sour cream or plain Greek yogurt or 2 tbsp unsweetened oat yogurt (DF option); 2 tbsp chopped chives, for finish; Lemon wedges, optional

Description

A silky-meets-chunky Instant Pot potato soup that’s cozy, balanced, and done in about 25 minutes. Savory onion and optional leek build sweetness, thyme adds gentle herbal notes, and a buttery finish gets lifted with chives and black pepper. Add cheddar for richness or keep it dairy-free with oat milk—either way, it’s weeknight-easy and great for leftovers.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil or unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 small leek, white & light green only, thinly sliced (optional)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock (GF)
1 cup water
½ tsp dried thyme or 1 tsp fresh, minced
¾–1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ cup whole milk or half-and-half or ½ cup unsweetened oat milk (DF option)
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar, optional (plus more for serving)
2 tbsp sour cream or plain Greek yogurt or 2 tbsp unsweetened oat yogurt (DF option)
2 tbsp chopped chives, for finish
Lemon wedges, optional

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Instructions

Sauté aromatics: Set Instant Pot to Sauté. Add oil/butter. Cook onion and leek with a pinch of salt 3–4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds.
Season potatoes: Stir in potatoes, thyme, ¾ tsp salt, and pepper to coat.
Deglaze & add liquids: Pour in stock and water; scrape up browned bits.
Pressure cook: Seal. Cook High Pressure 8 minutes (pot takes ~6 minutes to pressurize).
Quick release: Quick-release pressure; open lid. Potatoes should be fork-tender.
Creamy finish: Stir in milk/oat milk. Lightly mash some potatoes against the pot or pulse an immersion blender 2–3 times—don’t over-blend.
Optional richness & tang: Off heat, fold in cheddar until melted, then stir in sour cream/yogurt.
Season & brighten: Taste; add salt/pepper and a squeeze of lemon if desired.
Serve: Ladle into bowls. Top with chives (and extra cheddar). Let rest 2 minutes to slightly thicken.

Notes

Must-haves: potatoes + onion + stock.
Flexible: leek, cheddar, sour cream/yogurt, lemon.
DF route: olive oil + oat milk + DF yogurt; skip cheddar.
Avoid gluey texture: mash by hand or brief pulses only.
Make-ahead: store cubed potatoes in cold water (up to 24 hrs).
Storage: 3–4 days in fridge; DF version freezes up to 3 months (add dairy after reheating).
Reheat: Warm gently; loosen with a splash of stock/water; finish with lemon & fresh chives.
Scale: Same pressure time when doubling (don’t exceed max fill). Halve with ~⅓ less liquid, same pressure time.

Prep Time: 8 minutes
Cook Time: 17 minutes
Category: soup recipes
Method: Instant Pot (one-pot)
Cuisine: American