If there's one soup you need to make this month, it's this Instant Pot Potato Leek Soup with Bacon. It's like a fully loaded baked potato in a bowl of soup! This recipe includes instructions for making this creamy soup on the stove top, too.
Smooth and creamy, this full-flavoured paleo Potato Leek Soup with Bacon is a family favourite. All made in one pot, it's easy to prepare: minimal chopping, it's quick to cook and there's only one pot to clean. A win-win!
It's like a fully-loaded baked potato in a bowl of soup.
I had to laugh while we had this for lunch recently. I suddenly realized that it was similar to a baked potato with "all the fixin's."
If you're anywhere near my age, you might remember how loaded baked potatoes were popular in restaurants. The server would come to your table with an assortment of toppings, usually sour cream, bacon bits, chives, and grated cheese for you to load up, or overload, your potato. That was on top of the melted butter that was already oozing its way into the oversized spud.
While loaded baked potatoes are no longer trendy in restaurants, we still love those flavours!
Besides the flavour, there's a lot to love about this Potato Leek Soup!
In particular, I love how easy it is to make! One pot, a quick sauté, then 22 minutes of cooking and steam release time while you make a spinach salad or some baking powder biscuits and clean up the kitchen. Then all this Instant Pot soup needs is a quick whir in the blender before it's ready to serve, piping hot.
Ready to make a pot of homemade soup? Here's what you'll need:
🛒 Ingredients
bacon: nitrate-free, hormone-free bacon is readily available in supermarkets now.
leeks: 2 large ones
garlic: fresh is always best. You'll need 1 clove (or ½ teaspoon garlic powder if you don't have fresh.)
chicken broth: you'll need 4 cups, either homemade or store-bought.
potatoes: Yukon gold or other creamy potato variety works well in this soup recipe.
flour: for thickening the soup. Gluten-free flour works well, too.
milk: heavy cream, half and half or any plant-based milk. I use almond milk or cashew milk.
salt and pepper: to taste
for garnish: bacon bits, snipped chives, and/or a swirl of cream, yogurt or sour cream.
🥄 Instructions
- Begin by using the sauté function on your Instant Pot to fry the bacon pieces. Once crisp, remove a few pieces to save to garnish the soup.
- Next, add the leeks and sauté until tender but not browned.
- Add the garlic, followed by the flour. Stir until the leeks and bacon are coated with flour before adding the broth, potatoes, salt and pepper.
- Now it's time to pressure cook! Put the lid on the Instant Pot, set the steam release button to Seal. Press cancel, then Manual and adjust the time to 7 minutes.
- Once the time is up, let the steam naturally release for 15 minutes, then manually release the remaining steam before opening the lid.
- Stir in the milk or cream, then purée the soup with an immersion blender or by transferring to a blender or food processor.
- Divide into bowls, garnish and serve!
🥄 Stove top instructions
No Instant Pot? No worries!
You can easily make this Potato Leek Soup on the stove top in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Just follow the instructions below, but lengthen the cooking time, cooking until the potatoes are very tender before puréeing the soup.
However you decide to cook it, this soup is bound to become a favourite in your home, too!
🥶 Can I freeze this Potato Leek Soup?
Absolutely! This soup freezes well. Pour leftover soup into freezer containers, label and freeze, and you'll have lunch for another day. Thaw completely in the refrigerator, then gently reheat on the stove top or in a microwave.
🍽 Serving suggestions
Try any of the following to round out your meal.
Super Seedy Snack Crackers--crunchy crackers, packed full of healthy seeds.
Herbed Gluten-Free Baking Powder Biscuits--simple to make with a handful of ingredients and a gluten-free flour mix.
Low-Carb Keto Mini Buns--These buns are quick and easy. Made with almond flour, they’re nutrient dense and filling but have a traditional bread-like texture.
Gluten-Free Cheesy Herb Cornbread--an easy recipe for gluten-free cornbread, baked in a skillet.
Instant Pot Potato Leek Soup with Bacon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, nitrate-free, cut in 1-inch pieces
- 2 large leeks, white and light green parts only
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 lb (2 large) potatoes, Yukon Gold or yellow potatoes, diced
- 2 tbsp gluten-free flour
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup unsweetened plant-based milk, or heavy cream or half and half
- garnish options: crisp bacon bits, snipped chives, yogurt or sour cream drizzle
Instructions
- Press the Sauté button on the Instant Pot. When it is hot, add the bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally until crisp. Once the bacon is crispy, remove a few pieces, drain on paper towel, and set aside for a garnish.
- Meanwhile, wash and slice the leeks into thin rounds. Add to the pot once the bacon is crisp. Cook until soft.
- Add garlic and cook for about a minute.
- Add the flour and stir until it is well mixed with the leeks and bacon.
- Stir in the chicken broth, salt, pepper and potatoes.
- Put the lid on. Set the steam release button to Seal. Press the Manual button and reduce (or increase) the time to 7 minutes by pressing the - or + key.
- Once the cooking cycle has finished, let the steam naturally release for 15 minutes. Manually release the remaining steam.
- Open the lid. Stir in the cream, milk or plant-based milk. Either use an immersion blender to blend the soup, or transfer it to a blender. I like it left with a few small chunks instead of completely puréeing it.
- Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with a drizzle of sour cream or yogurt, fresh chives or green onions, and bacon bits.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2017. It has been updated with new information and photos.
I adapted this recipe slightly from The Simple Happy Foodie. See her original recipe here.
If you haven't jumped on the Instant Pot bandwagon, now might be the time! This is the one that I own. (affiliate link)
🗒 More healthy Instant Pot soup recipes
This vegetarian Sweet Potato Turmeric Soup is a little sweet with a bit of a kick! This healthy sweet potato soup is perfect for vegan and paleo diets!
Instant Pot Broccoli White Cheddar Soup
Full of rich creamy, cheesy flavour, and loaded with broccoli, this gluten-free Broccoli White Cheddar Soup cooks quickly in an Instant Pot. This easy pressure cooker recipe is a family favourite!
Wholesome Instant Pot Creamy Tomato Soup
This Instant Pot Creamy Tomato Soup tastes like the cream of tomato soup you loved as a child! Here’s a wholesome recipe that’s easily adaptable to paleo, keto, vegetarian, or vegan diets.
Instant Pot Carrot Ginger Soup with Apple
This Instant Pot Carrot Ginger Soup is velvety smooth, and subtly flavoured with ginger and orange. It has a hint of sweetness from apples. It’s dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, paleo and Whole30 compliant.
Instant Pot Vegan Chipotle Chili
This chunky homemade wholesome vegan Texas black bean soup can simmer all day in your slow cooker. Made with canned items, it’s a healthy but effortless family meal.
Ideas for healthy soup toppings and garnishes to transform a bowl of soup into something spectacular! Add crunchiness, creaminess or herbs for extra flavour, nutrition and fun!
This post contains affiliate links. If you click on any of the affiliate links and make a purchase within a certain time frame, I’ll receive a small commission. The third party pays the commission, not you. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. It’s an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Lorraine Mazza says
When do I add the 1/2 cup of milk/cream?
Flavour & Savour says
Hi Lorraine,
Add it after cooking, just before you blend the soup. Thanks for pointing that out! I've corrected the recipe. Enjoy!
Lorraine says
Yes I added the milk before I blended it and it tasted great. Also added 1/4 tsp thyme and served the soup with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese.
Flavour & Savour says
That sounds so good! Thanks for sharing your ideas. Love the idea of cheddar on top!
Dee says
My family really liked this soup. I made it in my new Instant pot and it was super easy. I didn't have any cream so I just used milk but it was still thick and creamy.
Karen Lee says
The first thing I cooked in my brand new Instant Pot. It was awesome!
Flavour & Savour says
Thanks for letting me know! Here’s to lots more successful meals with your Instant Pot!
Alison says
Made this tonight, it was amazing!
Flavour & Savour says
So glad you liked it!
Theresa Springer says
This is amazing. I did leave out the cream (or alternative) entirely and did use my immersion blender leaving some chunks and it is terrific. Using the immersion blender did create the creaminess. We are dairy sensitive in our fam so this recipe is one that can leave it out and still be great. Super easy in my IP and I shared with my daughter so she can try it.
Flavour & Savour says
This makes me so happy! Thanks for sharing your ideas with my other readers, too! So glad you liked this recipe.
Kara says
Delicious - thanks for sharing!
Flavour & Savour says
You're welcome! Happy that you liked it!
Angela Rochester says
If you double the recipe is it same cooking time?
Flavour & Savour says
Hi Angela,
Yes, it should cook in the same amount of time. Just don't fill your pot past the Maximum line. Enjoy!