There’s nothing quite like coming home to a house filled with the aroma of homemade soup simmering away in your Instant Pot. This Best Instant Pot Soup Recipe is an absolute game-changer for busy weeknights, meal prep Sundays, and anyone who loves cozy, comforting bowls of pure deliciousness. The beauty of making soup in an Instant Pot is that it cuts your cooking time in half while somehow making the flavors even more rich and developed. I’m talking tender vegetables, perfectly seasoned broth, and that restaurant-quality taste that makes you wonder why you ever relied on canned soup.
What I absolutely love about this recipe is its versatility and simplicity. Whether you’re a kitchen novice or a seasoned cook, the Instant Pot does the heavy lifting for you. The pressure cooking method intensifies flavors in a way that traditional stovetop methods simply cannot match in the same timeframe. Plus, everything cooks in one pot, which means less cleanup and more time enjoying your meal with loved ones.
This particular soup recipe combines tender chicken, hearty vegetables, and a savory broth that’s infused with aromatic herbs and spices. It’s the kind of soup that warms you from the inside out on chilly evenings, and it’s nutritious enough to feel like you’re truly nourishing your body. I like to serve mine with crusty bread, fresh herbs, and a squeeze of lemon juice for brightness.
The Instant Pot has revolutionized home cooking, and soup is honestly one of the best things to make in it. The enclosed environment means you’re not losing liquid to evaporation, and the high pressure breaks down tough cuts of meat and vegetables into tender perfection. I’ve been making this recipe for years now, and it never fails to impress my family and friends.
One of my favorite things about this soup is that it’s incredibly forgiving. You can swap vegetables based on what’s in your pantry, adjust the seasoning to your preference, and even add pasta or rice if you want something more substantial. It’s a blank canvas for your culinary creativity, while still delivering that comforting, satisfying flavor profile that makes soup so special. Whether you’re looking for a quick weeknight dinner, meal prep for the week, or something to bring to a potluck, this best-in-class recipe will absolutely deliver.
I also recommend checking out other comfort food recipes like our holiday favorites for inspiration on other pressure cooker meals. If you want to add a tangy element to your soup, our pickled red onion recipe makes a wonderful garnish. For more Instant Pot inspiration, check out Bon Appétit’s Instant Pot collection and Serious Eats’ pressure cooker guide. The New York Times also has fantastic soup recipes that you can adapt for your pressure cooker.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 medium carrots, sliced into rounds
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups diced potatoes
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 cups fresh spinach or kale, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Turn your Instant Pot to the sauté setting and allow it to preheat for about 2 minutes until you see the word “hot” appear on the display.
- Add the olive oil to the pot, then add the diced onion and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion becomes translucent and fragrant.
- Add the minced garlic to the pot and stir constantly for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, being careful not to let it burn.
- Add the chicken pieces to the pot and cook for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the outside of the chicken is no longer pink (it doesn’t need to be fully cooked at this point).
- Add the sliced carrots and diced celery to the pot and stir everything together, cooking for about 2 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken broth, making sure to scrape up any flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
- Add the diced potatoes, diced tomatoes with their juices, bay leaves, dried thyme, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Stir everything together until well combined, then press the cancel button to turn off the sauté function.
- Close the lid of the Instant Pot and make sure the steam release valve is set to “sealing” position.
- Set the Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for 8 minutes by using the pressure cook or manual button and adjusting the time accordingly.
- Once the cooking time is complete, allow the pot to naturally release pressure for 5 minutes, then carefully turn the steam release valve to “venting” to release any remaining pressure.
- Carefully open the lid, tilting it away from you to avoid the steam, and stir in the chopped fresh spinach or kale.
- Add the fresh lemon juice and taste the soup, adjusting salt and pepper as needed.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped parsley, additional fresh herbs, crusty bread, or a dollop of sour cream if desired.
Pro Tips
Feel free to customize this soup based on your preferences and what’s available in your pantry. You can substitute the chicken with ground turkey, beef, or omit it entirely for a vegetarian version. Other vegetables that work wonderfully include zucchini, bell peppers, green beans, corn, and mushrooms.
If you prefer a thicker soup, you can mash some of the potatoes against the side of the pot, or stir in a slurry made from cornstarch and water after the pressure cooking is complete. You can also add pasta, rice, or beans during the last few minutes of cooking for extra substance.
The natural release time is important because it allows the internal temperature and pressure to decrease gradually, which helps keep the chicken tender and prevents the vegetables from becoming mushy. Don’t skip this step.
For extra flavor depth, consider browning the chicken more thoroughly during the sauté step before adding the broth. This develops a rich, golden crust that adds wonderful flavor complexity to the finished soup.
If your Instant Pot doesn’t have a sauté function, you can prepare the aromatics and brown the chicken in a separate skillet, then add everything to the pot before pressure cooking.
This recipe is naturally gluten-free and can easily be made dairy-free. It’s also a great way to use up vegetables that are about to go bad in your refrigerator, making it both economical and sustainable.
The lemon juice at the end brightens all the flavors and prevents the soup from tasting flat or one-dimensional. Don’t skip this step, as it makes a significant difference in the final taste.