This Instant Pot ham and potato soup recipe is easy, healthy, quick, and dairy-free. It has a slow-cooked taste with none of the waiting! Ready in a little over half an hour.
This electric pressure cooker ham and potato soup is surprisingly flavorful. It doesn't contain many ingredients, either! This potato soup is made without cream (even though I love the stuff) because life is all about balance.
Not to say my usual recipes are tasteless (ha), but this is exactly the type of recipe that benefits from being cooked in an Instant Pot. It cooks for 13 minutes (including sautéing), and it tastes like it's been cooked for hours.
Don't own an Instant Pot? Try my ham and potato soup (stove top) or my Crockpot ham and potato soup.
I was sad when I finished the leftovers. This healthy Instant Pot potato soup is simple and hearty, and I couldn't get enough. Aside from the ham (you'll probably have to buy it for this recipe), this recipe contains everyday ingredients that you're likely to already have in your kitchen.
The key to making this taste so good so quickly is cooking it under pressure.
Is it weird that I now hear the Queen/David Bowie song whenever I use/think about my Instant Pot? Probably. I sometimes even make my husband sing it while my Instant Pot is doing its thing. Yes, I'm annoying.
When I make this soup, I typically buy a piece of hickory smoked ham (or those mini ones that weigh around 2 pounds) from my local grocery store, but this would also be a great recipe if you cooked a large ham for a special occasion like Christmas or Easter or just a Sunday lunch. This makes the perfect leftover ham soup. If you're looking for more leftover ham recipes, you may also like my leftover ham and pea pasta or my ham and white bean soup.
This easy ham and potato soup recipe doesn't need super precise measurements. I've made this with exactly 1 pound of ham as well as a bit over a pound. I've made this with as little as 2 pounds of Russet potatoes and as much as almost 3 pounds. Again, anything around that mark is fine and will work just fine.
Keep in mind that the more "stuff" you add to your Instant Pot, the longer it'll take to get up to pressure, but generally it shouldn't take more than about 15 minutes or so.
More soup recipes you'll like:
- Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana
- Easy Baked Potato Soup
- Instant Pot Split Pea Soup (with ham OR vegetarian)
- Sausage and Sweet Potato Soup
Hope you love this easy Instant Pot ham and potato soup recipe!
Questions? Ask me in the comments below.
Instant Pot Ham and Potato Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large carrot chopped
- 2 sticks celery chopped
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound (approx.) smoked ham cut into small pieces
- 2.5 pounds Russet potatoes peeled & cut into 1" pieces
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep your celery, carrot, and onion and add them to your Instant Pot along with the olive oil. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, prep your ham and potatoes (or prep them at the start - up to you!).
- Stir in the garlic, followed by the ham, potatoes, Italian seasoning, chicken broth, and water. Set pressure valve on "sealing". Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. It'll take 10-15 minutes for the Instant Pot to get up to pressure.
- Once the countdown has finished, release the pressure manually. You can let it naturally release if you want the potatoes to be very fall-apart tender.
- Using a potato masher, lightly mash some of the potatoes right in the Instant Pot. I like a mix of potato pieces and a bit of mash. Season with salt & pepper and serve immediately. This soup makes great leftovers.
Notes
- Inactive time in this recipe indicates the time it takes the Instant Pot to get up to pressure.
- I use this 6-quart Instant Pot.
- Don't own an Instant Pot? Try the stovetop version or the slow cooker version of this recipe.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth if salt is a concern for you.
- You can use a different variety of potatoes if you wish, but I do love the starchy Russets.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Annette says
I didn't have a ham so I didn't add it and didn't have celery so I added bok Choi and still tasted really good
Natasha says
Excellent!
Karen says
Umm. Wow! Great potato and ham soup. I used red potatoes and left the skin on to flavor and add vitamins.
Thank you so much! It’s a keeper!
If you don’t like ham over cooked leave 1/2 out and add after cooking as it does affect the texture. I have encountered this with instant pot recipes. It’s still a great recipe. 🥰💗
Natasha says
You're very welcome!! I'm glad you liked it!
Susan says
This recipe is amazing - so simple, so delicious! Love it!
Natasha says
So glad you enjoyed it, Susan!
BEth V says
I really enjoyed this soup. I used a teaspoon of Old Bay to season when done.
Natasha says
I'm so glad to heat that!! Love Old Bay idea!
Susan says
Delicious!
Natasha says
Thank you!!
Kayla says
Looks delicious! How would you recommend making this a freezer meal?
Natasha says
Thanks! I’d freeze in individual portions (or enough for 2... or however many you usually feed) in Tupperware containers. That’s what I do. This soup freezes well. 🥰
Suzanne says
I made this soup tonight and it was delicious!! Can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow! Hah! So glad I found your blog!
Natasha says
I am so glad to hear it!! 🙂 Thanks for letting me know!
Yuliya Zhovklyy says
So yummm! I love all your instant pot recipes. So glad we found each other 🙂
Natasha says
Me too! Thank you! 🙂
Angelique says
Love it could not stop eating it
Natasha says
That’s what I like to hear!!
Tania says
This looks delish. How long to cook on regular stovetop?
Natasha says
Thanks, Tania! I haven't tested it on the stove, but I would sauté the onions, celery, and carrots for about 7-10 minutes, add the rest of the ingredients, and then cook it until the potatoes are fall-apart tender. This is one of those soups that benefits from either pressure or slow-cooking to build the flavors, so I would probably let it cook for at least 30 minutes or so. Hope you like it!
Stefanie says
If I were to use this in s regular crockpot, how long would you cook it on low?
Natasha says
I’d give it 6-8 hours or until the potatoes are good and soft.