This easy Instant Pot Potato Leek Soup is a cozy, comforting bowl you’ll want on repeat. It takes about 15 minutes to prep and the Instant Pot does the rest. Make it silky smooth or leave a few chunks—either way it’s delicious.
Creamy, comforting, and incredibly simple, this Instant Pot Potato Leek Soup relies on your pressure cooker to do most of the work. It’s a great weeknight meal or a warming weekend treat.
Growing up, soup recipes were a staple for good reason. If you love this, try other favorites like Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Tomato Tortellini Soup, or a Chunky Italian Vegetable Soup. Pair this potato leek soup with a havarti avocado grilled cheese or buttery honey biscuits for a complete meal.
The method is straightforward: chop, sauté briefly, add liquid and potatoes, pressure cook, then finish with a milk-cornstarch slurry, cream, sour cream and cheese. An immersion blender will give it a partial puree while keeping some texture—perfect if you like it thick and slightly chunky.
Ingredient Notes:
See the printable recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Leeks: Use mainly the white and light-green parts. Leeks hold dirt between layers, so rinse thoroughly after slicing.
- Butter: Starting with butter adds richness; olive oil can be used as a lighter alternative.
- Potatoes: Russets, Yukon Golds, or red potatoes work well. I usually leave the skins on—when blended they become smooth and save prep time.
- Broth: Chicken or vegetable broth is fine. Low-sodium broth lets you control the salt level.
- Milk: Whole milk yields the creamiest result; 2% is an acceptable substitute.
- Cornstarch: Mixed with milk to thicken the soup at the end.
- Sour cream: Adds tang and creaminess; full-fat is best.
- Cheese: Shred from a block for the best melt and texture. Add more cheese to taste if you prefer a cheesier soup.
How to make this recipe:
- Prep and chop leeks, potatoes and celery. Rinse leeks well to remove trapped dirt.
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté. Melt butter (or heat oil) and cook leeks and celery until starting to soften, about 3–4 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute.
- Turn the Instant Pot off, add the broth, potatoes and seasonings so the liquid nearly covers the potatoes. Scrape the bottom to release any browned bits.
- Close and lock the lid, set to pressure cook (Manual) for 10 minutes with the vent on Sealing.
- When cooking is complete, perform a quick release and remove the lid.
- Whisk the cornstarch into the milk until smooth, then slowly stir it into the soup. Add heavy cream, sour cream and cheese; stir until the cheese melts. Use an immersion blender to partially purée the soup if you want it smoother but keep some chunks.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Thin with extra broth or milk if needed. Serve with your favorite toppings.
- Mix cornstarch and milk until dissolved, then add to the pot and stir to combine.
- Stir in heavy cream, sour cream and cheese until smooth and melted. Blend slightly if desired, taking care not to over-process if you prefer chunks.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve with toppings.
Notes and Tips:
- Don’t over-process the potatoes. Over-blending can create a gummy texture. Leave some potato pieces for pleasant texture.
- No immersion blender? Blend half the soup in a regular blender and return it to the pot, or mash some potatoes with a potato masher (peel first if you mash).
- Want it cheesier? Add more cheese to taste. Start with the recipe amount and increase if desired.
What To Top Your Soup With:
- Extra cheese
- Chives
- Fritos (surprisingly good)
- Bacon or bacon bits
- Croutons
- Sour cream
- Fried onions
- Fresh thyme
How To Make This in the Crockpot:
If you don’t have a pressure cooker, put the potatoes, broth, seasonings, leeks and celery (sauté first for best flavor) into a slow cooker and cook on low 6–8 hours or high 3–4 hours. When potatoes are tender, finish by whisking in the milk-cornstarch mixture, then add cream, sour cream and cheese.
Storage and Reheating Instructions:
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days. To freeze, cool completely before transferring to freezer-safe containers.
Reheat in the microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring and adding a splash of milk or broth if it needs thinning. On the stovetop, warm over medium-low, stirring frequently until gently bubbling.
Other Soup Recipes:
- CHUNKY ITALIAN VEGETABLE SOUP
- SLOW COOKER CREAMY CHICKEN AND WILD RICE SOUP
- BLACK BEAN AND RICE SOUP
- MAPLE ROASTED SWEET POTATO CARROT SOUP
- SLOW COOKER SWEET POTATO CHILI
- PUMPKIN QUINOA CHILI
- TOMATO TORTELLINI SOUP
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Instant Pot Potato Leek Soup
Ingredients
- 3 lb potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
- 2 large leeks, whites only, roughly chopped
- 4 celery stalks, chopped
- 2–3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1½ T butter (or olive oil)
- 4 c broth, more as desired
- ½ tsp thyme
- 1 tsp parsley
- ¾ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 T cornstarch
- 1½ c milk
- 1 c cheese
- ½ c sour cream
- ½ c heavy cream
Instructions
- Chop vegetables and prep ingredients. Set Instant Pot to Sauté and heat butter. Cook leeks and celery 3–4 minutes until softened, add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
- Turn off the Instant Pot, add broth and scrape the bottom. Add potatoes, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Close and lock the lid. Set vent to Sealing and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes. When finished, quick release the pressure and remove the lid.
- Whisk cornstarch into milk until dissolved. Slowly add the mixture to the pot and stir. Add cream, sour cream and cheese and stir until melted. Blend slightly with an immersion blender if desired.
- Serve with toppings and store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4–5 days.
Notes
- Olive oil can replace butter if preferred.
- If you don’t have an immersion blender, blend half the soup in a regular blender and return it to the pot.
- Adjust cheese to taste — more for a richer, cheesier soup.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation.
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