15 Instant Pot Recipes For When I’m Craving Soup, Well, This Instant!

instant pot pho with cilantro and lime
15 Easy Instant Pot Soup RecipesPHOTO & FOOD STYLING: LUCY SCHAEFFER

As soon as the leaves start turning, like clockwork we start dreaming of warm, comforting soups full of all our favorite ingredients (looking at you, beef stew). While some soups are quick to make, many are labors of love, taking hours on the stovetop. Sometimes that’s great, infusing our home with delicious smells and warmth, but a lot of the time, we’re craving soup NOW. Enter: the Instant Pot. It can make delicious, hands-off soup, usually in just under an hour. Check out our best Instant Pot soups, stews, and chilis—you’ll be feeling all warm and cozy in no time.

Instant, what? If you’re unfamiliar with the marvel that is the Instant Pot, you’re not alone. Created in 2009, Instant Pot is the brand name of an appliance that functions largely as a pressure cooker (though many models have other features as well, see below). Because it uses steam and pressure to cook, whatever you put in there comes together fast.

Though many Instant Pots do have slow-cooking capabilities, they’re really more of a “fast”-cooker than a slow one. You could test out our slow-cooker soup recipes in your Instant Pot using that feature, but be warned, they’ll be done much faster.

Want more Instant Pot ideas? Check out our top healthy Instant Pot recipes, our favorite Instant Pot chicken recipes, and our former Food & Culture editor’s attempt to cook ALL her meals in one for a whole week.

Instant Pot Pho

The pressure here helps to drastically speed up the process of pulling the flavors and magic from the beef bones and into this take on the traditional Vietnamese soup. It may not be exactly like what you'd get after hours of simmering, but we are very happy with this shortcut method—you will be too!

Get the Instant Pot Pho recipe.

instant pot pho with cilantro and lime
PHOTO & FOOD STYLING: LUCY SCHAEFFER

Instant Pot Potato Soup

This potato soup is what an Instant Pot was made for—no need to boil potatoes for a long time or stand over a stove. Throwing everything in the Instant Pot will give you a delicious soup in about 40 minutes flat. 😍

Get the Instant Pot Potato Soup recipe.

instant pot potato soup
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Instant Pot Beef Stew

There's no need to wait for a large piece of meat to tenderize for hours when your Instant Pot can do it in less than an hour. This warm, comforting bowl of hearty beef stew can be made in a fraction of the time. It's perfect on a cold winter's night.

Get the Instant Pot Beef Stew recipe.

instant pot beef stew
Park Feierbach

Instant Pot Vegetable Soup

Loaded with cabbage, cauliflower, bell peppers, and zucchini, this vegetable soup is the easiest, healthy way to warm up this winter.

Get the Instant Pot Vegetable Soup recipe.

instant pot vegetable soup horizontal
Parker Feierbach

Instant Pot Chili

The convenience and speed of the Instant Pot is pretty unparalleled, especially for chili. No more sweating over a hot stove, forever standing and stirring, and standing and stirring.

Get the Instant Pot Chili recipe.

instant pot chili
Parker Feierbach

Instant Pot Split Pea Soup

Is there anything the Instant Pot can't do?! Split pea is one of the oldest soups we eat, dating back to the Roman ages. This modern take on the classic recipe comes together in under an hour.

Get the Instant Pot Split Pea Soup recipe.

instant pot split pea soup
PARKER FEIRERBACH

Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

Is there anything more comforting than a bowl of chicken noodle soup? This Instant Pot recipe makes light work of this homestyle classic.

Get the Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup recipe.

Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup - Delish.com
Parker Feierbach

Instant Pot Lentil Soup

We love lentil soup for its versatility. For this rendition, we add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic as a base, plus canned tomatoes and fresh thyme. Simply add ingredients, set your Instant Pot to high, and press go!

Get the Instant Pot Lentil Soup recipe.

instant pot lentil soup
PARKER FEIERBACH

Instant Pot Butternut Squash-Chicken Curry

This easy chicken and butternut squash curry is seasoned with cumin, coriander, sweet paprika, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and cayenne. We like to serve it with a big dollop of whole milk yogurt and sliced almonds over rice, but whatever you like works!

Get the Instant Pot Butternut Squash-Chicken Curry recipe.

instant pot butternut squash chicken curry
Hearst Owned

Instant Pot Chipotle Tortilla Soup

This easy low-carb soup is the perfect dinner for chilly nights. Extra-hearty and full of flavor thank to cauliflower rice and chipotle peppers, this soup will certainly fill you up!

Get the Instant Pot Chipotle Tortilla Soup recipe.

instant pot chipotle tortilla soup
Jay Ingber

Instant Pot Beef Chili

This chili could not come together any faster, but it'll taste like it's been simmering for hours! Serve it over brown rice for a hearty dinner you can feel good about.

Get the Instant Pot Beef Chili recipe.

instant pot beef chili
BRAD HOLLAND

Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

This Instant Pot soup is inspired by the traditional Mexican dish sopa de tortilla (aka tortilla soup). If you don't want to bake your own tortilla strips, feel free to garnish each bowl with chips instead.

Get the Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe.

instant pot chicken tortilla soup
CHELSEA LUPKIN

Instant Pot Beef & Squash Stew

Butternut squash adds heartiness to this fast beef stew. Bonus: You can freeze this pressure cooker stew for up to 3 months.

Get the Instant Pot Beef & Squash Stew recipe from Woman's Day.

instant pot beef and squash stew wd
DANIELLE OCCHIOGROSSO DALY

Instant Pot Pho With Chicken

Traditional pho normally takes hours to simmer on the stove, but programmable electric pressure cookers like the Instant Pot can do all the work for you. They shave hours off the cook time for a warm and comforting bowl of restaurant-quality Vietnamese chicken noodle soup right at home.

Get the Instant Pot Pho With Chicken recipe from Good Housekeeping.

instant pot pho with chicken
MIKE GARTEN

Pressure Cooker Winter Squash & Lentil Stew

This soup recipe warms chilly fingers and toes with seasonal flavors of sweet butternut squash and savory lentils. Seconds anyone?

Get the Pressure Cooker Winter Squash & Lentil Stew recipe from Good Housekeeping.

pressure cooker winter squash and lentil stew
MIKE GARTEN

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