I like the concept of meal prepping but it’s hard for me to eat the same thing every day, and by the third day it just feels like old leftovers and doesn’t put a pep in my step anymore. I have been prepping various soups, curries and chilies and freezing them lately using souper cubes. I just realized a frozen cube fits perfectly in my electric lunchbox.
It only took a hour from completely frozen to heated up potato soup.
This is what I’m going to do for lunch from now on. Make big batches of things-freeze-plug in at 11 am so it’s ready for lunch
by demonslayercorpp
5 Comments
Please post your recipe!
We recently added a rule (#6) requiring either a recipe or list of ingredients, since it is so often requested. If you wouldn’t mind adding that we’d appreciate it!
Instant Pot “Loaded” Potato Soup:
Base
6–8 cups frozen, pre-boiled potatoes (cut up)
3–4 cups chicken broth (or water + bouillon)
1 small onion, diced
3–5 cloves garlic, minced (or garlic powder)
1 tsp salt (start here), black pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2–1 tsp thyme or Italian seasoning
Make it creamy
1–1 1/2 cups half & half (add at the end)
2–3 cups shredded cheese (cheddar is ideal)
Optional thickener: 2 tbsp butter + 2 tbsp flour (or 1–2 tbsp cornstarch slurry)
Bacon
Frozen bacon (4–8 slices) — cooked separately or do the “bacon topper” method below
Step-by-step
1) Build flavor
Hit Sauté on the Instant Pot.
Add a little oil or butter.
Sauté onion 3–5 min (if using), then add garlic 30 sec.
2) Pressure cook
Add broth (3–4 cups).
Add your frozen potatoes (no need to thaw).
Add seasonings: salt, pepper, paprika, thyme/Italian.
Cook on High Pressure: 4 minutes
Quick release
Since your potatoes are already boiled, we’re just heating through and building soup flavor.
3) Make it thick + creamy
Pick one thickening method:
Option A: “Mash in the pot” (easy + tastes best)
Use a potato masher and mash about 1/3 to 1/2 of the potatoes right in the pot.
This naturally thickens like a chowder.
Option B: Quick roux (extra rich/restaurant)
Switch to Sauté.
Stir in 2 tbsp butter, then 2 tbsp flour for 1 minute.
Simmer 2 minutes to thicken.
Option C: Cornstarch slurry (fastest)
Mix 1–2 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp cold water
Stir in on Sauté until it thickens.
4) Add dairy + cheese (don’t curdle)
Turn off heat (or keep on low Sauté).
Stir in half & half.
Add cheese a handful at a time, stirring until smooth.
If it looks grainy, it’s usually too hot. Turn off, stir, and add a splash more half & half.
5) Bacon
Best texture: cook bacon separately (air fryer, skillet, oven) → crumble → top bowls.
If you want to use the Instant Pot:
Cook the soup first, then do bacon crumbles in a pan while it rests.
What type of soup? Looks great!
Looks awesome! I love this idea
Looks incredible. Nice work