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‘Tis The Season For…
We are fully into winter over here, it is so windy and cold! The top menu item on my mind these days is… SOUP!!! Obviously the Instant Pot (or “IP”) is the #1 choice for preparing this versatile food around here. If you are a long time or experienced Instant Pot user, I am guessing this may not be your first time making soup, maybe not your first time referencing my blog for IP recipes. I would love if you would subscribe and share my free content with your friends! If you are brand new to the IP craze completely, or in using it to make soup, welcome to our blog and enjoy!
We focus on healthy recipes and versatile methods as many of our readers have dietary preferences or restrictions; that is something I am very interested in accommodating. You can read about my story and health journey for more on that topic right here. If you don’t already, please follow us on social media platforms, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and our new YouTube channel where I plan to make many more videos, including Instant Pot ones 🙂
| Prep Time | 7 minutes |
| Passive Time | 120 minutes |
| Servings |
8 people
|
- 7 cups chicken broth (veggie broth for vegan)
- 6 cups russet potatoes (peeled and chopped)
- 3 cups carrots (peeled and chopped)
- 1 cup yellow onion (sliced thinly)
- 1 cup tomatoes (canned and Italian seasoned)
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp medium chili powder
- 1 tbsp sea salt
Ingredients
|
|
- Add all ingredients to Instant Pot
- Stir gently and close lid and vent
- Set for 30 minutes on "Soup"
- Allow to naturally release pressure until lid opens easily, this took about 50 minutes for me
- Using an immersion blender (or a standard blender in increments) blend until smooth for a creamy soup
- Alternatively you can eat this soup without blending if preferred
- Add all ingredients to slow cooker and stir, close lid
- Set on low for 4-6 hours until veggies are soft and can be blended into cream soup easily
- If desired, blend using an immersion or standard blender
Noteworthy Tips For “Newbies”
I see a variety of attitudes toward “newbies” to the Instant Pot and cooking world and want to be a resource for anyone interested in learning about recipes and cooking. We hope that you feel welcome here to use the recipes and ask any questions you have, regardless of your skill level or experience. We all started somewhere and I was one of the Instant Pot folks in the beginning who was nervous about doing the water test! We have forgotten the sealing ring, used too little or too much water and made things we aren’t proud of. All in all I would say most of our IP ventures have been successful and we are fairly knowledgeable and confident overall these days, but still reference others’ experience when we aren’t sure!
A few things to keep in mind with making soup in the Instant Pot; it can take much longer to pressure up but don’t worry! It is best to allow a full “NPR” or “NR” aka: natural pressure release, which means leave it alone once cooking as complete, until the lid easily turns for removal. Some recipes may say “QR” which is quick release, this is when you (VERY carefully) quickly turn the nozzle to vent from sealing after the cook time has ended and it has started to count the “keep warm” time. “L0:00, L0:01, L0:02” is what the screen should look like when it is on the keep warm setting, which is automatic after cook time is done.
I don’t personally ever QR unless it has been able to naturally release pressure for at least 2-5 minutes, usually more like 15. My husband often QR immediately and we personally have never had any issues with anything but steam coming out of the vent or other crazy things that I have seen. Apparently these things can happen! I would recommend reading your user manual to avoid taking risks with your pot. We do not take any responsibility for errors that others may encounter when not following manufacturer’s exact recommendation for various methods.
The sealing ring can get a bit spicy smelling after cooking any recipe you find on our blog and almost anything really. A good idea is to wash it thoroughly after each use with soap and water then let it be in the full sun (if possible) for a few hours. Other methods to remove the smell are to put in a bag with baking soda or vinegar or wash in the dishwasher. I personally have not found one that removes the smell completely aside from the sun, which we have an abundance of here. Many people use the IP to make sweet things and if you are not careful to properly remove the odor form the sealing ring and lid, you may end up with beef flavored treats! I recommend buying an additional ring and labeling one for savory and one for sweet, then cleaning the lid and inner pot well between uses.
Also, if the sealing ring seems to big to fit in the lid, run it under cold water or put in the freezer for a little bit to shrink it back down! I ran into an issue of it not coming to pressure and was really worried but realized the sealing ring just had expanded with the heat (totally normal) and since I was having a marathon broth cooking session it didn’t have a chance to regulate.
A really cool trick I just learned for cleaning is to use a foam paintbrush from a craft store to clean the area where the lid seals. Previously I was using the end of a utensil to run a washrag through the space, which works too. As I mentioned in the beginning, I will be making more YouTube videos and plan to talk more and more about the Instant Pot, as it is one of my favorite things to cook with! ICYMI: You can find the new YouTube channel here.
About The Soup Though…
So on the topic of this amazing soup, I actually hadn’t intended on it being a creamy soup but honestly knew that it would turn out great as one based on the spice level. After blending a bowl of it into a cream soup I was SOLD! It reminds me a little of our Pumpkin Turmeric Soup from last year which was not actually originally an IP recipe until suggested by a reader that we convert it. I like the Instant Pot version better now as it seems to develop and infuse the flavor so much more! I have made so many soups in the Instant Pot which turned out amazing but I didn’t record anything about the recipe. I have been somewhat diligent about recording since being unable to recreate a really good one from a few months ago.
This Instant Pot Root Veggie soup was inspired from my desire to make a hearty veggie soup which utilized potatoes as the starch rather than noodles or rice, since I had been doing a lot of that lately. This recipe is gluten free, nut free, dairy free, paleo, Whole30, and can be vegetarian and vegan if you elect to use veggie broth instead of chicken or beef broth. You can blend it or eat it with the veggie chunks, it is good both ways but I prefer creamy with a side of Sourdough bread, as you can see in the picture.
As always, let us know how you like our recipes in the comments and what you would like to see next! Check out other Instant Pot recipes on our site here, (make sure to click the “older posts” tab at the bottom to load more) including one of our most popular recipes, the Instant Pot Split Pea Soup! It includes a pork-free option and several suggestions for vegetarian/vegan options. We appreciate your continued support!