These 14 Instant Pot Soups, Stews & Chilis Come Together In No Time (2024)

These soups are proof that magic really does exist.

By Camille Lowder
These 14 Instant Pot Soups, Stews & Chilis Come Together In No Time (1)

Every year, it's like clockwork: As soon as the leaves start turning, 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 .

1

Instant Pot Potato Soup

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This 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.

2

Instant Pot Chili

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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.

3

Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

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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.

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4

Instant Pot Pho

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The pressure created by a traditional pressure cooker or an Instant Pot helps to drastically speed up the process of pulling the flavors and magic from the beef bones and into your 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.

5

Instant Pot Vegetable Soup

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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.

6

Instant Pot Lentil Soup

These 14 Instant Pot Soups, Stews & Chilis Come Together In No Time (8)

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.

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7

Instant Pot Beef Stew

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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.

8

Instant Pot Split Pea Soup

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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.

9

Instant Pot Chipotle Tortilla Soup

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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.

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10

Instant Pot Beef Chili

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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.

11

Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

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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.

12

Instant Pot Beef And Squash Stew

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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 And Squash Stew recipe from Woman's Day.

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13

Instant Pot Pho With Chicken

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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.

14

Pressure Cooker Winter Squash and Lentil Stew

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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 and Lentil Stew recipe from Good Housekeeping.

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These 14 Instant Pot Soups, Stews & Chilis Come Together In No Time (17)

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These 14 Instant Pot Soups, Stews & Chilis Come Together In No Time (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between a stew and a soup? ›

Soup Uses More Liquid

In soup, the liquid is the primary ingredient. Soup can be completely liquified or it can consist of other elements (like meat and vegetables) that are fully submerged in water, stock, or broth. Stew, meanwhile, is typically "chunkier." It contains just enough liquid to cover the main ingredients.

What is the difference between soup stew and chili? ›

If chili is prepared by braising meat, such as brisket or beef chuck, with beans and vegetables added toward the end of cooking time, it's considered a stew. If chili is made by browning ground meat, and then adding liquid, beans and vegetables, then it is a soup.

What is the soup function on instant pot duo? ›

Instant Pot SOUP Setting (SOUP/BROTH BUTTON) The default Instant Pot soup setting is pre-programmed to set the pot to cook at HIGH pressure for 30 minutes. The soup program brings the contents of the pot to a slow simmer and results in a clear broth due to lack of boiling motion.

What makes a stew a stew? ›

A stew's meat or vegetables are barely covered with cooking liquid (usually water, broth or stock, oftentimes enhanced by wine or beer for additional flavor) and, during cooking, the liquid reduces to a gravy-like base that is sometimes thickened by flour, cornstarch or a roux.

What thickens soups and stews? ›

6 ways to thicken soup:
  • Blend all or part of it. If you've made a broth with chunks of vegetable in it, such as minestrone soup, then pour the soup through a sieve. ...
  • Add cream or yogurt. ...
  • Add flour or cornflour. ...
  • Use a butter and flour paste. ...
  • Blend in bread. ...
  • Add lentils or rice.

How to make stew thicker? ›

Whisk a teaspoon of flour in a little cold water to make a slurry, then stir into the stew as it's cooking. Don't add dry flour directly to the stew as it may clump. After adding the slurry, bring the stew to boil. This will cook out the flour taste and allow the starch to swell.

Is chili soup healthy? ›

Chili can be healthy, with qualifiers. The iconic dish—typically made with ground meat, tomatoes, kidney beans, and seasonings—is packed with protein, fiber (thanks, beans!), and iron. This makes chili relatively healthy, provided you don't get too carried away with high-fat toppings like sour cream and cheddar cheese.

What is the difference between soup broth and stew? ›

Soup is a flavorful mixture of meats, veggies, and maybe pasta in a liquid base of water, broth or other liquid. Soup is mostly liquids but can be made viscous by puréeing it or adding a thickening agent. The noun stew implies something like a soup but there's more solid ingredients than liquid.

Does chili count as a stew? ›

Chili is often considered a separate type of dish in itself, with many different varieties falling under its umbrella. But technically, it's a stew. No matter which ingredients you include, you'll never see a recipe asking you to puree a chili, like you often do with a soup.

How long to leave soup in Instant Pot? ›

Instant pot vegetable soup FAQs

You'll set the timer in the instant pot for just 2 minutes! However, the soup isn't actually cooking for just 2 minutes. The pot takes about 15 minutes to come to pressure. In that time, the veggies soften and the soup cooks!

Should soup be cooked on high or low pressure Instant Pot? ›

Soup. The soup program is 30 minutes on high pressure. Depending on wether your are using fresh or frozen meats, soup times can range from 20 minutes to an hour.

How full can you fill Instant Pot with soup? ›

Maximum When pressure cooking, do not fill the inner pot higher than the PC MAX — 2/3 line as indicated on the inner pot. When cooking foods that expand (e.g., rice, beans, pasta) do not fill the inner pot higher than the — 1/2 line as indicated on the inner pot.

What makes stew taste better? ›

If so here are some tips for making your stews tasty and have your family begging you for more!
  1. Choose your ingredients wisely. ...
  2. Start off with a good flavour base. ...
  3. Add vegetables. ...
  4. Add flavourings to taste. ...
  5. Add Herbs and/or Spices. ...
  6. Spices: (Optional) ...
  7. Add stock or wine/beer. ...
  8. Add thickeners.

What meat to cut up for stew? ›

Go for the chuck

The most common beef used for stew is chuck steak, also known as gravy beef or braising steak. Beef chuck comes from the forequarter of the animal consisting of parts of the neck, shoulder blade and upper arm. It is easy to find and it's affordable, making it a great choice for your stew.

What cut of meat for stew? ›

What Cut of Beef Is Stew Meat? Stew meat is made from cuts of beef with lots of tough connective tissue, namely chuck and/or round. When you simmer it in a liquid, the connective tissue breaks down and becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender.

At what point does a soup become a stew? ›

A soup could become a stew if cooked long enough that most of the liquid boils off or is absorbed by the ingredients. Or you could add more liquid to a stew to make it soupier.

Is gumbo a stew or soup? ›

Gumbo is a hearty stew made from combinations of seafood, meat (such as andouille, chicken and ham) or vegetables that's served hot over cooked rice. Gumbo can be thickened with okra, file, or a roux, a French and Creole method of cooking equal parts flour and fat.

What makes a dish a stew? ›

stew, dish of meat, poultry, or fish, usually with vegetables, cooked in liquid in a closed vessel over low heat. Prepared properly, the stew never boils, but simmers at about 190 °F (88 °C), a process that tenderizes tougher foods and mingles flavours.

Is ramen a soup or stew? ›

Simply put, ramen is a Japanese noodle soup, with a combination of a rich flavoured broth, one of a variety of types of noodle and a selection of meats or vegetables, often topped with a boiled egg.

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