Slow Cooked Potato Soup with Dill

Having a Polish Babcia, growing up eating dill sprinkled in soups was very common in her house. I have been making this soup for years, but never in the slow cooker because you need to sauté the veggies before simmering them. Sautéeing the veggies adds a depth in flavor that you wouldn't get if you simply put them in the pot to simmer. It's a must. Enter the Instant Pot IP-DUO, which has both sauté and slow cook functions...game changer! This pot is not only an electric pressure cooker, it can sauté, make yogurt, steam, and slow cook, and much more. 

Slow Cooked Potato Soup with Dill

By Tonda

Adapted from Chunky Potato Soup with Dill by Ruth Cousineau

1/4 cup butter

3 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3 large stalks of celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 large onion, diced

1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

4 cups water

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup whole milk

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Set the Instant Pot to the Sauté function and press the Adjust button once to heat the pot on More. Once the pot is heated, melt the butter in the pot and then add all of the veggies. Sauté the veggies until the potatoes begin to brown and stick to the bottom of the pot, approximately 10 minutes. Press the Keep Warm/Cancel on the pot to stop the Sauté function. Press the Slow Cook button and then press the Adjust button twice to heat the pot to less. Add water, salt and pepper. Cover the pot (I used a lid that fits one of my pans, and it fit perfectly.) and cook for two hours on low. After two hours, remove 3 cups of the soup and blend to puree. I use an immersion stick blender for this and it works perfectly. Mix 5 Tablespoons of the puree, one Tablespoon at a time, into the milk, and then pour the milk mixture and the puree back into the pot. Stir in the dill.

Enjoy!