instant pot sweet potato soup

Smoky Sweet Potato Tortilla Soup in 35 Minutes Flat

Name: Instant Pot Sweet Potato Tortilla Soup
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: half an onion, chopped; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced; 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced; one 28-ounce can fire roasted crushed tomatoes; 6 cups vegetable broth; 1 tablespoon chili powder; 2 chipotle peppers in adobo (canned), minced, or a dash of chipotle powder; 1-2 cups sweet corn (optional); 12 corn tortillas; oil for frying; avocado; cotija or queso fresco; cilantro, red onion, lime wedges, etc.

Chipotle, fire-roasted tomatoes, and tender sweet potato come together in the Instant Pot — then crispy fried tortilla strips finish the job. This is weeknight comfort with real Southern soul.

Dan CooksMarch 28, 20266 min read Print this post

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Instant Pot Sweet Potato Tortilla Soup — smoky, limey, and loaded with crispy tortilla strips and fresh toppings.

The best meals aren't measured by perfection — they're measured by the memories made around the table.

There are weeknights when you want something that tastes like you spent all afternoon in the kitchen — but you've got maybe 35 minutes and a hungry family circling the counter. This soup is the answer. It's smoky from chipotle and fire-roasted tomatoes, a little sweet from those big beautiful sweet potatoes, and it's got that warmth that makes everyone slow down and actually sit at the table together. I grew up in a house where the food told you something — about who made it, about where they came from. This soup doesn't pretend to be anything other than honest, hearty, and full of flavor. The Instant Pot does the heavy lifting on the broth, and you fry the tortilla strips in a hot pan while it works. By the time the pressure releases, you're already halfway to a bowl worth bragging about.

The Story Behind the Bowl

My grandmother Hellon had a saying that stuck with me: good food doesn't need to be complicated, it just needs to be cared for. This soup lives by that rule. It's a Mexican-inspired tortilla soup that leans hard into smoke — chipotle peppers in adobo and fire-roasted crushed tomatoes doing the work that, back in the day, would've taken a wood fire and a clay pot. I've made versions of this for my family on rainy Tampa evenings when the grill is off the table. My kids love it because of the crispy strips on top — they eat those like chips before the bowl even hits the table. My wife loves the heat and the lime. I love that it's done in under 40 minutes and still tastes like something you'd order at a place with good music and cold drinks. That's the bar I cook to.

Overhead view of onion, garlic, jalapeño, sweet potatoes, fire roasted crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, chili powder and chipotle peppers in adobo arranged on a table — Onion, garlic, jalapeño, sweet potatoes, fire-roasted tomatoes, chipotle peppers, chili powder, and vegetable broth — the full lineup.

Mise en place

25 minutes, and you’re ready to cook.

Most of the 30-minute prep is just knife work — dice everything, measure your liquids, and stack your tortilla strips. Get this done and the cook is almost effortless.

Gather EquipmentGather all equipment: Instant Pot, heavy-bottomed pan, cutting board, chef's knife, vegetable peeler, measuring cups and spoons, small bowls for prepped ingredients, tongs, paper towels, and serving bowls.
Prepare the OnionCut the onion in half. Peel away the papery skin and trim the root end. Dice the half onion into small pieces (about ½ inch) and place in a prep bowl.
2 min
Prepare the GarlicPeel 3 cloves of garlic and mince finely. Place in a small prep bowl.
2 min
Prepare the JalapeñoRinse the jalapeño. Remove the stem and seeds (wear gloves if sensitive to heat). Dice finely into small pieces and place in a prep bowl.
2 min
Prepare the Sweet PotatoesScrub the sweet potatoes under running water. Peel with a vegetable peeler. Cut into 1-inch cubes, removing any tough spots. Place in a prep bowl.
5 min
Prepare the Chipotle PeppersRemove 2 chipotle peppers from the adobo sauce. Finely chop them and place in a small prep bowl.
1 min
Measure SpicesMeasure 1 tablespoon of chili powder into a small bowl.
30s
Measure Liquids and CornOpen the can of fire-roasted crushed tomatoes and pour into a prep bowl. Measure 6 cups of vegetable broth into a measuring pitcher. Measure 1½ cups of sweet corn into a prep bowl.
2 min
Prepare the Corn TortillasStack the 12 corn tortillas and cut them into thin strips (about ¼ inch wide). Place the strips in a large bowl.
3 min
Measure OilMeasure ½ cup of oil into a small container or measuring cup for frying the tortilla strips.
30s
Prepare the AvocadoCut the avocado in half lengthwise, remove the pit, and scoop the flesh into a small bowl. Slice or cube as desired. (Prepare this just before serving to prevent browning.)
2 min
Measure Cheese and CilantroMeasure ½ cup of cotija cheese into a small bowl. Roughly chop ¼ cup of fresh cilantro and place in a small bowl.
2 min
Stage IngredientsArrange all prepped ingredients near the Instant Pot in cooking order: diced onion, minced garlic, diced jalapeño, sweet potato cubes, crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, chili powder, chopped chipotle peppers, and sweet corn. Keep the tortilla strips, oil, avocado, cotija cheese, and cilantro nearby for assembly and topping.

Active time~25 min · hands-on

What you’ll need

Tools for this recipe.

The Instant Pot is the star, but a heavy-bottomed pan for the tortilla strips is just as important. Don't skip it — a thin pan will burn the strips before they crisp.

Instant Pot
heavy-bottomed pan
cutting board
chef's knife
vegetable peeler
measuring cups
measuring spoons
small bowl
tongs

The Tortilla Strip Rule — Don't Break It

Here's the one thing I'll push back on if you try to shortcut it: do not put the tortilla strips in the Instant Pot. I know it's tempting — everything else goes in, why not those? Because pressure and moisture will turn them into a soft, pasty mush inside of three minutes. They need to stay completely separate. Cut them thin, about a quarter inch, and fry them in batches in a heavy pan with hot oil. You're looking for deep golden color and a real snap when you break one. Pull them out with tongs, drain them on paper towels, and season them immediately while they're still glistening — that's when the salt actually sticks. Half goes into the finished soup to soak up a little broth and add body. The other half goes on top of each bowl so your family gets that satisfying crunch in every bite.

Avocado on top of this soup is more than richness — it genuinely bridges the tomato and the broth in a way that makes the bowl feel complete.

Pairs for Avocado

TomatoesAvocado

Score 87

Shared aroma compounds and complementary structure.

OnionAvocado

Score 82

Shared aroma compounds and complementary structure.

AvocadoCilantro

Score 82

Shared aroma compounds and complementary structure.

Cut the tortillas into small strips while preparing Instant Pot Sweet Potato Tortilla Soup — Tortilla strips cut thin and ready for the hot oil — the key is frying in batches so they crisp up, not steam.

Why the Smoke Layers So Well

The flavor backbone of this soup comes from two ingredients working in the same direction: chipotle peppers in adobo and fire-roasted crushed tomatoes. Both carry that charred, smoky depth that you just can't fake with regular pantry tomatoes or straight chili powder. When they cook together under pressure, the smoke from one deepens the smoke from the other — and the chili powder amplifies the whole savory backbone of the broth rather than sitting on top of it like a separate layer. Then at the finish, the avocado isn't just a creamy topping — it genuinely belongs there. It echoes the tomato's richness in a way that makes the whole bowl feel unified. And the lime? That's not optional. The broth runs naturally sweet from the sweet potato and corn, and you need that hit of acid at the end to bring everything into focus. Don't skip it.

Smart swaps

Substitutions that still taste like the recipe.

Need to work with what's in the pantry? Here are the swaps that hold up best without losing the soul of the soup.

sweet potato

carrot
Shares fruity ester compounds with sweet potato
peas
Shares pyrazine compounds with sweet potato
beet
Shares pyrazine compounds with sweet potato

chipotle peppers in adobo

piri piri
Shares phenolic compounds with chipotle peppers in adobo
thai green curry paste
Shares phenolic compounds with chipotle peppers in adobo
sambal oelek
Shares acid compounds with chipotle peppers in adobo

cheese

creme fraiche↓ savory
Shares lactone compounds with cheese — less savory
sour cream↓ savory
Shares acid compounds with cheese — less savory
buttermilk↓ fatty
Shares acid compounds with cheese — less fatty

tortilla

phyllo dough
Shares pyrazine compounds with tortilla
pita
Shares pyrazine compounds with tortilla
bread
Shares pyrazine compounds with tortilla

corn

peas
Shares pyrazine compounds with corn
eggplant↓ sweet
Shares aldehyde compounds with corn — less sweet
tomato↑ sour
Shares aldehyde compounds with corn — more sour

Common questions

Can I make this without an Instant Pot?

Absolutely. Bring everything to a boil in a large pot on the stovetop, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20–25 minutes until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender. The flavor will be just as good — it just takes a little longer.

How do I keep the tortilla strips crispy?

Fry them separately and serve them on the side or right before eating. Once they hit the hot broth they'll start to soften, so stir half into the soup just before serving and keep the other half as a topping. That way every bowl has crunch.

How spicy is this soup?

With one seeded jalapeño and two chipotle peppers, it has a warm, noticeable heat — but nothing overwhelming for most family tables. For a milder version, use just one chipotle pepper and skip the jalapeño seeds entirely. For more heat, leave the jalapeño seeds in or add a third chipotle.

Can I make this ahead?

Yes — the soup base keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days and freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Just store the tortilla strips separately and fry a fresh batch when you're ready to serve. They don't reheat well once they've been in the broth.

Is this actually vegetarian?

Yes — as long as you use vegetable broth (which the recipe calls for), this soup is fully vegetarian. Skip the cotija or swap it for a plant-based cheese and it's vegan too.

This soup is the kind of meal that earns its place in your regular rotation — not because it's flashy, but because it delivers every single time. Smoky, a little sweet, with that crunch on top that makes everyone reach for seconds. It's the kind of bowl that makes a Tuesday feel like something worth sitting down for. That's what cooking for your family is all about, in my book. Fire up something good tonight.

Recipe

Instant Pot Sweet Potato Tortilla Soup

Total: 35 minPrep: 30 minCook: 5 minServes 4easy

Ingredients

½ onion
3 cloves garlic
1 jalapeño
2 large sweet potatoes
28 oz can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
6 cup vegetable broth
1 tbsp chili powder
2 peppers chipotle peppers in adobo
1½ cup sweet corn
12 tortillas corn tortillas
½ cup oil
1 avocado
½ cup cotija cheese
¼ cup cilantro

Instructions

1.Place all soup ingredients in the Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. Quick release steam.
2.Cut the tortillas into small strips. Heat the oil in a heavy pan over medium high heat. Working in batches, add tortilla strips and fry in the hot oil for a few minutes until golden and crispy. Remove with tongs, drain on paper towels, and sprinkle with salt.
3.Stir about half of your tortilla strips into the soup and reserve the remaining half for topping. Top individual bowls with… well… everything! I highly recommend avocado, and definitely don’t forget the lime.

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Smoky Sweet Potato Tortilla Soup in 35 Minutes Flat