1-First Steps: Prepping Your Ingredients First, prep your ingredients to set yourself up for success. Wash and dice the Russet potatoes into 1-inch cubes for even cooking, chop the onion, mince the garlic, measure out the chicken broth and milk, and get any optional add-ins like bacon ready. Prepping everything before you start the Instant Pot cooking cycle keeps the process quick and prevents overcooking. For vegan or low-calorie versions, swap bacon for smoked mushrooms or leave it out and choose unsweetened oat milk.

2-Sautéing Aromatics: Next, turn the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and heat 1 tablespoon butter until shimmering. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt, and cook until softened and translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly. This builds the flavor base for your Instant Pot potato soup and is the moment to add smoked paprika or thyme if using.

3-Combining and Pressure Cooking: Now, add the chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, potatoes, salt, and pepper, then stir well. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and set the vent to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes, then perform a quick release. While waiting, whisk together 1 cup milk and 1 tablespoon flour in a small bowl to make a slurry; set aside.

4-Finishing Touches: Once the pressure is released, stir in the milk and flour slurry. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté and cook for 4-5 minutes until the soup thickens. Finally, stir in 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese until melted. Serve garnished with chopped bacon, sliced green onions, and extra shredded cheese.