Make It Now:

1. Cook Bacon: Set the Instant Pot to “Saute”. Fry the diced bacon until crisp, about 9-11 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving 1-2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pan. 
2. Saute Aromatics: Saute the onions, celery, and carrots in the bacon grease until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds more, making sure it doesn’t burn. 
3. Add Ingredients: Add the potatoes, broth, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, salt, and pepper to the pot. Stir to combine.
4. Pressure Cook: Lock and seal the lid. Cook for 6 minutes at high pressure with a quick release of the pressure when done.
5. Finish: Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Stir in the half and half. Then, stir in the sour cream. Now stir in the cheese a little at a time until it’s melted and well combined. Finally, stir in the white wine vinegar (optional but totally recommended!). Taste and add more salt and pepper, to your preference. The soup will thicken as it sits and cools slightly.
6. Serve: Serve bowls of soup with the cooked, crumbled bacon and green onions or chives on top.

Freeze for Later:

Method 1 (Uncooked): Place cooked bacon in a quart-sized freezer bag and seal. Place cooked and cooled veggies, broth, thyme, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and potatoes in a gallon-sized freezer bag or container. Seal and freeze. (Note: Make sure the potatoes are completely submerged in the liquid to avoid browning.) Package up the cheese in a quart-sized freezer bag and freeze along with the soup. Do not freeze the half and half, as you will add this as a fresh ingredients at the end. Freeze the soup bag in a round container that’s about the size of the Instant Pot insert. Once frozen, remove the container.

Method 2 (Fully Cooked): Fully cook the soup through step 5 and let it cool. Place the soup in 1 or 2 gallon-sized freezer bags or containers and seal. Place cooked bacon in a quart-sized freezer bag and seal. Freeze together as a kit.

Prepare From Frozen:

Method 1 (Uncooked): (Note: You will need sour cream, half and half, and green onions to make this recipe.) Thaw the bacon and cheese. Set the Instant Pot to “Saute”. Transfer the frozen soup to the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Follow Steps 4, but cook for 12 to 17 minutes. Follow Steps 5-6.

Method 2 (Fully Cooked): (Note: You will need the sliced green onions on hand.) Thaw using one of these safe methods. Warm over low heat in the slow cooker or on the stove top, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Follow step 6 for serving.