Ingredients

6 ears fresh sweet corn

6 strips bacon, sliced into ½” lardons

1 large sweet onion, diced to ½” (about 1 cup)

2 medium carrots, diced to ½” (about ½ cup)

2 stalks celery, diced to ½” (about ½ cup)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1.5″ chunks (about 2 large potatoes)

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground pepper

1 sprig fresh thyme

1 whole bay leaf

2 tablespoons cornstarch

¾ cup heavy cream

Chopped fresh chives, for garnish

Instructions

Step 1: Shuck the corn by removing husks and silks. Stand an ear stem-side down in a large bowl and slice off kernels from top to bottom in one long stroke. Turn and repeat until all kernels are removed from all six ears (about 4 cups of kernels).

Step 2: Line a plate with paper towels. Place bacon in the Instant Pot’s inner pot, press “Saute” and set temperature to “Medium.” Cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until golden and fat is rendered (around 8 minutes). Remove bacon with a slotted spoon onto the paper towels to drain.

Step 3: Reduce heat to “Low,” add onion, carrot, and celery to the pot. Toss to coat in bacon fat and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and onion becomes translucent (5-6 minutes). Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute. Press “Cancel” to turn off sauté mode.

Step 4: Add corn kernels, potatoes, 2 cups water, salt, and pepper to the pot. Stir well. Top with thyme sprig and bay leaf.

Step 5: Secure the lid and set pressure valve to sealing. Press “Pressure Cook,” select High Pressure, and set timer for 8 minutes. It will take 15-20 minutes to come to pressure. When cooking ends, perform a quick release and wait for the float valve to drop.

Step 6: Carefully open the lid away from your face. Remove bay leaf and thyme stem with tongs, shaking the thyme to release leaves into the soup.

Step 7: Press “Saute,” set to “Medium,” and bring soup to a simmer. Whisk cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water until smooth to make a slurry. Stir slurry and heavy cream into the pot. Simmer 3-5 minutes until broth thickens.

Step 8: Stir in half the cooked bacon. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

Step 9: Ladle chowder into bowls. Garnish with remaining bacon and chopped chives. Serve warm and enjoy!

Tips & Variations

For a smoky depth, try adding a pinch of smoked paprika to the sautéed vegetables.

To make it vegetarian, omit the bacon and use olive oil or butter for sautéing. Add some smoked sea salt for a smoky flavor.

If fresh corn isn’t available, use frozen corn kernels but reduce cooking time by a few minutes.

For a thicker chowder, increase cornstarch to 3 tablespoons or add a splash of half-and-half instead of all heavy cream.

FAQs

Can I use frozen corn instead of fresh?

Yes, frozen corn works well if fresh isn’t available. Use about 4 cups and reduce the pressure cooking time slightly to prevent overcooking.

How do I avoid the soup being too thin or too thick?

Adjust the amount of cornstarch slurry you add to reach your desired thickness. If too thin, add a little more slurry and simmer longer. If too thick, thin with milk, cream, or broth when reheating.