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Instant Pot Corn Chowder Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 136 reviews

This Instant Pot Corn Chowder is a creamy, comforting soup perfect for showcasing fresh summer corn. With tender potatoes, savory bacon, and aromatic vegetables, it offers a rich and satisfying bowl of chowder made effortlessly using an Instant Pot for quick cooking without sacrificing flavor.

Ingredients

Scale

Vegetables

  • 6 ears fresh sweet corn
  • 1 large sweet onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 medium carrots, diced (about ½ cup)
  • 2 stalks celery, diced (about ½ cup)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1.5” chunks

Meat

  • 6 strips bacon, sliced into ½” lardons

Herbs & Spices

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme
  • 1 whole bay leaf

Others

  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • Chopped fresh chives (to garnish)
  • 2 cups water

Instructions

  1. Prepare Corn Kernels: Shuck the corn by removing husks and silks. Position an ear of corn stem-side down over a large bowl and slice off kernels with a sharp knife in one long stroke. Rotate cob to slice all kernels. Repeat for all six cobs to yield about 4 cups of fresh corn kernels.
  2. Cook Bacon: Line a plate with paper towels. Set Instant Pot to “Saute” on Medium heat. Add bacon strips to the inner pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until fat renders and bacon turns golden brown, about 8 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
  3. Sauté Vegetables: Reduce heat to Low on Saute mode. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery to bacon fat. Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables soften and onion becomes translucent (5-6 minutes), avoiding browning. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Turn off Saute function.
  4. Add Ingredients to Pot: Add corn kernels, diced potatoes, 2 cups water, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Place thyme sprig and bay leaf on top.
  5. Pressure Cook: Secure lid, ensuring pressure valve is sealed. Select “Pressure Cook” on High Pressure for 8 minutes. Allow 15-20 minutes for pot to reach pressure. When cooking completes, perform quick release and wait until float valve drops.
  6. Remove Herbs: Open lid carefully away from you to avoid steam burns. Using tongs, remove bay leaf and thyme sprig, shaking thyme to release leaves into soup.
  7. Thicken Chowder: Turn Saute mode to Medium and bring soup to a simmer. In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water to form a slurry. Stir slurry and heavy cream into soup. Simmer 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until broth thickens.
  8. Finish and Season: Stir in half the cooked bacon. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
  9. Serve: Ladle chowder into bowls. Garnish with remaining bacon pieces and chopped fresh chives. Enjoy warm.

Notes

  • Note 1: Use fresh sweet corn for the best natural sweetness and flavor in the chowder.
  • Note 2: Bacon adds a savory depth and richness; slice into lardons for even cooking and garnish.
  • Note 3: Remove husks and silks carefully to avoid tough bits in the chowder.
  • Note 4: Cooking the bacon directly in the Instant Pot uses one pot and infuses the soup with bacon fat flavor.
  • Note 5: Thickening with cornstarch slurry and cream gives chowder its characteristic creamy texture without heaviness.

Keywords: corn chowder, instant pot soup, creamy corn soup, bacon corn chowder, summer recipe, easy chowder, one pot soup

Find it online: https://kitchenbyclara.com/instant-pot-corn-chowder-recipe/