Instant Pot Corn Chowder Recipe

Fall is coming, and this Instant Pot corn chowder is one of my favorite new recipes. Try it out, let me know what you think, and shop the affiliate links I share which gives me a commission from any purchase.

As the weather starts to cool, I turn to comfort food recipes. I make more hearty meals, and soups often become our dinner. While I love a good chicken tortilla soup or tomato basil soup, there’s nothing like a good chowder to warm you up from the inside.

New England clam chowder is my hands down favorite, but I don’t often make it at home, partly due to the cost. This Instant Pot corn chowder, however, has many of the same great flavors I love without the pricetag I don’t.

Because I make it in the Instant Pot, it’s ready quickly and I can start it while I do the afternoon run with the kids. We arrive home, and dinner waits for us, hot and delicious.

I often pair this with a lemon kale salad (my daughter’s favorite) or my cherry and goat cheese salad.

I love that I need just one pot, so I end up with fewer dirty dishes. First step? I cook up the bacon first, then remove it before cooking the rest of my ingredients.

Don’t forget to save the extra bacon grease in a jar in your fridge. It’s fantastic when you cook pancakes on a griddle or when you need it to make a bacon vinaigrette for a salad.

Oh – and extra bonus? This recipe just “happens” to be gluten free, a bonus when you cook for friends. No matter what, the smokiness of the bacon, sweetness of the corn, creaminess of the ummm cream – it all makes for a delicious dinner.

How to Make Instant Pot Corn Chowder

Turn your Instant Pot to saute. Chop your bacon, then add to the pot once hot.

Saute about five minutes, stirring periodically, until it’s all crispy. Remove bacon and pour out grease into a jar to save for later. Return 2 tablespoons grease to pot.

Chop onion, then add to pot. While onion cooks, mine garlic, then add it to pot and cook another 30 seconds or so. Make sure you stir every so often to avoid burning.

Add corn to the pot and let cook while you peel and chop potatoes, taking a break after every potato to stir again. Add a little extra color and flavor to your corn this way.

Alternatively, you can turn off your pressure cooker after the garlic and add the corn when you add the potato.

Once potatoes are chopped, add to Instant Pot with chicken stock, salt, pepper, and half the cooked bacon (and the corn if you didn’t add it earlier).

Add the lid and seal. Set pressure cooker for 12 minutes.

Let Instant Pot NPR for 10 minutes, then remove the lid. Add half and half and stir. Use an immersion blender to blend, zipping it on and off ten or so times to puree and thicken some of the chowder while leaving plenty of potato and corn goodness intact, too.

Serve immediately. Garnish with bacon and chopped green onions – if your child doesn’t eat them all while your back is turned!

Have you ever tried an Instant Pot corn chowder? What’s your favorite soup?

Looking for more great Instant Pot recipes? Check out some of my favorite Instant Pot recipes:

• Wisconsin cheese soup (stovetop recipe also available)
• Spanish rice (one of my most popular recipes!)
• Creamy chickpea tomato soup (with adaptation to make on stovetop)
• Easy peasy tomato soup
• Homemade chicken stock
• Mashed Potatoes
• Updated (healthier) honey bourbon chicken
• Chicken curry
• Pulled pork
• Broccoli cheddar soup
• Chicken Tikka Masala
• Lentil Soup
• French onion soup

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