Instant Pot: Corn Chowder

Creamy, cozy, and loaded with corn, potatoes and crispy bacon, this easy Instant Pot Corn Chowder tastes like it simmered all afternoon — without actually requiring you to simmer anything all afternoon.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Pressure Cook Time: 8 minutes

Servings: 6–8

Ingredients

• 1 lb bacon, chopped

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced

• 2 medium russet potatoes, washed and diced

• 2 (12 oz) bags frozen corn

• 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• Salt and black pepper, to taste

• 1 cup half & half

Instructions

1. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté. Add the chopped bacon and cook until browned and crispy.

2. Remove the cooked bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the bacon grease in the Instant Pot.

3. Add the diced onion and potatoes to the bacon grease. Sauté for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften.

4. Add the frozen corn, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir everything together.

5. Pour in the broth and stir, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits.

6. Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to High Pressure for 8 minutes.

7. Once cooking is complete, carefully release the pressure according to your Instant Pot's instructions.

8. Remove the lid and stir in 1 cup of half & half.

9. Optional: For a thicker, creamier chowder, use an immersion blender to pulse the soup a few times directly in the pot. Don't completely blend it — you still want plenty of corn and potato pieces throughout.

10. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.

11. Ladle into bowls and top with the reserved crispy bacon.

Serve warm with crusty bread, rolls, or crackers.

Shell’s Notes

Make it thicker: An immersion blender is the easiest way to thicken the chowder without adding flour or cornstarch. Just a few pulses will do it.

Don't blend it completely: We're making corn chowder, not corn smoothie. 😂 Keep plenty of those potatoes and corn kernels intact.

Chicken or veggie broth: Either works! Chicken broth will give you a slightly richer savory flavor, while vegetable broth keeps the base meat-free aside from the bacon.

Bacon: Save a little extra for sprinkling over each bowl right before serving.

🌽 SHELL’S SUPPER CLUB — MEETING 7 🌽

We're giving the slow cooker the night off because this week's dinner is INSTANT POT CORN CHOWDER! 🥓🥔

Creamy corn chowder + potatoes + crispy bacon = exactly what I want when it's cold outside.

And the actual pressure cook time? 8 MINUTES. 🙌