Instant Pot Corn Chowder

Last Updated on October 12, 2022 by Corinne Schmitt

This Instant Pot Corn Chowder is everything a chowder should be. It’s hearty, comforting, and a perfect balance of contrasting flavors.

In every bite, you’ll get the satisfying texture of potatoes, with a great flavor combination — the spiciness of jalapenos paired with the sweetness of corn. Best of all, this all-in-one meal is quick and easy to make in your pressure cooker.

Pressure cookers do many things well and soups/chowders are one thing they do exceptionally well. Check out all of the Instant Pot soups you can make!

Soups and chowders are some of my favorite recipes because they’re an easy way to feed a crowd without breaking the bank or your back.

For this soup recipe, I’ve used potatoes to provide some substance so I could leave out big cuts of chicken or steak, which are more expensive. To satisfy my meat-lovers, I have added bacon which also adds tremendous flavor to the dish.

How to Make Instant Pot Corn Chowder

Since this is such a basic and classic recipe, chances are you probably already have all the ingredients in your kitchen. Here’s what you’ll need:

• 5 slices of bacon (chopped)
• 1 small onion (diced)
• 1 red bell pepper (diced)
• 2 jalapeno peppers (deseeded and diced)
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 4 russet potatoes (peeled and diced)
• 1 16 oz package frozen corn
• 2 cups heavy cream

Step 1 – Saute the Bacon and Vegetables

This step adds some amazing flavor to the chowder so though you might be tempted to skip it, I promise you’ll be much happier with the end result if you don’t!

Press Sauté and wait until the display reads “Hot” before adding the bacon. After the pot is hot, add the bacon and cook until it just starts to brown.

Then, add the onion, bell pepper, and diced jalapenos to the pot and continue to saute until onions and pepper are tender. Turn off the Instant Pot.

Step 2 – Degrease and Deglaze Pot

Next, we need to remove the bacon grease from the pot. I just put a strainer on top of an old coffee can and pour all the contents of the pot into the strainer.

Then, pour the chicken broth into the pot and scrape any bits of bacon that might have stuck to the bottom with a spatula. Return the ingredients to the pot.

Add the potatoes and all but one cup of the corn.

Step 3 – Pressure Cook

Time to let the Instant Pot take over! Secure the Instant Pot lid and make sure the valve is set to sealing.

Press the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” button (depending on your model) and set to cook on high pressure for 7 minutes.

When the cook time ends, wait 10 minutes, then do a quick release (move the valve to “venting” when the time reaches 10 minutes).

Remove the lid. Do NOT press “Cancel” to turn the pot off. Leave it on “Keep Warm” mode.

Step 4 – Blend

Now we’re going to turn this soup into a chowder. Remove one cup of the ingredients from the pot and set aside.

Use an immersion blender to blend the mixture still in the pot. Blend until smooth.

Return the cup of ingredients you set aside, along with the one cup of frozen corn you set aside earlier. Pour in two cups of heavy cream.

Replace the Instant Pot lid and wait 10 minutes to steam the corn. Then, remove the lid and spoon the chowder into bowls.

The soup has plenty of flavor already, but go ahead and season with salt and pepper to taste if you desire.

Instant Pot Corn Chowder Recipe

Don’t forget to pin this recipe so you can make it later!

If you liked this recipe, check out Pumpkin Butternut Squash Soup, Instant Pot Pasta Fagioli or my other Instant Pot recipes.

Common Questions

Every time I publish a recipe, I get several of the same questions so here are the answers to some of the things you might be wondering about after you read this recipe.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

Absolutely! Cook the bacon in a skillet first, then add the bacon, onion, bell pepper, jalapenos, potatoes, all but one cup of the frozen corn, and 1/2 cup of broth. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 7-8 hours. Blend with an immersion blender, stir in heavy cream, and add the corn you set aside. Cook an additional 5-10 minutes until frozen corn is cooked.

Can I make this without a special appliance?

You can! This corn chowder is just as easy to make on your stove top. Follow the instructions in the recipe but instead of pressure cooking for 7 minutes, bring the ingredients to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

My pressure cooker is a different brand. Will this recipe work in it?

It should. I only own the Instant Pot brand but several members of my Facebook group have different electric pressure cooker brands and are able to make all of my recipes in them. The buttons may be labeled differently, but the overall functions are very similar.