Instant Pot Corn Chowder

Corn chowder with fresh sweet corn is a summer-time classic. Take out some of the sweat work and make it in the Instant Pot! Use the freshest, sweetest corn you can find and season simply to avoid competing with the corn's delicate flavor. Ready in just one hour, Instant Pot corn chowder is the best of summer comfort food in a bowl.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Time to Pressure 20

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 318kcal

Author Danielle Esposti

Ingredients

6 ears fresh sweet corn see Note 1
6 strips bacon sliced into ½” lardons, see Note 2
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 (about 2 large potatoes) peeled and diced into 1.5" chunks
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 to garnish

Instructions

Shuck the corn, removing the husks and silks (see Note 3). Position an ear of corn stem-side down in a large bowl. Using a sharp chef’s knife, slice off a section of kernels starting at the top and working your way down in one long, even stroke. The kernels will collect in the bottom of the bowl. Turn the cobs, then slice off another section. Repeat until the kernels have been sliced from all six cobs. Six earns of corn will yield approximately 4 cups of fresh corn kernels.
Layer a plate with paper towels and set aside. Place the bacon in the inner pot of the Instant Pot (see Note 4). Press the “Saute” button and adjust the temperature setting to “Medium”. If your model has a timer, ensure it’s set to at least 20 minutes. Once the bacon starts to sizzle, stir occasionally and cook until the fat renders and the bacon is golden brown (about 8 minutes). Remove using a slotted spoon and place onto the paper-towel lined plate to drain.
Reduce the temperature to “Low”, then add the onion, carrot, and celery; toss to coat in the bacon fat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and onion turns translucent (5-6 minutes); do not allow the vegetables to brown. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more. Press the “Cancel” button to turn off the Saute function.
Add the corn kernels, potatoes, 2 cups of water, salt, and pepper, then give everything a good stir. Top with the thyme sprig and bay leaf.
Secure the lid and ensure the pressure valve is set to sealing. Press the “Pressure Cook” button, adjust to High Pressure, and set the timer for 8 minutes. It will take 15-20 minutes for the pot to come to pressure. Once the timer goes off, perform a quick release and wait until the float valve has dropped completely.
Open the pot, positioning the lid so that the steam will waft away from your body. Remove the bay leaf and thyme stem using tongs. Gently shake the thyme stems to release the leaves.
Press the “Saute” button once more, adjust the temperature setting to “Medium”, and bring the soup to a simmer (see Note 5). Whisk the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl until smooth to create a slurry. Pour the slurry into the pot, along with the heavy cream. Stir and simmer 3-5 minutes more, or until the broth has thickened.
Stir in half of the cooked bacon, then taste for seasoning. Adjust the salt and pepper if needed.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with the remaining cooked bacon and chopped chives to taste. Enjoy!

Notes

Note 1. Fresh corn starts to lose flavor the minute it's harvested; for the best salad possible, purchase farm fresh corn no more than one day before you intend to make this recipe.
Note 2. A “lardon” is simply a fancy way of saying “sliced”. To create lardons, arrange several pieces of bacon in a stack. Using a sharp chef’s knife or kitchen shears, slice the bacon into ½” wide pieces.
Note 3. To remove any stubborn, clinging silks, run the corn until water and gently brush them away with a soft-bristled vegetable brush or toothbrush. Pat the corn dry before drizzling with oil and seasoning.
Note 4. Always start bacon in a cold cooking vessel, in this case, a cold Instant Pot. Heating the bacon gradually allows the bacon to slowly render its fat and helps the bacon cook evenly.
Note 5. Cornstarch requires heat to be effective as a thickening agent; bring the broth to a simmer before adding the cornstarch slurry so that it activates as soon as you add it.

Storing and Reheating

Corn chowder will thicken as it cools. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water per serving before reheating to thin the broth.
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheat single portions in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway through. Reheat larger portions in a saucepan on the stove over medium low heat until the edges start to bubble.
Corn chowder can be frozen - heavy cream doesn't tend to separate when frozen. Store in airtight containers to ward off freezer burn. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then reheat as directed.

Nutrition