Instant Pot Clam Chowder
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This Instant Pot clam chowder comes together in just 15 minutes! Tender veggies, chopped clams, and a sprinkling of fresh herbs are finished off in an irresistibly creamy broth.
What Makes This Instant Pot Clam Chowder So Good
- It’s utterly foolproof! The Instant Pot takes all the guesswork out of cooking this comforting chowder. Throw this super easy recipe together for friends or family, and impress them with your new cooking skills!
- It’s incredibly rich and satisfying! This Instant Pot clam chowder tastes especially delicious on a cold day. I just love cozying up with a big bowl of this delicious soup to warm me up.
- It takes just 15 minutes to make – that’s a fraction of the time of any other clam chowder recipe! Start by sautéing the bacon and veggies, adding in some seasoning, then cooking the potatoes until perfectly tender. Finish everything off with some heavy cream and chopped clams, then enjoy!
Key Ingredients for Instant Pot Clam Chowder
Bacon – I like to call this our secret ingredient! Bacon and its rendered flavors add a certain savory aspect to this soup that is simply unmatched. I highly recommend adding chopped bacon to your chowders, for its delicious and flavorful crunch. However, if you’d rather not use bacon, you can skip the first step and sauté the onion, celery, and thyme in 1/4 cup of salted butter instead.
Heavy Whipping Cream – Heavy whipping cream is what makes this Instant Pot clam chowder irresistibly creamy. It’s also vital to the thickness of this chowder recipe. If you can’t find heavy whipping cream, you can use just heavy cream instead. Also, if you’d like to make this dairy free, swap the heavy whipping cream out for one cup of full-fat coconut milk.
Chef’s Tips
- Don’t overthink this recipe! The method is actually so simple. Move seamlessly between one step to another and enjoy the finished result!
- Serve this Instant Pot clam chowder however you’d like! I love mine with a handful of crushed oyster crackers sprinkled over the top. A nice warm side of crusty bread would also be delicious.
- Give the chowder a taste at the very end before adjusting any seasoning. Once completely cooked, you’ll have a full idea of how it will taste and of any changes it needs.
More Easy and Delicious Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Burrito Bowls with Chicken
- Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Japanese Curry in the Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Carne Asada
- Instant Pot Applesauce
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Instant Pot Clam Chowder
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon chopped
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 medium potatoes cubed
- 1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour see Notes for gluten-free
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 (6.5-ounce) cans chopped clams drained
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to sauté setting and add in the chopped bacon. Cook for about 3 minutes or until almost done.
- Add in the onion, celery, and thyme and continue sautéing until onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Add in the garlic, salt, and black pepper and stir for just 1 minute.
- Add in the potatoes, clam juice, and chicken broth then secure lid on Instant Pot and set to manual high pressure for 8 minutes. Quick-release steam, remove lid, and set back to sauté setting.
- Mix together in the flour and heavy whipping cream in a separate bowl then add to Instant Pot and stir until soup has thickened. Then add in the chopped clams and stir to combine.
Notes
- Make it Gluten-Free: To make this chowder gluten-free, replace the all purpose flour with an equal amount of rice flour or cassava flour.
Nutrition Information
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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