Along with broccoli cheese soup, this Instant Pot corn chowder is one of the soups I make most often when my girls are craving comfort food. They love the creamy texture, and I love that it’s much faster than other methods, comes together with simple, whole food ingredients, and is thick without any added flour or cornstarch substitutes. Anytime you need a quick and cozy meal, corn chowder in the Instant Pot is perfect!
Ingredients & Substitution Notes
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for Instant Pot potato corn chowder, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
Butter – For sauteing the garlic and onions. I prefer grass-fed butter, but use any unsalted variety you like. You can also swap in olive oil.Onion – Use a yellow or white onion, chopped.Garlic – Fresh minced garlic tastes best, but jarred minced garlic works too.Potatoes – Use any potatoes you prefer. They help thicken the soup and make it more filling. Although you can leave the skin on, peeling them will give the soup a smoother texture. (If you want a lower carb alternative, you can substitute cauliflower and cut the cook time in half.)Corn – This Instant Pot corn chowder recipe works with fresh corn, kernels from leftover corn cobs (cut off the cob), canned corn, or frozen corn kernels. I used fresh corn kernels.Chicken Broth – This recipe uses a low sodium broth, but use whatever variety you like… or make chicken bone broth instead. To make vegetarian corn chowder for the Instant Pot, simply substitute vegetable broth.Seasonings – Sea salt, black pepper, fresh thyme leaves, and Italian seasoning (store-bought is fine, but I prefer homemade Italian seasoning).Sour Cream – Makes the soup creamy, as the name implies. You can also use heavy cream (the soup will be a bit thinner if you do) or plain Greek yogurt (being careful to turn off the heat when you stir it in, so that it doesn’t separate).Mozzarella Cheese – For cheesy flavor. Shred it by hand, or use a pre-shredded variety to save time. You can also substitute other shredded cheeses if you like a stronger flavor (see the Variations section below).
How To Make Corn Chowder In The Instant Pot
This section shows how to make Instant Pot corn chowder healthy, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Variations
Instant Pot corn chowder with bacon – Cook bacon your favorite way (I like bacon in the oven or air fryer bacon the best!) and crumble over the top of the soup before serving. You can also cook it directly in the pot before beginning the rest of the recipe, then set aside and use the rendered fat instead of the butter to cook the garlic and onion in step 1.Instant Pot chicken corn chowder – Add your favorite cooked chicken to the soup after blending and just before serving. Any leftover Instant Pot shredded chicken works great!Add more veggies – This chowder would also taste delicious with finely diced red bell pepper, carrots, or celery. Simply add to the pot at the same time as garlic and onions.Change up the cheeses – You can easily substitute shredded cheddar cheese, pepper jack, or any hard melting cheese for the mozzarella in this dish.Add spice – Include a dash of cayenne pepper, diced jalapeno, or homemade Cajun seasoning for an extra kick.
Storage Instructions
Store: Cool completely and keep covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.Reheat: Warm soup on the stovetop or in the microwave at low power.Freeze: Avoid freezing this chowder, as the texture will change.
More Instant Pot Soup Recipes
Of all my pressure cooker recipes, soups are some of the easiest! Try these recipes next: Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram, or in our Facebook support group, too – I’d love to see it!
