Instant Pot Fresh Corn Chowder

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Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot Corn Chowder made with fresh corn kernels, tender potatoes, bacon, and homemade corn broth is satisfying and packed with end-of-summer flavors. 

instant pot corn chowder in a white bowl

If you love corn on the cob, you’re going to love this pressure cooker fresh corn chowder! 

Use fresh corn cobs to make a summery homemade corn broth.

All the milky sweetness in the cob infuses the soup with wonderful, intense corn-on-the-cob flavor that’s perfectly balanced by salty bacon and a little cayenne pepper.

Update: Summer is in full swing, so there’s no better time to make fresh corn chowder in the pressure cooker. We’ve updated the post with new photos and tips for the most flavor-packed summertime soup you’ll have. 

pinterest collage with two images of making and serving instant pot corn chowder with fresh corn and bacon

Making Fresh Corn Chowder in an Instant Pot

This fresh corn chowder recipe will work in any brand of electric pressure cooker, including the Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi, or Power Pressure Cooker XL.

Once you try it in your Instant Pot, you’ll never want to make chowder on the stove again. The pressure cooker version is ready in half the time! Plus, it’s a one-pot recipe, including making corn stock. 

overhead shot of cooking fresh corn cobs in the Instnat Pot to create the creamy broth base for the soup

All you need to do is sauté onions in the pressure cooking pot, then add corn cobs and water to make the broth. (This takes just 10 minutes at high pressure, followed by a quick release.)

Then to build the rest of the chowder, use your handy steamer basket to cook the corn kernels and potatoes until just tender. Flavor the soup with cayenne for spice, milk for creaminess and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Finally, thicken the soup with a quick cornstarch slurry, and there you have it! Creamy, summery corn chowder in the pressure cooker. 

Tip: For a creamier chowder, use half and half in place of the milk.

cooking instant pot corn chowder in an electric pressure cooker with a wooden spoon

Can I Cook the Bacon in the Pressure Cooker?

Absolutely! Make this a fully one-pot meal by cooking the bacon in the Instant Pot first:

  • Simply use the Sauté function on the pressure cooker to heat the pot.
  • Add the bacon and cook until crisp.
  • Transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate to cool while you finish with the recipe.
  • When cool, you can crumble or chop the bacon before stirring it into the finished chowder. 

Note: If you make the bacon in the Instant Pot, you can omit the butter for sautéing onions and just use the rendered bacon fat that will be left in the pot. This also adds a delicious smoky flavor to the finished product. 

bowl of instant pot corn chowder with fresh corn on the cob and bacon

How To Steam Potatoes for Chowder

You’ll need to use a steamer basket for this corn chowder. You need the steamer to cook the potatoes and corn kernels in corn broth. 

I prefer a deep steamer basket for this recipe, since it’s easier to remove with all the potatoes and corn.

cooking fresh corn off the cob in an instant pot for chowder

If Corn Isn’t in Season…

Use frozen! To replace fresh corn with frozen, use 4 cups of frozen corn kernels. You can skip the first pressure cooking step to make the corn broth, as you won’t have the cobs. Instead, use vegetable or chicken broth.

Other than that, you should not need to add any additional cooking time because frozen corn thaws very quickly. 

Tip: If you’ve got space in your freezer, you can also make fresh corn broth with corn cobs during the season and freeze it. Then, you’ll have all the delicious corn broth flavor even in the middle of winter. 

bowls of fresh corn chowder with crumbled bacon and fresh corn

More Instant Pot Corn Recipes to Try

It might be too hot to turn on the oven this time of year, but it’s never a bad day to use your pressure cooker! Try these other warm-weather favorites next:


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instant pot corn chowder in a white bowl

Instant Pot Corn Chowder

Yield: 6-8 Servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Additional Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 34 minutes

Summery, creamy Fresh Corn Chowder in the Pressure Cooker features crisp bacon, tender potatoes, and juicy corn kernels in a homemade corn cob broth.   

Ingredients

  • 6 ears fresh corn
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 /2 cup chopped onion
  • 3 cups water
  • 2 medium potatoes, diced
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 3 cups half-and-half or milk*
  • 1 /8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
  • 4 slices bacon, cooked and diced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (can substitute dried)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Shuck the corn. Use a sharp knife to cut off the kernels.
  2. Select Sauté and add the butter to the pressure cooker pot. When butter is melted, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is tender, about 3 minutes.
  3. Add the 3 cups of water and corn cobs to the pressure cooking pot. Lock the lid in place, select High Pressure and 10 minutes cook time and start. When the cook time ends, turn off the pressure cooker, and do a quick pressure release. Carefully remove the corn cobs and discard them. Leave the corn broth in the pressure cooking pot.
  4. Put the steamer basket in the pressure cooker pot. Add the diced potatoes and corn kernels. Lock the lid in place, select High Pressure and 4 minutes cook time and press start. When the cook time ends, turn off the pressure cooker, and do a quick pressure release. Carefully remove the steamer basket, potatoes and corn from the pressure cooking pot.
  5. In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons water. Select Simmer and add cornstarch mixture to the pot, stirring constantly until the soup thickens.
  6. Stir in the milk, cayenne pepper, corn kernels, cooked potatoes, bacon, and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat through but do not bring to a boil.

Notes

*If using milk you may need to use additional cornstarch.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 341Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 262mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 4gSugar: 10gProtein: 10g

Nutrition information is calculated by Nutritionix and may not always be accurate.

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originally published September 12, 2020 — last updated September 20, 2022
Categories: Soup