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Creamy Instant Pot Corn Chowder with Bacon

Instant Pot corn chowder - featured image
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A quick and easy creamy corn chowder made in the Instant Pot with smoky bacon, potatoes, and sweet corn. Perfect for cozy dinners and ready in about 30 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 slices bacon, chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 2 cups canned whole kernel corn, drained
  • 4 cups chicken broth (low-sodium preferred)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Instructions

  1. Dice the onion and potatoes, mince the garlic, and chop the bacon into bite-size pieces. Drain the canned corn and set aside.
  2. Turn your Instant Pot to the ‘Sauté’ setting. Add the chopped bacon and cook until crisp, about 5-7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
  3. Add butter to the bacon fat, then toss in the diced onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and soft, about 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Stir in diced potatoes and drained corn, then pour in the chicken broth. Give everything a good stir to combine and scrape any browned bits off the bottom to prevent burning.
  5. Seal the Instant Pot lid and set to ‘Manual’ or ‘Pressure Cook’ on high for 10 minutes. The pot will take about 8-10 minutes to come to pressure before the timer starts.
  6. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully quick-release any remaining pressure.
  7. Using an immersion blender, partially blend the chowder to your desired consistency—leave some chunks for texture. Stir in the heavy cream, cooked bacon, fresh thyme, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Ladle into bowls and optionally sprinkle a few extra bacon bits or thyme leaves on top for garnish.

Notes

Do not skip the natural pressure release to ensure tender potatoes and prevent splatter. If chowder is too thick, stir in extra broth or water. For dairy-free, substitute heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk. For vegetarian, omit bacon and use vegetable broth with smoked paprika or liquid smoke for flavor.

Nutrition

Keywords: corn chowder, instant pot, bacon, creamy soup, quick dinner, comfort food, easy recipe

Find it online: https://sizzlesprout.com/creamy-instant-pot-corn-chowder-with-bacon-easy-homemade-recipe/