This instant pot corn chowder is rich, creamy, and the perfect comfort food to warm you up on cold nights. The savory flavors of sweet corn, potatoes, and cheddar cheese come together effortlessly in an instant pot. This classic staple is ready in 15 minutes!
This post contains helpful tips and tricks! If you’re in a rush, please use the “Jump to Recipe” above!
💭 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner that effortlessly comes together in under 15 minutes!
- Rich, creamy, and savory comfort food that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser at any party or gathering.
- A vegetarian and naturally gluten-free recipe that everyone can enjoy!
📋 Ingredients and notes
To make instant pot corn chowder, you’ll need russet potatoes, canned sweet corn, onion, vegetable broth, cheddar cheese, half and half, cornstarch, butter, salt, and black pepper. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
Variations & Substitutions
- Russet potatoes. If you don’t have russet potatoes on hand, you can substitute them with Yukon gold potatoes or red potatoes.
- Corn. Use fresh, frozen, or canned sweet corn! If using frozen corn, there’s no need to thaw it beforehand. The Instant Pot will handle the cooking perfectly, preserving the corn’s natural sweetness.
- Cheddar cheese. Use Monterey jack cheese or gouda cheese as a substitute.
- Half and half. You can use whole milk as a substitute; however, the chowder might result in a slightly thinner texture. For a richer substitute, you can use heavy cream.
- Fresh parsley. While it’s an optional ingredient, you can add parsley as a garnish for a refreshing flavor!
- To make your soup heartier, you can add more vegetables like carrots, red bell pepper, or celery!
- For a spicy kick, add diced jalapeño, red pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper. Add smoked paprika for a smoky flavor.
📖 How to make this instant pot corn chowder recipe
Step 1:
Set your Instant Pot to sauté mode and add butter, allowing it to melt.
Step 2:
Once the butter is melted, add the diced onions and cook them until they are soft.
Step 3:
Pour in the vegetable broth, diced potatoes, sweetcorn, salt and pepper.
Step 4
Close the lid of the Instant Pot and ensure the steam valve is closed. Set the pressure to high for 10 minutes.
Step 5:
Once the cooking cycle is complete, do a quick release of the pressure and carefully lift the lid when all the steam has dissipated.
Step 6:
In a small cup, whisk together 1 to 2 tablespoons of water and cornstarch until it forms a smooth mixture.
Step 7:
Switch the Instant Pot to sauté mode again to allow the mixture to come to a boil. Add the corn starch mixture to the pot and stir well.
Step 8:
Gradually add the half and half and cheese, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens slightly.
Step 9:
Once thickened to your liking, serve the soup and top it with chopped parsley, if desired.
👩🏽🍳 Tips for the best instant pot corn chowder
⭐ Dice the potatoes into small, even chunks to ensure they cook uniformly and absorb the flavors of the broth and corn.
- Make sure your cornstarch mixture is smooth and lump-free before adding it to the pot to avoid clumps in your chowder.
- When adding half and half and cheese, keep the Instant Pot on low to avoid curdling. Gentle heat will blend the dairy smoothly into the chowder.
- This recipe calls for a quick release to stop the cooking process immediately and prevent overcooking the potatoes.
👩🏽🍳 Troubleshooting FAQs
Yes, you can use frozen corn instead of canned or fresh corn. No need to thaw beforehand, as the Instant Pot will handle cooking frozen corn kernels perfectly.
Yes, you can make corn chowder ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To serve, reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave.
To prevent the milk from curdling, make sure you’re not adding it during the pressure cooking step. After pressure cooking is complete, add it gradually using the “Saute” function on the Instant Pot to warm it gently.
🍴 How to serve instant pot corn chowder
This comforting and hearty soup is perfect for any season! Serve it with crusty bread, a fresh green salad, steamed vegetables, or as an appetizer to your main course.
🍴Storage and reheating suggestions
To store leftover corn chowder, place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat it in the instant pot, stovetop, or microwave before serving.
To freeze corn chowder, transfer it to a freezer-safe container and store it for up to 2-3 months. When ready to serve, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
🍴 More delicious soup recipes
If you like this recipe, check out my other delicious soups:
Acorn Squash Soup
Vegan White Bean Chili
Instant Pot Mulligatawny Soup
Tuscan Cannellini Bean Soup with Kale (Ribollita)
Instant Pot Corn Chowder
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ onion diced, small
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 4 Russet potatoes, peeled, diced
- 2 cups canned sweet corn, substitute frozen corn
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ⅓ tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cups half and half
- ½ cup cheddar cheese
- Parsley, chopped for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Set your Instant Pot to sauté mode and add butter, allowing it to melt.
- Once the butter is melted, add the diced onions and cook them until they are soft.
- Pour in the vegetable broth, diced potatoes, sweetcorn, salt and pepper.
- Close the lid of the Instant Pot and ensure the steam valve is closed. Set the pressure to high for 10 minutes.
- Once the cooking cycle is complete, do a quick release of the pressure and carefully lift the lid when all the steam has dissipated.
- In a small cup, whisk together 1 to 2 tablespoons of water and cornstarch until it forms a smooth mixture.
- Switch the Instant Pot to sauté mode again to allow the mixture to come to a boil. Add the cornstarch mixture to the pot and stir well.
- Gradually add the half and half and cheese, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens slightly.
- Once thickened to your liking, serve the soup and top it with chopped parsley, if desired.
Notes
- Dice the potatoes into small, even pieces to ensure they cook uniformly and absorb the flavors of the broth and corn.
- Make sure your cornstarch mixture is smooth and lump-free before adding it to the pot to avoid clumps in your chowder.
- When adding half and half and cheese, keep the Instant Pot on low to avoid curdling. Gentle heat will incorporate the dairy smoothly into the chowder.
- This recipe calls for a quick release to stop the cooking process immediately and prevent overcooking the potatoes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
