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Instant Pot Bacon, Corn and Potato Chowder

By 185 Comments

I’d like to thank Workman Publishing for sponsoring this instant pot bacon, corn and potato chowder recipe post and giveaway.

I have a confession. I bought an instant pot last year during an awesome Amazon sale, but I never used it until this week. That’s almost a year of leaving it in the box! For some reason, the idea of actually using a pressure cooker intimidated me and I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. We’ve all heard the horror stories of the past…

BUT, pressure cookers are no longer scary. They have all sorts of safety measures in place so you really can’t do anything wrong. I know this because I read the How to Instant Pot cookbook by Daniel Shumski, and I highly suggest you get it, especially if you’ve been scared like me.

There are so many buttons, lights and indicators on an instant pot that it can be a little overwhelming at first. This cookbook demystifies it all logically, and you’ll understand why beeps, clicks and whooshes of steam are coming from your appliance.

But if you’re an instant pot pro and don’t need usage guidance, you’ll love the cookbook for the recipe ideas. They’re designed to take advantage of the instant pot’s multiple functions, so you’re bound to learn something new.

Since I was an instant pot virgin, I  chose a recipe from the book I thought would be fairly simple: Instant Pot Bacon, Corn and Potato Chowder. (Excerpted from How to Instant Pot by Daniel Shumski (Workman Publishing). Copyright © 2017. Photographs by Ken Carlson.)

And it was delish!

Instant Pot Bacon, Corn and Potato Chowder

Bacon, Corn and Potato Chowder

About the Cookbook

Master the revolutionary appliance that’s changing the way we cook!

The only Instant Pot cookbook that is organized by function, How to Instant Pot is both a guide to understanding the Instant Pot basics and a foodie’s creative collection of over 100 recipes specially crafted to take advantage of the Instant Pot’s many virtues, from cooking perfect risotto in six minutes, no stirring required, to five kinds of yogurt, to creating one-hour killer chili and soups from scratch, using dried beans.

About the Author

Daniel Shumski is a writer and editor who has hunted ramen in Tokyo for the Washington Post and tracked down ice cream in Buenos Aires for the Los Angeles Times. Between stints at the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune, he worked for a Midwestern heirloom apple orchard. His bestselling first book, Will It Waffle?: 53 Irresistible and Unexpected Recipes to Make in a Waffle Iron, won praise from the New York Times, People magazine, and Food52. He lives in Montreal.

Bacon, Corn and Potato Chowder
Print

Instant Pot Bacon, Corn and Potato Chowder.

Excerpted (and slightly altered) from How to Instant Pot by Daniel Shumski (Workman Publishing). Copyright © 2017. Photographs by Ken Carlson. 

Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 4 slices bacon halved crosswise to yield 8 short strips
  • 1 small white or yellow onion finely chopped
  • 1 stalk celery leaves discarded, coarsely chopped
  • 1 pound unpeeled red potatoes cut into 3/4-inch cubes
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cups reduced-salt chicken broth
  • 3 cups frozen corn kernels
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk divided
  • 1/4 tsp hot sauce
  • 2 tbsp corn starch

Instructions

  1. Line the bottom of inner pot with bacon. Press Saute and use Saute or Adjust button to select middle temperature (Normal). Cook with lid off and use silicone spatula or wooden spoon to move bacon around occasionally so that it cooks evenly. Cook until crisp, about 6 minutes.

  2. Remove bacon, leaving behind fat. Allow bacon to drain on paper-towel lined plate until step 7.

  3. With the Saute function and middle temperature (Normal) still selected, add onion and celery to bacon fat. Cook with lid off, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.

  4. Add potatoes and bay leaves. Wait a moment and then pour in the broth. Close and lock the lid.Set the valve to Sealing. Press Cancel, then press Manual or Pressure Cook and use the Pressure or Pressure Level button to select High Pressure. Use the - or + button to set the time to 1 minute.

  5. When the cooking cycle ends, carefully use a wooden spoon to release the pressure by turning the pressure-release valve to venting. (Pressure is released when the small metal float valve next to the pressure-release valve sinks back into the lid and the lid is no longer locked.)

  6. Remove the lid. Discard bay leaves. Add corn, thyme, salt, pepper, 1 1/4 cups milk and hot sauce. Press Cancel, then press Saute and use Saute or Adjust button to select the lowest temperature (Less). Cook with lid off, stirring occasionally until chowder is hot, about 5 minutes.

  7. Chop the bacon. Add half to the chowder, stirring to distribute. Reserve the rest to use as a garnish.

  8. Combine reserved 1/4 cup milk and corn starch in small bowl. Mix well. Mix into heated soup to thicken.

  9. Serve the chowder hot, garnished with reserved bacon.

Recipe Notes

I altered the recipe slightly to make the broth thicker, to my personal preference. My adjustments are included in this printable recipe.

Instant Pot Bacon, Corn and Potato Chowder will keep in an airtight container in the fridge, for up to 3 days. To reheat, place chowder in a pot and warm on stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes.

 

GIVEAWAY

One winner will receive a copy of How to Instant Pot and a $50 AmEx gift card for all your fresh ingredients.

Comments

  5. I haven’t used an instant pot yet. In fact I just ordered one and it should be delivered tomorrow. I would like to make a nice pot roast first.

    Reply

  17. My favorite thing to make in the instant pot is a hearty beef stew. It is perfect on a cold night after working all day.

    Reply

  19. I make a yummy ham and corn chowder that my family loves, but your chowder looks absolutely delicious! I’d like to try making your version of chowder. I know my family will love it, as will I.

    Reply

  22. I would love to try making chili in the instapot. We make that a lot and it takes a lot of time, would love to speed it up.

    Reply

  26. I would love to make chili or soup in an insta pot. I don’t have one, but it is on my Christmas list. It seems to be all the rage right now!

    Reply

  28. I really want to make this chowder. I make a lobster chowder and I might have to adapt it to include some of this recipe. Or maybe I will just make this and add the lobster to it.

    Reply

  31. I have never used a pressure cooker and even though I know they are safe these days I am still a little intimidated by them. I think the Instant Pot may be the best choice to be my first try with one and I would probably start with something fairly easy like chili with red beans.

    Reply

  36. I’ve had my instant pot for 6 months, but I’m ashamed to say I’ve only used it twice. I’m just more comfortable with my crockpot, though I love the concept of the instant pot. I made a chicken dish in it, but it seemed equivalent work to crock pot or even making normally. I’d love to find some recipes that really show off the instant pot and really make a difference.

    Reply

  41. I was confused I was thinking an instant pot was like a pressure cooker. Great article and I enjoy a good potato soup and would love to give this a try.

    Reply

  49. Oh my goodness, that chowder looks so good! Totally pinning for later! My favorite, here recently, is definitely chicken and dumplings. They are one of my favorite comfort foods and I will always love them. This pot makes it so easy!

    Reply

  64. I am a soup lover so I would be making soups of all kinds and all the time. Chicken wild rice is on my menu to day so I would start with that.

    Reply

  69. We tried Swedish meatballs in the crock last week… it was amazing! The kids loved it and my husband said it was a new favorite; and I didn’t have to do a lot of prep work.

    Reply

  71. I would like to make a pot roast in this. I have a stove top pressure cooker and after the spigot flew off I have been too scared to use it again.

    Reply

  77. I would like to try and make spaghetti and meatballs in the pot. It’s my families favorite. We have it often for dinner.

    Reply

  87. I don’t have an instapot but my friends can’t say enough about how easy and magical it is to use. I would love to try a nice warm soup for the winter months.

    Reply

  91. My current favorite Instant pot recipe is white Chicken Chili. It’s super easy and so delicious! I would really like to try to make yogurt but I haven’t yet worked up the courage/time! Someday I will try it!

    Reply

  99. We don’t have an instant pot, but I would really like one. I would like to try making soups. Possibly Cheeseburger soup.

    Reply

  100. I’d like to try making Broccoli and Cheese Soup or Chicken and Dumplings. Thanks.
    partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com

    Reply

  110. I will try making this Bacon Corn Potato Chowder! (*pinned) I make beans often—any kind of beans, seasonings to taste for whatever meal or soup, homemade bone broth–which I also make in the instant pot.

    Reply

  121. That chowder looks good! I do chicken, green chiles and towards the end cream cheese…use that then to make enchiladas.

    Reply

  130. Since I get a little afraid to cook any kind of seafood, I would love to try the Lemon-Thyme Steamed Shrimp Instant Pot recipe.

    Reply

  134. I have never made anything in an instant pot, but my friend swears that cooking chickens in it is amazing! I would love to try that! You can do so many things with leftover chicken 🙂

    Reply

  142. My favorite Insta Pot Recipe is the Stew, super hearty quick easy meal great for the cold winter days and nights!

    Reply

  143. My favorite Instant Pot recipe so far is for Rigatoni and meatballs. I would like to try a cheesecake recipe.

    Reply

  148. Just got an Instant Pot and haven’t tried it yet. I’d love to try the Korean-Style Short Ribs recipe from this book.

    Reply

  152. I have made a really good chicken chili verde dish in the instapot! I would also like to try making more stews. It’s so nice to have stew and soup over the cold winter months.

    Reply

  164. I would love to try and make chicken wild rice soup in an instant pot! I would also love to try my hand at mac and cheese.

    Reply

  172. I have never cooked in an instant pot, but I think I would like to start out with a chili recipe. It sounds wonderful on a chilly, fall day.

    Reply

  175. So far I have only used mine as a slow cooker to make chili and meatballs. I would love to try pressure cooker ribs

    Reply

  177. Making beef and broccoli tomorrow night. Start to finish it will take 20 minutes tops. Instant Pot is awesome.

    Reply

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