Instant Pot Clam Chowder

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This Instant Pot Clam Chowder is a time saving New England clam chowder recipe. It’s made with canned clams, tender chunks of potato and crispy bacon. It takes just 40 minutes from start to finish!

Is there anything better than comfort food that comes together quickly and easily? This pressure cooker clam chowder is a one pot meal that’s hearty, delicious and requires minimal prep work!

The Instant Pot is definitely a great way to save time when making clam chowder. But, the true time saving hack for this recipe is using canned clams! 

With this recipe you don’t need to fuss with fresh clams in their shells. Just open the canned clams and dump them in the Instant Pot.

You can go ahead and save your fresh clams for this Linguine with White Clam Sauce!

We usually serve this easy clam chowder with oyster crackers, but these air fryer biscuits are great for dunking in the chowder to soak up all the briny goodness!

Why this recipe works

1. Using canned clams is a budget friendly option for clam chowder as they’re less expensive than fresh clams. It also saves time since you don’t need to deal with clam shells and the canned clams are already cooked.
2. You don’t need to make a roux! This chowder has a thinner base with just a little cream added. There is also the option to make it thicker by pureeing some of the potatoes.
3. It’s a one pot meal! Everything cooks in the pressure cooker so cleaning up is a breeze.

Ingredients

The full list of ingredients and quantities used can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

You’ll need a 10 ounce can of whole clams and a 4 ounce can of chopped clams for this recipe. Canned clams are affordable and readily available at most grocery stores.

The recipe also calls for a 6 ounce bottle of clam juice. This is the broth that’s left after clams are steamed and it has an incredibly briny flavor.

To add a smoky flavor to the chowder, you’ll need 6 slices of bacon that are diced into small pieces. I recommend using thick cut bacon. If you prefer your chowder without a smoky flavor, you can use pancetta. Both bacon and pancetta are cured, but pancetta isn’t smoked.

What’s a chowder recipe without tender chunks of potatoes? You’ll need 1 pound of potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ - 1 inch cubes. 

In addition to the clam juice for the chowder base, the recipe also calls for 1 cup of chicken or seafood stock. If using chicken stock, I like to use this Instant Pot chicken bone broth.

To add a little creaminess to the broth, you’ll need ½ cup of heavy cream. For a lighter option, you can also use half and half or milk.

Step by step instructions

Turn the Instant Pot to the sauté function.

Add the bacon and cook until fat has rendered and it is starting to crisp.

Add the butter, celery and onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients except the clams and cream.

Pressure cook on high for 4 minutes then use a 4 minute natural release.

Turn on the sauté function and use an immersion/stick blender to blend some of the potatoes. (This is optional and will thicken the chowder slightly).

Stir in the cream and clams and serve hot with oyster crackers. 

Expert tips

1. The canned clams are already cooked, so you’ll want to wait to add them to the chowder at the end of cooking. 
2. To prevent the cream from curdling, you’ll also want to wait to add it until after the chowder has cooked in the Instant Pot.
3. When adding the clams to the chowder, be sure to add the juice from the cans. It adds amazing flavor to the chowder!
4. If you want to go for a more traditional clam chowder, use salt pork instead of bacon or pancetta.
5. To ensure the potatoes cook at the same rate, cut them into even pieces (½ to 1-inch cubes). Larger cubes will take longer to cook.
6. For a creamier chowder, use an immersion blender to blend up some of the cooked potatoes in the chowder.
7. If you don’t have an immersion blender (hand blender or stick blender), just ladle out some potatoes and broth into a stand blender and blend. (Be careful as it will be hot). Then stir back into the chowder.
8. Be sure to let the pressure naturally release for 4 minutes as the chowder will continue to cook during this time.
9. While the cook time is 4 minutes in the Instant Pot on high pressure, you’ll also need to factor in time for pressure to build and release.

Common questions

Storage and reheating

Store this clam chowder in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

To reheat, just warm it in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop. Be careful not to let the chowder boil as the cream can curdle in the soup. 

Keep in mind that the chowder will thicken in the fridge so you may want to stir in a little extra seafood or chicken stock before reheating. 

More Instant Pot soup recipes

• Instant Pot Pumpkin Soup
• Instant Pot Bean Soup
• Instant Pot Chicken Curry Soup
• Instant Pot French Onion Soup

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out!