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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 electric 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 easy instant pot 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 creamy instant pot new england clam chowder with oyster crackers, but these air fryer flaky biscuits are great for dunking in the chowder to soak up all the briny goodness!
Why this instant pot clam chowder recipe works
- Using canned clams is a budget friendly option for this New England style 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.
- You don’t need to make a roux! This chowder has a thinner base with just a little cream added, making it easy to make. There is also the option to make it thick and creamy by pureeing some of the potatoes.
- It’s a one pot meal! Everything cooks in the pressure cooker so cleaning up is a breeze.
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Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and quantities used to make instant pot clam chowder can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
You’ll need a can of whole clams and canned chopped clams for this recipe. Canned clams are affordable and readily available at most grocery stores.
The recipe also calls for 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, we use bacon chopped into small pieces. I recommend using thick cut bacon for the best results. If you prefer your chowder without a smoky flavor, you can use pancetta or salt pork (traditional) as a substitute.
In addition to the clam juice for the chowder base, the recipe also calls chicken or seafood stock. If using chicken broth, I like to use my homemade Instant Pot chicken bone broth.
To add a little creaminess to the broth, you’ll need heavy cream. For a lighter option, you can also use half and half or milk.
Step by step instructions to make New England clam chowder
- Turn the Instant Pot to the sauté function. Cook the bacon until fat has rendered and it is starting to crisp.
- Add the butter, celery and onions and saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients (including the fresh thyme) except the clams and cream, mixing to scrape the bottom of the pot. Pressure cook at high pressure for 4 minutes then use a 4 minute natural release. Use the quick release to release any remaining pressure.
- Turn on the sauté function and use an immersion/stick blender to blend some of the yukon gold potatoes. (This is optional and will thicken the chowder slightly). Stir in the cream and clams and serve hot with oyster crackers.
This is also great served with this air fryer garlic bread, a side of instant pot steamed broccoli or just a plain crusty baguette with butter.
Expert tips
- The canned clams are already cooked, so you’ll want to wait to add them to the chowder at the end of cooking.
- 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.
- When adding the clams to the chowder, be sure to add the juice from the cans. It adds amazing flavor to the chowder!
- 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.
- For a creamier chowder, use an immersion blender to blend up some of the cooked potatoes in the chowder.
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
The main difference is in the broth. New England clam chowders are thicker and include milk or cream, while Manhattan clam chowders have a tomato based broth along with more veggies.
The chowder will thicken a little with the addition of cream. If you prefer a thicker chowder, you can blend up some of the cooked potatoes in the chowder. If you prefer to keep all of your potatoes whole, you can thicken the chowder with a cornstarch slurry. This is just 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of water. While cooking, stir it in until the chowder reaches your desired consistency.
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.
I don’t recommend freezing clam chowder as it doesn't have the same texture once defrosted and reheated. The cream may separate in the chowder and the chunks of potato can sometimes take on a grainy consistency.
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Recipe
Instant Pot Clam Chowder
Ingredients
- 1-10 ounce can whole clams
- 1-4 ounce can chopped clams
- 1-6 ounce bottle clam juice
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 celery stalk diced
- 6 slices bacon diced
- 1 pound potatoes peeled and cut in ½ to 1" cubes
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 cup chicken or seafood stock
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Oyster crackers for serving (optional)
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 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:
- The canned clams are already cooked, so you’ll want to wait to add them to the chowder at the end of cooking.
- 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.
- When adding the clams to the chowder, be sure to add the juice from the cans. It adds amazing flavor to the chowder!
- 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.
- For a creamier chowder, use an immersion blender to blend up some of the cooked potatoes in the chowder.
- 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.
Nutrition
Danielle says
This is such a delicious easy recipe!
Hunter says
I loved how easy this was. It was a little thinner than I'm used to, but the flavor was delicious!
Danielle says
I mash up the potatoes to thicken it up. Glad to hear you liked it!
Sara says
OMG, sooooo good! I loved how easy this was. Taste just like authentic clam chowder.
Danielle says
So glad to hear it!