Instant Pot Clam Chowder

5 from 2 votes

This Instant Pot Clam Chowder is a time saving New England clam chowder recipe with canned clams, tender chunks of potato and crispy bacon!

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 202kcal

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.

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!
If you want to go for a more traditional clam chowder, use salt pork instead of bacon or pancetta.
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.
Be sure to let the pressure naturally release for 4 minutes as the chowder will continue to cook during this time.
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.