The perfect summer soup is corn chowder! It’s light and creamy, with corn, red potatoes, bacon, and fresh thyme on top. This is a fantastic way to use up all of your summer corn! Contains instructions for cooking it in both an Instant Pot and on the stovetop. Next, try my carrot ginger or butternut squash soups.
My favorite veggie is corn. Period. I could eat it with every meal, in any shape, for the rest of my life. I’d be in paradise if someone brought me a menu for the day that looked like this:
- Corn bread with eggs and bacon for breakfast
- Mexican street corn with tacos for lunch
- Popcorn as a snack
- Corn chowder as an appetizer
- Dinner: A large salad with fresh vegetables and chicken, with a side of corn on the cob
- Sweet corn ice cream for dessert (YES ITS A THING)
Yes, it may be because I’m originally from Illinois, and it’s in our DNA. The jokes about Children of the Corn nearly write themselves.
So, if you’re anything like me, you purchase an absurd quantity of corn every time you go to the grocery at the start of the season because, oh my god, I adore corn. I’m so pleased that harvest season is coming to a close in your region because oh my goodness, what if this is the final pick of the season, then this corn chowder is the ideal way to use up some of those lovely yellow logs.
Don’t look at me, but I named them delicious golden logs.
Contents
Ingredients for corn chowder
Let’s begin with the meat and vegetables. These are the ones I prefer to use in my corn chowder, but you may adjust the quantities to your taste. For example, if you’re a vegetarian, just omit the bacon and replace it with veggie stock.
- Bacon
- Onion, yellow
- Garlic
- Stock made from vegetables or chicken
- CORN!
- Purple potatoes
- Chives
I don’t put celery in mine, but I know many others do, so feel free to add it if you like!
Let’s speak about spices now.
- Thyme I like to add a lot of fresh thyme to the soup since I like the taste it adds to compliment the corn.
- white pepper, ground I like to use white pepper instead of ground pepper to obtain the taste without the black bits. That is entirely a question of personal choice.
- Cayenne pepper adds a little of spice and flavor.
- Turmeric This is mostly used to enhance the golden color of the soup!
Making corn chowder in the Instant Pot
The benefit of creating this corn chowder in an Instant Pot is that you can do everything in it. There is no need to sauté anything in a separate pan, and there is no need to heat anything up on the stove; everything is done in the IP.
The only things you’ll need to do outside of the Instant Pot are transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and combine the cream and flour in a measuring cup before adding it to the cooker. I have a hunch you’ll be OK.
Use the IP to keep leftovers warm
Another advantage of cooking this in an IP is that after you’ve distributed everyone’s portions, just replace the cover and press the Keep Warm button, and it will remain at the ideal temperature until people are ready for seconds.
One of the cats is usually trolling the countertops as soon as we sit down for dinner, so we always have to make sure weve cleaned and put everything away before we can even enjoy our meal, so being able to just push a button and worry about it when we’re done is absolutely amazing for us.
You may, however, move it to a nice soup tureen and place it on your table for visitors to assist themselves without having to make another trip.
Just give it a little swirl before ladling it out since it may form a small film on top as it cools.
One of my favorite things about this corn chowder is how full of vegetables it is without being heavy. Every spoonful is packed with soft potatoes, sweet corn, and mouthwatering flavor, but you won’t need a sleep afterward.
It makes it the ideal light supper for a summer evening when you don’t want to labor over the stove but don’t want to forego quality for that last-minute pizza in the freezer.
I know you understand what I mean. The frozen pizza you have on hand in case you run out of food and have already eaten a few dubious meals with what you have hanging around.
Can I use frozen corn?
Speaking of frozen foods, if you don’t have fresh corn on hand, you can definitely substitute frozen corn. You could prepare this in the middle of winter and it would still be great.
The one item I wouldn’t advocate substituting is fresh thyme for bottled dry thyme; the taste isn’t the same, and I want you to have the complete flavor experience.
How to store corn chowder
Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week, then reheat in small amounts throughout the week for:
- lunches
- the soup portion of a soup and sandwich combination
- meals that are fast and simple (Serve with some focaccia bread on the side for some additional carbs)
Easy Instant Pot Corn Chowder
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Description
Equipment
- The Instant Pot
- a big pot
- Cups for measuring (glass)
Ingredients
- 3 slices chopped bacon
- 1 diced yellow onion
- 3 minced cloves and garlic
- 32 oz. chicken or veggie stock
- 20 ounces fresh or frozen corn kernels
- 4 medium red potatoes, washed and diced
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 quart thick cream
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour or corn starch
- To taste, kosher salt and ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives for garnish
Instructions
Instant Pot instructions:
- Turn on your Instant Pot and choose the Saut setting.
- When the pan is hot, add the bacon and cook, tossing regularly, until it is browned and crispy. Remove from the saucepan with caution and transfer to a paper towel-lined dish, but leave the bacon fat in the pot!
3 bacon slices - Stir in the onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes, or until the onions are cooked and the garlic is aromatic (but not burned).
1 yellow onion, 3 garlic cloves - 8 teaspoon ground white pepper, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon turmeric
Return the bacon to the saucepan with the stock, corn, potatoes, thyme, white pepper, cayenne pepper, and turmeric. Stir to blend, then close the valve and adjust the setting to Pressure. Cook for 10 minutes on high heat.
32 oz. vegetable or chicken stock, 20 oz. corn kernels, 4 medium red potatoes, 2 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp salt - After it’s finished cooking, gently switch the valve to the Vent setting and let it release all the pressure that’s built up. There will be a loud whistling sound that will last for a few minutes.
- While the oven is venting, mix together heavy cream and flour in a measuring cup or small bowl. Note: You should mix the flour (or corn starch) into the chilled cream before adding it to the pot since it will clump if you add it to the boiling soup.
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or corn starch, 1 cup heavy cream - Return the setting to Saut and bring to a boil. Pour in the heavy cream mixture and whisk to blend. Let to thicken for 5 minutes, stirring periodically. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste - Garnish with fresh chives and serve immediately. Enjoy!
2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
Stove Top instructions:
- Cook bacon until browned and crispy in a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove with caution and place on a paper towel-lined platter, but leave the bacon fat in the pan!
- Stir in the onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes, or until the onions are cooked and the garlic is aromatic (but not burned).
- Return the bacon to the saucepan with the stock, corn, potatoes, thyme, white pepper, cayenne pepper, and turmeric, and heat to a boil. Lower the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.
- Whisk together heavy cream and flour in a measuring cup or small bowl. Note: You should mix the flour (or corn starch) into the chilled cream before adding it to the pot since it will clump if you add it to the boiling soup.
- Pour in the heavy cream mixture and whisk to blend. Let to thicken for 5-10 minutes, stirring periodically. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish with fresh chives and serve immediately. Enjoy!