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    Easy Instant Pot Clam Chowder From Scratch In 40 Minutes

    by Brendan Cunningham 3 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    This warm and comforting Instant Pot clam chowder is reminiscent of classic New England clam chowder. It is creamy, hearty, and packed with flavor and fresh clams. Plus, it's so simple and easy to make too - it takes under 40 minutes! 

    A white bowl of clam chowder and a white tablecloth. There is a silver spoon submerged in the bowl,

    THE BEST INSTANT POT CLAM CHOWDER 

    Whether you're having a cookout, are on the beach, or cozying up at home, anytime is a good time for a delicious bowl of clam chowder.

    And this rich and flavorful clam chowder recipe checks all of the right boxes. 

    Table of Contents
    • THE BEST INSTANT POT CLAM CHOWDER 
      • INGREDIENTS
        • TIPS FOR CHOOSING CLAMS
      • HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT CLAM CHOWDER
        • STEP 1: CLEAN THE CLAMS
          • Can I use Canned Clams To Make This Instant Pot Clam Chowder?
        • STEP 2: COOK THE CHOWDER
        • STEP 3: FINISH AND SERVE
      • HOW TO STORE CLAM CHOWDER
      • WRAPPING IT ALL UP
    • MORE INSTANT POT RECIPES

     

    Each spoonful is loaded with flavor and texture. You get a bite of tender clams, hearty potatoes, crunchy croutons, and crispy bacon bits, all in a creamy and velvety soup.

    Now, this Instant Pot clam chowder is a lighter take on the New England clam chowder, but it is still just as indulgent and satisfying.

    And the best part is the fact that making clam chowder Instant Pot style - that's how my family refers to it anyway - is way easier to make than traditional clam chowder. Just like with this Instant Pot corn chowder!

    In fact, you can make enough to feed the whole family in less than 40 minutes! And, honestly, that's why this recipe is one of our favorite easy dinner recipes to make on busy nights.

    Oh, and if you're looking for the perfect side to go with this clam chowder, you have to make these easy 5 ingredient biscuits or this Instant Pot Bread!

    A white bowl filled with clam chowder on a white tablecloth sat on a white counter. Behind it is part of another white bowl filled with clam chowder on the counter.

    INGREDIENTS

    As you'll see below, most of what you'll need for this clam chowder are common kitchen ingredients. 

    And if you don't have what you need on hand, you should easily be able to find it at your local grocery store. 

    Here's everything you'll need:

    • 1 - 1.5 Lbs. Clams
    • ½ Cup Diced Bacon
    • 2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
    • 1 Garlic Clove, chopped
    • 1 Onion, diced
    • 2 Tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
    • 1 Cup Milk
    • 3 Cups Fish Stock
    • 1 Bay Leaf
    • 1 Tbsp. Dried Thyme
    • 4 Small Potatoes, diced
    • ½ Cup Heavy Cream
    • 1 Cup Croutons
    • Salt and Pepper
    • Cilantro Leaves

    Now, you will need quite a few ingredients, but they are all essential to create the best homemade clam chowder you'll ever have! 

    By the way, you can use a lot of these same ingredients to make this easy and delicious chicken fricassee for your next meal.

    A white bowl filled with clam chowder and a white tablecloth. Right next to that on a white counter is another bowl filled with clam chowder. Behind that is a small bowl of croutons, a small bowl of lemon slices, and a small square dish of bay leaves.

    TIPS FOR CHOOSING CLAMS

    Before anything else, it's important to make sure you're starting with live clams - not dead ones. And if you've never bought clams before, they should:

    Be slightly open.

    Smell ocean fresh.

    & if you lightly tap on them they should close.

    For more in depth information on buying fresh clams, check out this article!

    Also, keep that in mind that you will have to soak your clams to clean them before starting - as you'll want to get any sand out of them - so give yourself enough time to do that too.

    A hand holding a ladle over an instant pot filled with clam chowder.

    HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT CLAM CHOWDER

    Again, this instant pot clam chowder recipe is super quick and easy to make. 

    It'll only take about 40 minutes max – and more than half of that is just waiting for the chowder to cook. And since everything cooks in the instant pot, you cut down on clean-up time too!

    Now, let's "dive" into this clam chowder recipe.

    An instant pot filled with clams and other clam chowder ingredients. Behind it on the gray counter is part of a white bowl filled with clams in water.

    STEP 1: CLEAN THE CLAMS

    The first thing you'll want to do is give the clams a quick rinse and soak them in a big bowl of cold salted water for around 2 hours. And you'll need 1 tablespoon of salt per cup of cold water.

    Oh, and make sure to reserve one cup of clam water for later.

    Then when the clams are done soaking, scrub off any dirt outside the shells with a stiff brush, and your clams are ready to go.

    Can I use Canned Clams To Make This Instant Pot Clam Chowder?

    Yes, you can.

    If you'd like to use canned clams for this clam chowder recipe you'll want to use around a ½ cup of them.

    Also, just so you know, you'll want to add the juice from the cans as well.

    Now, as far as when to add them into your Instant Pot, you'll want to add them towards the end of the cooking process - just as you would if you used fresh ones. However, since canned clams are already cooked, they will not need to be cooked as long.

    STEP 2: COOK THE CHOWDER

    Now, set the instant pot to "sauté," add in the diced bacon, and let it cook until it is crispy and bright red in color. 

    Then, take the bacon out of the pot and transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess fat.

    Next, with the sauté mode still on, add your butter, diced onion, and chopped garlic to the instant pot and cook for around 5 minutes until the onion is translucent. And make sure to stir everything a few times while cooking. 

    A four way split picture with the top left showing a hand holding a white bowl of bacon bits over an instant pot. The top right has cooked bacon bits on a spoon over an instant pot. The bottom left has butter melting in an instant pot. And the bottom right has clam chowder ingredients in an instant pot.

    Then add the flour to the pot, followed by the milk, and mix them with the butter until the ingredients are thoroughly combined, and the butter mixture has dissolved.

    After that, add 1 cup of the clam water we saved earlier, along with the fish stock, potatoes, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring everything to a boil, and then cover the instant pot.

    To finish up, cook at low pressure for 20 minutes, then slowly release the steam when it's done cooking. 

    And to release the steam, turn the knob from the sealed to the venting position - make sure to use an oven mitt. Keep the knob open until the steam has stopped flowing and the floating valve has dropped.

    An instant pot filled with clam chowder ingredients.

    STEP 3: FINISH AND SERVE

    Once your instant pot has released all the steam, add the clams.

    Then return the instant pot to sauté mode, bring everything to a boil, and cook at a boil for 5 minutes - until the clams open up

    And your clam chowder is ready to serve! Ladle the soup into four bowls and finish each with 2 tablespoons of heavy cream, a handful of croutons, and some fresh cilantro leaves.

    A white bowl filled with clam chowder and a white tablecloth. Behind it is another white bowl of clam chowder with a picture pouring heavy cream on top.

    HOW TO STORE CLAM CHOWDER

    This instant pot clam chowder makes about 4 bowls - just enough for a hearty family dinner, so you likely won't have any leftovers. But if you want more, you can easily double or triple this recipe!

    And if you do end up with extras, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. 

    Then to reheat, the best way is to put a saucepan on your stovetop over medium-low heat, and heat the soup up until it reaches your desired temperature.

    A white bowl filled with clam chowder on a white tablecloth. Behind it is half of a bowl filled with clam chowder.

    WRAPPING IT ALL UP

    Whenever you're craving something warm, comforting, and flavorful, this quick and easy pressure cooker clam chowder recipe will definitely hit the spot.

    It is a restaurant-quality meal that everyone will love, and it is perfect for any time of the year!

    My family can't get enough of it during summer cookouts and throughout the cold winter months, and I hope you enjoy this instant pot clam chowder as much as my family and I do.

    If you make it, be sure to let me know how it went in the comments below!

    MORE INSTANT POT RECIPES

    If you liked how quick and easy this instant pot recipe was, we have a few more on the blog that I think you'll like too.

    Try making one of these next:

    • Instant Pot Paella
    • Instant Pot Sausage and Peppers
    • Instant Pot Coconut Rice
    • Instant Pot Sushi Rice
    • Instant Pot Potato Salad
    • Instant Pot Corn On The Cob
    • Instant Pot Split Pea Soup 
    Print

    Instant Pot Clam Chowder In 40 Minutes

    A white bowl filled with clam chowder on a white tablecloth. Behind it is half of a bowl filled with clam chowder.
    Print Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 3 reviews

    This warm and comforting instant pot clam chowder is reminiscent of classic New England clam chowder. It is creamy, hearty, and packed with flavor and fresh clams. And it is simple to make and takes under 40 minutes! 

    • Author: Brendan Cunningham
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 30 minutes
    • Total Time: 40 minutes
    • Yield: 4 servings 1x
    • Category: Dinner
    • Method: Instant Pot
    • Cuisine: Seafood

    Ingredients

    Scale

    1 - 1.5 Lbs. Clams (or ½ cup canned clams and the juice)

    ½ Cup Diced Bacon

    2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter

    1 Garlic Clove, chopped

    1 Onion, diced

    2 Tbsp. All-Purpose Flour

    1 Cup Milk

    3 Cups Fish Stock

    1 Bay Leaf

    1 Tbsp. Dried Thyme

    4 Small Potatoes, diced

    ½ Cup Heavy Cream

    1 Cup Croutons

    Salt and Pepper

    Cilantro Leaves

    Instructions

    1. Place the clams in a big bowl with water and salt (around 2 hours before starting to cook the chowder). Save 1 cup of water for later.
    2. Start the instant pot in “Sauté” and add the diced bacon. Let it cook until it’s crispy and bright red, remove from the pot and drain excess fat on a paper towel-lined plate..
    3. Add the butter, onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent (around 5 minutes).
    4. Add the flour and milk, mix with the butter and stir until everything is combined and the flour and butter mixture has dissolved completely.
    5. Add 1 cup of the clams water, the fish stock, potatoes, bay leaf and thyme.
    6. Bring to a boil and cover the instant pot. Cook at low pressure for 20 minutes, and slowly release the steam afterwards.
    7. Once it’s safe to open, add the salt, pepper, and the clams and return to the “sauté” setting. 
    8. Once it’s boiling, let it boil for another 5 minutes.
    9. Serve in four bowls and finish each with 2 tablespoons of heavy cream, a handful of croutons, and some fresh cilantro leaves.

    Notes

    *If using canned clams just add them in at the end of the cooking process.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 serving
    • Calories: 533
    • Fat: 28
    • Carbohydrates: 26
    • Fiber: 1
    • Protein: 41

    Keywords: instant pot clam chowder, clam chowder instant pot, instant pot clam chowder recipe, clam chowder recipe, New England clam chowder, instant pot clam chowder fresh clams, instant pot seafood chowder recipes, instant pot clam chowder with bacon, instant pot clam chowder with heavy cream, instant pot soup

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Julie J

      October 16, 2021 at 4:07 pm

      We love our clam chowder and the family was very pleased with this!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. Nate

      October 16, 2021 at 10:08 pm

      Very very good!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. Shelly

      October 18, 2021 at 7:42 pm

      Great way to make some chowder! Enjoyed this recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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