Craving something warm and hearty that won't break the bank? This Instant Pot Potato Corn Chowder will be your go-to soup recipe on busy nights. It is made with inexpensive pantry staples, packed with flavor, and ready in no time!
Looking for more delicious creamy, cozy Instant Pot recipes? Don't miss Instant Pot Gnocchi Soup, Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings, and Instant Pot Baked Potato Soup.
The Instant Pot reigns supreme when it comes to making cozy soups that taste like they have simmered for hours, but come together FAST! And that is exactly what this easy recipe for Instant Pot Potato Corn delivers--a creamy, cozy soup with layers of flavor!
Inspired by my recipe for Potato Corn Chowder, this recipe lets the Instant Pot do the heavy-lifting. After a few minutes of hands-on prep, you can walk away and attend to other things, instead of baby-sitting a simmering soup on the stove. And the results are phenomenal!
Helpful Notes On Ingredients
- Potatoes: For the best texture, use waxy potatoes like Yukon gold or red potatoes, not russet potatoes.
- Corn: Fresh, frozen, or canned kernels. If using canned, rinse and drain first.
- Broth: Stick with vegetable broth for a vegetarian version, or use chicken stock (or Instant Pot Chicken Stock) if you prefer.
- Shallot: Shallots add a subtle onion-garlic flavor that complements the potatoes and corn perfectly, rather than overwhelm the chowder, as an onion can do.
- Seasonings: Season simply with dried thyme leaves, kosher salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.
- Butter + Olive Oil: Use a combination of butter and extra virgin olive oil to sauté the shallot. Butter for richness; oil to help prevent the butter from burning.
- Distilled Vinegar: This may sound like an odd addition, but the vinegar helps to preserve the texture of the potatoes and brighten the flavors without overwhelming the delicate potatoes.
- Cream + Cornstarch: Dissolve cornstarch into cream (or milk, half and half, or heavy cream) to thicken the chowder and make it super creamy after pressure cooking.
How to Make Instant Pot Potato Corn Chowder
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
1. Saute Shallot on Low Heat. If your pressure cooker gives you the option to adjust the heat level on the sauté function, adjust it to low, as shallots are rather delicate. If you can't adjust the heat, don't panic, just keep in mind it won't take long for the shallot to soften.
2. Toast the Thyme. Toasting the dried thyme leaves for 30-60 seconds will allow the natural oils to release and the flavor to be enhanced.
3. Deglaze the Inner Pot. Whenever you sauté ANYTHING (even on low heat), you must add liquid to the inner pot and scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the inner pot. This will prevent a burn notice. Simply add the broth and use a spatula to scrape the bottom of the inner pot.
4. Add Potatoes and Corn. Add in the diced potatoes, corn kernels, vinegar, and seasonings and give it at all a stir.
5. Pressure Cook. Pop the lid on, make sure your vent is sealed, and set your Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for just 2 minutes. Once the time’s up, let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes--that is key to preserving the texture of the potatoes and avoiding a mess in your kitchen.
6. Thicken the Chowder. After removing the lid on the inner pot, turn the pressure cooker back to sauté and let the soup come to a bubble. Dissolve the cornstarch in the cream and then stir it into the inner pot. Let cook, stirring frequently, for another 1-4 minutes until the chowder thickens to your liking.
7. Serve. Serve plain or add shredded cheese, crumbled baked bacon, and/or sliced green onions to add additional flavor and texture to the chowder.
Cook With Kristen
Do you learn better through watching someone make the recipe? Follow along below as I make this Instant Pot Potato Corn Chowder in my kitchen.
Make it a Meal
I love serving Instant Pot Potato Corn Chowder with crusty bread, warm rolls, or buttermilk biscuits and a salad--like a tossed Italian salad or strawberry spinach salad.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate: Allow the leftover chowder to cool slightly, and then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Instant Pot Potato Corn Chowder does not freeze well due to the cream and potatoes. The texture will change once defrosted.
- Reheat: Transfer to a heat-safe bowl, cover with a damp paper towel, and heat in 60-second intervals, stirring between each interval until warmed through. If needed, thin with milk or broth before reheating
More Cozy Instant Pot Favorites
- Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
- Instant Pot Vegetable Soup
- Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon
- Instant Pot Pasta Fagioli
If you gave this Instant Pot Potato Corn Chowder a try, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.
Instant Potato Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 small shallot minced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves not ground thyme
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar optional
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
- 3 cups Yukon gold potatoes scrubbed, dried, and cut into 1-1 ½ inch chunks
- ½ cup half and half or heavy cream or whole milk
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Turn the pressure cooker to the sauté function and hit adjust until the heat level is on low, not normal or high. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter and let heat until the butter has melted. If your pressure cooker’s sauté function only has one setting, that is OKAY! You may only want to sauté the shallot for 1-2 minutes, to prevent it from overbrowning.
- Once the butter has melted, add in one minced shallot and sauté until the shallots begin to soften, about 2-3 minutes. Add in ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves and continue to toast for 30-60 seconds, or until fragrant. Turn off the sauté function by hitting cancel on the pressure cooker.
- Add 3 cups of vegetable broth and scrape any browned bits off of the bottom of the inner pot.
- Add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar, 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 2 cups of corn kernels, and 3 cups of diced potatoes into the inner pot.
- Place the lid on the pressure cooker, being sure the valve is sealed. Select manual or pressure cook and use the +/- buttons to adjust until the time reads 2 minutes.
- After the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release for at least 10 minutes. Then you can release the pressure by
- Turn the Instant Pot to back sauté, adjust until normal is lit up, and let the soup come to a bubble. Meanwhile, whisk ½ cup of cream/milk with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch until the cornstarch dissolves. Once dissolved, stir the mixture into the soup and let cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. This should only take 1-2 minutes. Once thickened, hit cancel to turn off the Instant Pot.
- Serve with shredded cheddar and sliced green onions if desired
Helen
Easy to make and so very yummy
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks for sharing, Helen! So happy to hear you enjoyed.
Stephanie
Easy and super delicious on a cold day! I forgot to top it with cheese and green onions and it was still amazing!
Kristen Chidsey
Love it! Thanks for sharing, Stephanie!
Karin
The soup is absolutely delicious. My husband and fastidious daughter both loved it. I'll make double next time!
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks for sharing, Karin! I am thrilled to hear this recipe is already a winner at your house.