If you crave some good old comfort food, this hearty Instant Pot Clam Chowder is just what you need! This is an Instant Pot New England Clam Chowder recipe and is by far the BEST clam chowder I have ever tasted if I do say so myself!
I love to serve this easy chowder on a cool fall or frigid winter night, but honestly, I’ve been known to make it any time of the year just because it’s so delicious. It keeps you warm and it makes great leftovers too.
You would be surprised how many meals you can make from this instant pot soup. The vegetables in the soup stretch your grocery dollar, and if you serve it with some delicious buttered garlic bread, it makes this meal even more filling!
Also, don’t forget to check out my Instant Pot Beginners Guide because it has TONS and TONS of helpful tips and information.
This clam chowder soup recipe is one that my mom absolutely loves. I make it mainly for her even though I really love all these creamy, briny, veggie flavors. I’ll make it, portion it out in meal-size soup containers, and then freeze it. It freezes and reheats really well.
The Ingredient List
Clams: I like to use canned clams. Be sure to reserve the clam juice when you drain them.
Broth: This day, I used my homemade instant pot fish broth but I have used chicken broth in the past.
Bacon: Use your favorite brand, but I do not recommend using maple-flavored bacon. The “sweet” maple flavor will work well with this soup recipe.
Onion: Regular yellow onions will work well for this recipe.
Celery: Clean the stalks and chop them about ¼ inch to ½ inch wide.
Potatoes: Use whatever type of potato you have on hand. Preferably, I like the yellow waxy variety as I think they hold up better during the cooking process. Peel them or not, it’s your preference. I like to leave the peel on as it adds a bit more nutrients.
Heavy Cream: I use heavy whipping cream but if you’d like to skinny up the recipe a tad, use half and half.
Garlic: Minced garlic is great but feel free to use garlic powder if that’s all you have on hand.
Thyme: I used dry thyme. If you want to use fresh, add half during the cooking process and then add the remaining half at the end.
Bay Leaves: Remember to remove the leaves after the cooking time is done.
Salt and Pepper: Use according to your preference. The clam juice can be quite briny depending on the brand, so go easy with the salt to begin with and then you can add more just before serving.
How To Make Clam Chowder In The Instant Pot
The thing I love about this clam chowder recipe is that you don’t have to put a ton of effort into making it delicious. The ingredients add so much flavor and the instant pot does all the heavy lifting.
1 SAUTE: Drain the clams and reserve the juice for later. Activate the saute function on the Instant Pot and cook the bacon, celery, onion, garlic, and thyme.
2. ADD POTATOES: Add the potatoes and give the mixture a stir.
3. CLAM JUICE: Pour in the clam juice and broth of your choice.
4. COOK: With the steam release valve on the instant pot set to sealing, cook on high pressure and then do a natural release. After the natural release, finish with a quick release.
(Optional) 5. THICKEN: Thicken the soup. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until it reaches the texture you like. I like it chunky, but you can blend it until it’s smooth if you prefer. Alternatively, you can thicken the soup with a cornstarch slurry.
6. ADD THE CLAMS: Select the saute function and place the clams in the chowder. Pour in the heavy cream. Let the soup rest for about 5 minutes on the saute function to heat the clams through. Then serve!
***** Check the printable recipe card below for all the specific ingredient amounts and instructions to make this recipe perfect every time.
Serving and Storage
I like to include some toasted and buttered garlic bread with the soup. It’s absolutely delicious when dipped in the soup!
Some people find adding oyster crackers are delicious. I have a hard time finding them where I live, so I’ll make my own homemade herbed croutons from time to time to top the soup.
You can keep this Instant Pot clam chowder in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat it, just warm it up in a saucepan on the stove (medium-high heat) until it’s hot. You can also warm it in the microwave if you would rather. Just cover it with a paper towel so it doesn’t splatter.
For freezing, it’s possible to freeze the chowder but know the texture of the potatoes may change on thawing and reheating. Remove the soup from the freezer and thaw overnight. When completely thawed, the broth may separate from the cream and it looks a little funky, but a good shake mixes it all back up perfectly before reheating.
The Difference Between New England and Manhatten Clam Chowder
My recipe is a New England clam chowder. New England clam chowder is a cream-based clam soup You will almost always find crispy bacon and briny clams in this version.
When it comes to the Manhattan clam chowder, it has a tomato-based broth and there isn’t any cream that’s been added. Both clam chowders are full of flavor and will make your taste buds happy. So, I say try them both!
Want More Instant Pot Recipes?
If you can’t get enough Instant Pot recipes, you are in luck! Here are some amazing ones to try out. 🙂
- BBQ Instant Pot Sausage And Peppers On Buns
- Instant Pot Honey Sriracha Pork
- Instant Pot Copycat Taco Bell Beef
- 20 + Instant Pot Soup Recipes
When you try this Instant Pot Clam Chowder, I’d love it if you let me know what you thought of the recipe in the comments below! Did you make any changes?
In the meantime, let me thank you for stopping by The Salty Pot today, and I hope you have a fantastic day!!
Hearty Instant Pot Clam Chowder
A super hearty and delicious instant pot clam chowder soup. Made in a snap in the instant pot, and packed full of yummy clams, this creamy, hearty, and yummy soup will be requested again and again!
Ingredients
- 2 cans clams, drained & reserve juice (14 ounce cans)
- 2 cups seafood/fish/chicken broth
- 6 slices of minced bacon
- ½ minced onion
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 1 lb potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon thyme seasoning
- 1-2 bay leaves
- salt and pepper as desired
- *Optional: cornstarch slurry for thickening - 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water mixed together.
Instructions
- Drain the clams and reserve the juice. (you want around 2 cups of clam juice, but if there is not enough, add the seafood/fish/or chicken broth to make up the two cups.)
- Press saute on the instant pot and add the bacon, celery, onion, garlic, and thyme. Saute until the bacon is cooked and the onion is translucent. (about 5 minutes)
- Add the chopped potatoes. Saute for another minute or two.
- Add the reserved clam juice and add the seafood/fish/chicken broth. (see notes)
- Place the lid on the machine and move the toggle switch to the "seal' position. Cook on manual, high pressure for 3 minutes, with a natural release of 5 minutes.
- After cooking time is complete, move the toggle switch to 'vent' and release any remaining steam.
- Remove the lid (away from your face), and give it a stir.
- Press the saute function again and add the whipping cream and clams.
- Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Remove the bay leaves.
- The soup is ready to eat now but if you'd like to thicken the broth, there are two ways. With an immersion blender (or potato masher), blend/mash the soup to your desired texture. Alternatively, you can use a cornstarch slurry (see notes).
Notes
1. The clam juice usually measures around 1 ½ - 2 cups. If the clam nectar is particularly short from the canned clams, simply make up the difference with chicken stock for fish stock. (Water can be used in a pinch).
2. For a special addition, try adding a ¼ cup of dry white wine. You would want to add it in the same step as adding the clam juice and broth.
2. Depending on the day, sometimes I prefer a more brothy consistency to my clam chowder. Other days, I prefer a thicker broth for the soup, so that will determine how much I thicken (or not thicken) the soup. As you can see from the photos in the post, the one with the soup in the bread bowl was from a day I thickened it with my immersion blender.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 330Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 792mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 24g
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
***DON’T FORGET TO PIN THIS INSTANT POT CLAM CHOWDER SOUP RECIPE TO YOUR FAVORITE PINTEREST PIN TO USE FOR LATER!!***
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