This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Instant Pot Clam Chowder is one of my favorite Instant Pot soups. It’s tasty, comforting and warming on chilly days, and also good on a summer day! It’s easy to make my pressure cooker clam chowder recipe!
Instant Pot Clam Chowder
I grew up in Seattle, the place where Ivar’s Acres of Clams was a big deal! If you have ever had the pleasure of strolling along the waterfront in Seattle, you would have seen Ivar’s Clam Bar. They serve up yummy deep fried clams, as well as fish and chips, salmon and chips, clam chowder, and more. I have memories of that place and their clam chowder as far back as… Well, pretty far back! We still like to go there.
This Instant Pot Clam Chowder recipe is one of my most popular recipes.
Many people in states along any coast will have their own recipe for clam chowder. Some are really loaded with stuff, while others are simpler. My Instant Pot Clam Chowder leans towards the simpler, but it has great flavor! My mom made a version very similar, and my recipe is based on hers that we ate growing up.
This pressure cooker clam chowder recipe has a nice amount of clams in it. If you are a clam super fan, go ahead and add in an extra can! This recipe also doubles nicely. Just keep the cook time the same.
The feedback on this recipe has been awesome! I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to let me know that they love my Instant Pot Clam Chowder recipe! Pin this recipe on Pinterest and share the love!
Pin This Recipe
Instant Pot Taco Soup
Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana (Sausage Potato Soup)
Instant Pot Beef Barley Vegetable Soup
Sandy’s Instant Pot Beef Stew
Instant Pot Clam Chowder
Ingredients
- (3) 6.5 oz cans Chopped Clams* (reserve the clam juice)
- Water or a small bottle of clam juice. (to add to clam juice)
- 5 slices Bacon, chopped
- 3 Tbsp Butter
- 1 Onion, diced
- 2 stalks Celery, diced
- 2 sprigs Fresh Thyme (or 1/4 tsp dried)
- 2 cloves Garlic, pressed or finely minced
- 1 ¼ tsp Kosher Salt (3/4 tsp table salt) or to taste
- ¼ tsp Pepper
- 1 ½ lbs Potatoes, 4 cups diced (I use gold potatoes and don't peel them. If you use russets, you may want to peel them.)
- ½ tsp Sugar (optional)
- 1 ⅓ cups Half and Half
- 1 ½ Tbsp Potato or Corn Starch (optional, for thickening)
- Chopped Chives, for garnish
Instructions
- Open the cans of clams and drain the clam juice into a 2 cup measuring cup. Add enough water to make 2 cups of liquid. Set the clams and juice/water aside.
- Turn on the pressure cooker's Sauté function and add the chopped bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fat has rendered out of it, but not crispy.
- Add the butter, onion, celery, and thyme. Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot to get up all of the brown bits, until the onion starts turning translucent.
- Add the garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the potatoes, sugar (if using) and clam juice/water mixture and stir.
- Put the lid on the pot and lock in place. Turn the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
- Cancel the Sauté function.
- Set to Pressure Cook/Manual, and use the + or - (or dial) to choose 4 minutes (High Pressure). When cook time has ended, let the pot rest undisturbed for 3 minutes, then do a controlled Quick Release.
- When the pin in the lid has dropped down, carefully open the lid, facing away from you, and stir the contents.
- Use a potato masher to carefully mash some or all of the potatoes, as desired.
- Turn the Sauté function back on, and use the Lowest setting (on the IP is called Less).
- Add the clams and the half and half. Let the chowder heat through, but try not to boil it.
- If you want it thicker, you can thicken it with potato or corn starch mixed with some of the half and half, mixed well, and stir it in.
- Turn off the pot and garnish the clam chowder with chopped chives, and serve with crackers or some nice bread or rolls.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
RESOURCES TO MAKE Instant Pot Clam Chowder recipe and more
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
We like corn in chowder so drained a can into our clam juice mix for exactly 2 cups. Delicious! My 11 year old was very surprised that she produced something that tastes like real chowder. We used oregano as w ere out of thyme. This is a keeper!
Yummy! I do love a good corn chowder as well! Thank you for your review, and I’m very glad that you liked it!
This sounds delicious.
What do you think would happen if I don’t add the bacon? I LOVE bacon but also want to share this with our baby, who clearly can’t have bacon. Maybe I could do bacon on the side and add in for mom & dad after?
You can add the cooked bacon to the individual servings. It will change the flavor a little, but will still be tasty!
Made this for a food day at work and now I’m very, very popular. Well, to those who ate. The others merely had to smell it, which was a bonus, in my book.
I did add a bit more salt and oregano for a bit more flavor. I forgot the starch so it was a bit runnier than I’d have liked. But what a great recipe!
Amazing recipe! Our whole family loved it. Bonus points for how fast and easy it was. Already shared the recipe with friends and family. Thank you for sharing!
I’m going to make this soon… if only for the potato rolls I will need to buy (or make) to go along with it! ?
Hahaha! It’s good dunking material!
Hi Sandy, just an update….I doubled the recipe for a soup cook off at work and WON! Thank you for the excellent tips! I recommended your blog to all associates! Thank you!
OMGosh Karen!!! Congratulations! How cool! Thank you for letting me know! I’m so excited!
Hi, how much water did you add to the clam juice? Your recipe did not indicate the exact measurement for water, Thank you!
Hi Jackie, sorry about that. What I do is drain the clam juice in to a 2 cup measuring cup, and add water until it reaches the 2 cup line. It ended up being about a cup. But I would measure it, just to be sure. You can also use all clam juice if you have a lot.
The clams I bought came with almost two cups of juice already, it only took a sliver of water to reach two cups of liquid. I think it will depend on the brand of clams you get and how much juice they are packed in. This recipe turned out SO well. My first time ever making clam chowder and it won’t be my last.
Excellent. A bottle of clam juice to get to two cups might give an even more intense clam flavor.
Hi Rick, I’ve toyed with the idea of altering the recipe by adding more clam juice. Maybe next time I make it. Thank you for the feedback!
This will be my first attempt at using my new Insta pot. I have a 6qt., can I double the recipe? Also, any additional tips if I do.
Yes, as long as the contents don’t go over the max fill line. Be sure to do a long natural release, and if you do manually let out the steam, do it in a controlled manner, in short bursts, until you are sure no soup will spew out with the steam.
This is awesome soup! We screwed up and bought heavy whipping cream instead of half and half and it turned out amazing! Will definitely be making again. Thank you!!
That’s great, Misty! Nothing wrong with whipping cream! YUM! Thank you for your review, I’m so happy you liked the clam chowder!
Amazing! Second one I’ve tried. The thyme made a huge improvement. My new go to.
Thank you for sharing! I love my Insta Pot and love finding new recipes for it.