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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!
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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
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I made this for dinner tonite…and it is wonderful!!! Better then the resturants around here which usually are very thin, this is so creamy and thick..(we like it thick)and flavorful. A keeper for life!!!!
Loved this Clam Chowder. I couldn’t find chopped clams so I bought whole baby clams. They were small enough when I opened the can so I didn’t have to do anything to them. I only used 2 cans of clams as they were 284 ml undrained. I had to some conversions as we work in metric. I bought half/ & half for this recipe but didn’t make it for a while so I gave the 1/2 & 1/2 away. When I was shopping I thought the recipe called for heavy cream so that’s what I bought. Needless to say I had to make my own 1/2 & 1/2. Came out okay. My husband had 2 bowls for his lunch and then I still had some left for the next day.
excellent. didn’t have bacon so I used Chinese sausage (lap cheong)!!! stars don’t work or I’d give it a 5
I made this tonight, minus the sugar, and it turned out delicious! I’m a Tacoman, so I’m also used to Skippers, Ivars and a few other good chowders! I would definitely serve this one to guests! Thanks for the great and easy recipe!
I just made this and it’s amaaaazing! So easy to make in the instapot and yummy! This will definitely become one of our go-to recipes 🙂
This is an incredible recipe! Just made it tonight and it was a big hit. The 3 of us finished this off.
I put a little more clams and used just 2 cups of clam juice and ommitted the bacon. incredible!
Serve it with garlic bread and it made it absolutely perfect
This was amazing! I’m also from Seattle and my expectations of clam chowder are high. I had also never made it myself and it was my first recipe in my instant pot. Thank you!
Thanks, Julie! I’m so happy that a fellow Seattleite enjoyed this recipe!
Also from Seattle originally and this may be my favorite chowder I’ve ever tasted. Made it a little bougie by subbing prosciutto for the bacon – would like to try pancetta next time. Used 4 cans of clams and added a couple spoonfuls of chicken Better than Bouillon, and à couple of bay leaves.
This clam chowder has great flavor! I omitted the bacon (nitrates=migraines for me) and cut the salt back to 1/4 teaspoon as I find the canned clams to be salty. I added 2 shredded carrots for a bit of color and used a can (12 oz) of evaporated milk (what I had on hand) for the half n half. Next time I’ll pressure cook for 3 minutes as the russet potatoes were very well done, (easily mashed a few in the pan with the back of a spoon) and add the clams at the same time as the potatoes as I don’t like them so chewy. Great recipe and easy to follow. I will make again. Thanks!
I have made this recipe many times and it is so much better than any restaurant chowder I’ve had. From Oregon so we have Mo’s (too thin). Also many trips to Seattle for Ivar’s (better than Mo’s), now living the dream on Vashon Island (near Seattle and Tacoma). My husband is lactose intolerant so I use lactose free milk instead of half and half. It works just fine with a little cornstarch added. He’s so thrilled to be able to have Clam Chowder in his life again. Thank you for this great recipe.
This was amazing! I was hosting a murder mystery that was set in the Pacific Northwest and this was a perfect dish. I served it with grilled salmon Caeser salad and cheddar bay biscuits.
Your recipe has become a go-to soup for us as we love it! We live in CT and I’ve been able to find Bar Harbor chopped clams. I also use the optional sugar each time I’ve made it. Would do you think using brown sugar would do?