Clam Chowder (Instant Pot)

This easy Instant Pot clam chowder soup recipe is packed with bacon and potatoes. One of the best pressure cooker soups I’ve made yet in just 10 minutes and it tastes just like Boudin Bakery’s in San Francisco. Creamy and delicious dinner that my kids rave about and there are never leftovers.

8 oz clam juice
10 oz clams, with juice
3 slices bacon, diced
¾ onion, diced
2 stalks celery middle, lighter pieces
4 small potatoes, skinned and diced small
1 cup water can use vegetable or chicken broth
½ tsp. garlic, minced
¼ tsp. white pepper, freshly ground
2 cups half and half cream
1 chicken bouillon cube or 1 Tbsp. granules (optional but adds to flavour)
6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, unbleached

Put your pressure cooker on sauté with a little olive oil and cook your bacon until it is not crispy but cooked. (Add your onions now to soften at this time if you like).

Drain grease and return pot to pressure cooker. Turn machine off.

Add diced onion (if you haven’t already), potatoes, water, garlic, clam juice, white pepper, bouillon cube (crushed) and garlic. Stir.

Put lid on Instant Pot or pressure cooker and set to pressure, high, for 5 minutes (6 minutes if you want your potatoes to be really soft).

Do a slow release (move steam valve just slightly so steam comes out slowly).

Take lid off and set to sauté low.

Add your half and half, celery and clams, stir.

Put flour in a bowl and once the soup begins to boil add a few cups of hot soup, just the liquid, and whisk together to create a sort of roux to thicken your soup.

Pour this mixture back into your pressure cooker and stir.

Allow soup to bubble for 4-5 minutes, stirring intermittently, and thickening as time goes on.

Turn off and enjoy.

Makes 6 servings.