Clam chowder in the Instant Pot is thick, creamy, and loaded with bacon — no flour, no fuss. Cubed bacon renders down with onion in its own fat before clams in their juice, cream, white wine, and Provence herbs pressure-cook into a rich chowder. Fifteen minutes of Stew mode and dinner is a bowl of pure comfort.
Clam Chowder
(Total Time: 20 MIN| Serves: 4)
Ingredients:
11oz (312 g) clams in juice
1 cup (240 ml) cubed bacon
2 cups (480 ml) cream
½ cup white wine
1 chopped onion
Provence herbs
salt and pepper
Directions:
Cook the bacon down in your Instant Pot.
Soften the onion in the bacon lard 5 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients.
Seal and cook on Stew 15 minutes.
Per Serving (Calories 400 | Total Fats 35g | Net Carbs: 3g | Protein 28g |Fiber: 1g)
Pro Tips
- Cook the bacon first and soften the onion in the rendered lard — that fat is the savoury backbone of the whole chowder.
- Add the clams with their juice straight from the can; the liquor thins the cream just enough and carries all the sea flavour.
- Go easy on the wine — a half cup brightens the cream without making the chowder taste boozy after the pressure cook.
- If you want it thicker, blend a cup of the finished chowder and stir it back in instead of reaching for flour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use fresh clams instead of canned?
Yes — steam them open in white wine first, shuck them, and add the meat and strained juice to the pot for the final minutes of cooking.
Is this clam chowder gluten-free?
It is, as written. There is no flour thickener; the cream and potato-free base give it body on their own, which also keeps it low-carb.
How long does clam chowder keep?
Three days in the fridge, covered. Reheat gently on low — boiling cream chowder after the fact makes it split.
What herbs can I use instead of Provence herbs?
A pinch each of thyme, rosemary, and tarragon gets you there, or simply thyme alone if that's what the pantry holds.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the bacon down in your Instant Pot. Soften the onion in the bacon lard 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Seal and cook on Stew 15 minutes. Per Serving (Calories 400 | Total Fats 35g | Net Carbs: 3g | Protein 28g |Fiber: 1g)
