Easy and Delicious Potato Corn Chowder Recipe for Cold-Weather RVing
This delicious Instant Pot Potato Corn Chowder recipe is not only incredibly easy, but it is full of flavor and a crowd-pleaser. I’ve yet to meet a kid or adult who doesn’t look forward to a big bowl of this soup!
I’ve been making potato chowder for over 20 years. First, it was in a big pot over the stove. I later upgraded to a crockpot and would set it and forget it. Then the Instant Pot craze entered my life, I added corn to the recipe, and the rest is history.
Although I’ve been making potato chowder for many years, I have tweaked it probably a hundred times and have finally landed on this recipe, which I think is the best yet.
The spices give it so much flavor, the touch of cream gives it a fantastic texture and the toppings make it the perfect bowl of soup on a cold day.
Instant Pot Potato Corn Chowder + Cold Weather RVing
After our first winter RVing debacle, we swore we would never subject ourselves to that again. But, after learning from our mistakes and having the opportunity of spending some time in Colorado on our friends’ gorgeous property, we decided to try it again.
The second time was so enjoyable! It was very cozy and sitting in our travel trailer watching the snow come down is one of my favorite RVing moments so far.
Don’t these pictures make you want to pack up the RV and head to the mountains? 🙂
If not, maybe they make you want to enjoy a bowl of Instant Pot Potato Corn Chowder from the comfort and warmth of your home. Either way, I’m fairly certain you will love this soup!
During our three-week stay in the mountains of Colorado, we had soup, soup, and more soup. And I was one happy camper.
Tweaks I’ve Made to the Recipe
When I first started making potato soup, it was, well soup. And then I had a bowl of potato chowder at a restaurant and realized how both the creaminess and thickness made it so much better in my opinion.
I also started out using Idaho potatoes, but a friend suggested I try red potatoes. And oh my. So, so good.
Then I added corn and really liked how the sweetness of the corn added to it.
I’ve also played around with the spices and will probably do so some more because it’s just fun, but this latest combo of spices is my favorite so far.
What Makes This Instant Pot Potato Corn Chowder RV-Friendly?
So, what makes this recipe RV-friendly?
For one, it’s made in the Instant Pot and ready in under 30 minutes. Secondly, it uses common ingredients, which is essential while traveling.
And third, while there are more ingredients in this recipe than in the list of 5-Ingredient Instant Pot Soups, the majority of the ingredients listed here are spices.
Basically, these are my rules when I’m doing my RV meal planning:
- It has to be quick to prepare, either on the stovetop, in the Instant Pot, or on the Grill
- It has to use easy-to-find ingredients (this is important when you’re traveling full-time and in unfamiliar territory)
- It can’t have an extensive ingredients list because as we all know, space is limited
- It has to taste good (duh)
Instant Pot Potato Corn Chowder Ingredients
As I mentioned, this recipe has easy-to-find ingredients.
Here they are:
- 24 oz red potatoes, quartered
- 16 oz package of frozen corn
- 3 cups chicken broth (I use Better Than Bouillon)
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- salt & pepper
Here’s what I like to top it with:
- shredded cheddar cheese
- green onions
- bacon
Cooking Instructions
- Combine potatoes, corn, chicken broth, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of salt in Instant Pot
- Manually set the Instant Pot to 10 minutes
- After the timer goes off, do a quick release and take off the lid
- Set the Instant Pot to the sautee setting
- Mix cornstarch and a little water in a bowl, then pour it into the Instant Pot. Allow mixture to boil and saute until it thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add heavy cream and butter. Stir and cook until butter is melted, about 2 to 3 minutes
- Pour into bowls and top with toppings. Enjoy!
Electric multi-cooker with various functionality including pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, sauté, yogurt maker, and food warmer, Available 3QT, 6QT, 8QT.
A Few Notes
I prefer to use Better Than Bouillon broths. While we are traveling, it takes up less space and is much lighter than the heavy cans and boxes of broth. Plus, I just think it has so much more flavor!
While the soup is cooking, it’s time to cook the bacon and prepare the toppings.
I’ve timed it a couple of times so I know exactly how long this soup takes to cook in the Instant Pot and both times it took 18 minutes to get to the 10-minute timer countdown. So it’s ready for the corn starch, cream, and butter in 28 minutes.
I recently found out about an Instant Pot steam diverter that I wish I had while we were full-time RVing.
It vents the steam from the Instant Pot to the sides, instead of straight up. We were always worried about our ceilings and cabinets being exposed to the moisture from the steam. RVs have enough problems with moisture as it is!
Corn Chowder Printable Recipe
Here is Your Instant Pot Potato Corn Chowder Printable Recipe
Instant Pot Potato Corn Chowder
This delicious Instant Pot Potato Corn Chowder recipe is not only incredibly easy, but it is full of flavor and a crowd-pleaser. I've yet to meet a kid or adult who doesn't look forward to a big bowl of this soup!
Ingredients
- 24 oz red potatoes, quartered
- 16 oz package of frozen corn
- 3 cups chicken broth (I use Better Than Bouillon)
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp corn starch
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- salt & pepper
- Toppings:
- shredded cheddar cheese
- green onions
- bacon
Instructions
- Combine potatoes, corn, chicken broth, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder and a pinch of salt in Instant Pot
- Manually set the Instant Pot to 10 minutes
- After the timer goes off, do a quick release and take off the lid
- Set the Instant Pot to the sautee setting
- Mix corn starch and a little water in a bowl, then pour it into the Instant Pot. Allow mixture to boil and saute until it thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add heavy cream and butter. Stir and cook until butter is melted, about 2 to 3 minutes
- Pour into bowls and top with toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
I prefer to use Better Than Bouillon broths. While we are traveling, it takes up less space and is lighter than heavy cans/boxes of broth. Plus, I just think it has so much more flavor!
While the soup is cooking, this is when I cook the bacon and prepare the toppings.
I've timed it a couple of times so I know exactly how long this soup takes to cook in the Instant Pot and both times it took 18 minutes to get to the 10-minute timer countdown. So it's ready for the corn starch, cream, and butter in 28 minutes.
I recently found out about an Instant Pot steam diverter that I wish I had while we were full-time RVing. It vents the steam from the Instant Pot to the sides, instead of straight up. We were always worried about our ceilings and cabinets being exposed to the moisture from the steam. RVs have enough problems with moisture as it is!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 465Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 991mgCarbohydrates: 67gFiber: 7gSugar: 8gProtein: 14g
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Julie specializes in helping you whip up delicious meals in your tiny RV kitchen, as well as RV organization tips and helping fellow RVers make their RV feel like home. Her favorite RVing spot is in Banff National Park in Canada where yes, the water really is that blue and the people really are that nice.
Julie,
I wanted to take the time to let you know how much we enjoy this recipe! We are huge corn chowder lovers and this particular recipe is quick and easy. Not to mention you can find all ingredients at your local market! High fives all around when I’m preparing this recipe for dinner…or lunch…or even for a cozy, cuddle up, midnight snack. So filling and so yummy!
Thanks again, Julie!
Thank you so much, Stefanie! We love it so much also…and it just got cool enough this week here in Austin to enjoy it. 🙂
One order of corn chowder, coming up!
I’ve made this as is before in the instant pot and it was wonderful!! Wondering if it’d be ok to add chicken? If so, can I add raw and it’ll cook with everything else?
It’s great to hear you enjoyed it! You can definitely add chicken. I cut boneless chicken breast or thigh into about 1″-2″ cubes and add it in the first step with the corn, broth, etc. It’s a hearty, tasty meal!