Name: Instant Pot Zucchini Corn Chowder with Bacon
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 strips bacon, chopped; 1 onion, diced; 2 celery ribs, chopped (1/3 cup); 1 medium carrot, chopped (1/2 cup); 2 garlic cloves, minced; 3 red potatoes, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes; 3 cups chicken stock; 1 (15-ounce) can creamed corn; 1 (16-ounce) packaged frozen corn (or 2 cups fresh corn); Pinch of cayenne; 1/2 tsp. dried thyme (2-3 sprigs fresh); salt and pepper to taste; 1 medium zucchini, diced into 1/2-inch cubes, (1 1/2 cups); 3/4 cup half and half (or cream); 2 tablespoons flour

Zucchini Corn Chowder is like a taste of summer in every bite. Filled with sweet corn, fresh zucchini, tender potatoes, and smoky bacon, it’s a bowl of goodness you’ll love.

With a perfect blend of creaminess, this Zucchini Corn Chowder is a delicious and hearty lunch or light dinner.

And with crumbled fresh bacon, this soup is always a favorite.

While I’ll always love our traditional corn chowder recipes, like Instant Pot Chicken Corn Chowder and Farmers’ Market Corn Chowder, the zucchini addition makes this chowder stand all on its own!

Summer in a Bowl

If I had to describe this Zucchini Corn Chowder to you, I might simply say, “It tastes like summer in a bowl.”

When you add sweet corn and zucchini and combine it with bacon and tender potatoes and delicious vegetables, it becomes a chowder you won’t soon forget.

Much like the summer days of corn ripening in the fields, or zucchini squashes, shaded by their giant leaves.

Yet while it tastes like “summer in a bowl,” I love that this chowder is equally wonderful on a cold winter’s day.

Instant Pot Zucchini Corn Chowder Ingredients

The specific measurements are in the recipe card below.

Bacon, chopped
Onion, garlic, celery, and carrots
Red potatoes
Zucchini
Corn, frozen or fresh
Can of creamed corn for flavor
Chicken stock
Cayenne
Dried or fresh thyme
Half and half
Fresh herbs to garnish (parsley, chives, thyme, etc.)

How to Make Instant Pot Zucchini Corn Chowder

Begin by cooking the bacon until it’s crispy. This can be done in a 6-qt Instant Pot base using the saute setting or in a skillet. Remove the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate.

After removing the bacon, add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently until vegetables have softened.

Now stir in the soup ingredients: bacon, potatoes, corn, canned corn, chicken stock, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Select manual high-pressure setting and set time for 10 minutes. When the soup has finished cooking, quick-release pressure.

To thicken the chowder, whisk together milk and flour; set aside. Once the soup has finished cooking, select the sauté setting and bring the chowder to a boil.

Stir in the zucchini, half and half (or cream), and flour mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, until the zucchini is soft and the chowder is thickened; about 2 to 3 minutes.

How to Make Zucchini Corn Chowder on the Stove

Cook bacon in a dutch oven over medium heat, until crispy; 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the pot and drain on a paper towel.

Then toss the onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and thyme into the dutch oven. Cook until vegetables begin to soften.

Add the crumbled bacon, potatoes, stock, dried thyme, and a pinch of cayenne. Bring to a boil and then reduce to maintain a simmer until the potatoes are beginning to soften; about 8 minutes.

Then add the zucchini and corn; season with salt and pepper, to taste, and simmer until the vegetables are tender.

Remove 2 cups of the chowder to a blender and puree until smooth. Return to the dutch oven and stir in half and half until heated through.

More Soup Recipes to Try