My Instant Pot Seafood Chowder recipe is here to make your day. It’s made with cod fish, shrimp, and canned smoked oysters (instead of the bacon found in some traditional chowders). This creamy, delicious Instant Pot chowder cooks quickly in an electric pressure cooker. Get directions and nutrition info on this seafood dinner recipe that makes a fast weekday meal. Seafood lovers rejoice!
This worked great! Made the recipe and the smoked oysters give a hearty bacony feel to the chowder.
– Rod
You’re going to love this seafood chowder Instant Pot recipe because it’s made with simple ingredients, it’s easy, and it’s tasty. If you’ve been trying to eat more seafood but don’t know where to start, seafood chowder is a good place.
You get flavorful chunks of seafood and vegetables in a thick and creamy broth. If you wanted an Instant Pot seafood bisque instead, you could puree the chowder until smooth.
But why mess with perfection? This Instant Pot fish chowder is perfect as it is. I could eat a variation of this seafood soup for dinner every night without getting bored.
New England seafood chowder is the type of dinner that works at any time of the year. It’s a great way to enjoy your fishing and shell fishing catches in the summer. And in the autumn and winter, chowder is a wonderful comfort food to welcome you in from the cold.
🐟 Instant Pot Seafood Chowder Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make seafood chowder in an Instant Pot:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or your favorite cooking oil)
- 1 each: large chopped onion, large chopped carrot, stalk diced celery
- 2 cups chopped gold potatoes (or other thin-skinned potatoes)
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 cloves minced garlic cloves
- ½ cup frozen corn
- 1 lb fresh cod (454g; or thawed from frozen)
- 1 lb raw shrimp (454g; peeled, tail off)
- 6 ounces canned oysters (170g; packed in oil, drained)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup clam juice
- 1½ cups chicken broth (homemade bone broth or storebought)
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Fresh herbs, black pepper (for garnish, optional)
Get a printable recipe card below.
I used cod here, but you could substitute with other white fish, like haddock. You could use lobster or scallops in place of the shrimp if you’re feeling spendy. Mussels, squid, clams, octopus, or a thawed from frozen seafood mix could also be used here.
The starch in the potatoes helps to thicken the chowder without having to add a lot of flour. If you leave the potatoes out or substitute with another veggie, your chowder may not be as thick. It may be more like an Instant Pot seafood stew.
I prefer cream to milk in this recipe because there’s a higher risk the milk will curdle. (Plus, cream makes chowder SUPER delish and creamy.) If you want a lower fat chowder, add the milk at the end of cooking and heat it very gently.
Don’t use a metal spoon to stir the chowder; it can scratch up your Instant Pot. My Instant Pot is really scratched up because it seems I have a hard time following my own rules.
🥣 How to Make Seafood Chowder in the Instant Pot
Cut the cod into 1-inch pieces (2.54 cm) and cut the shrimp and oysters in half. Chop the onion and potatoes into ½-inch dice (1.27 cm). You don’t have to peel the potatoes if you choose a variety with a thin skin.
Dice the carrot into ¼-½ inch pieces (0.6-1.27 cm) and chop the celery into ¼-inch pieces (0.6 cm). Mince the garlic cloves.
Set the Instant Pot to high sauté. Heat the oil in the pot and sauté the onion, carrot, and celery (AKA mirepoix mix) for 5-10 minutes. You want the veggies to soften, not brown.
Add the potatoes, garlic, and flour to the pot. Stir for 30 seconds.
Pour in the clam juice and chicken broth, and sprinkle in the Old Bay and dried thyme. Put the lid on the pot and close the valve.
Pressure cook seafood chowder for 5 minutes under high pressure. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes before carefully opening the vent on the lid.
Notice that we didn’t add the seafood yet to this seafood chowder! That’s because it has a short cooking time and pressure cooking would overcook it. So, now’s the time to add the cod, shrimp, oysters, corn, and cream to the pot.
Simmer the chowder on high sauté for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. The fish should reach a safe internal temp of 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63C). You can check a few pieces with a meat thermometer if you’d like to be extra cautious.
Canned oysters are already cooked, so no worries about having them reach a certain temp.
Ladle the chowder into soup bowls and garnish with fresh herbs such as parsley or thyme. You can also add a sprinkle of black pepper. Enjoy!
Seafood Chowder Leftovers
This seafood chowder with potatoes does not freeze well. However, you can keep it in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Reheat single servings of chowder in the microwave for 3-5 minutes on high. Stir the chowder halfway through the cooking time.
Instant Pot Seafood Chowder Recipe (Fish Chowder)
My Instant Pot Seafood Chowder recipe is packed with cod, shrimp, and smoked oysters. Creamy and delicious!
Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 38 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 655 kcal
Please leave a comment below 😊
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Cut the cod into 1-inch pieces (2.54 cm) and cut the shrimp and oysters in half. Chop the onion and potatoes into ½-inch dice (1.27 cm). Dice the carrot into ¼-½ inch pieces (0.6-1.27 cm) and chop the celery into ¼-inch pieces (0.6 cm). Mince the garlic cloves.
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Set the Instant Pot to high sauté. Heat the oil in the pot and sauté the onion, carrot, and celery for 5-10 minutes. You want the veggies to soften, not brown.
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Add the potatoes, garlic, and flour to the pot. Stir for 30 seconds.
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Pour in the clam juice and chicken broth, and sprinkle in the Old Bay and dried thyme. Put the lid on the pot and close the valve.
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Pressure cook for 5 minutes under high pressure. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes before carefully opening the vent on the lid.
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Add the cod, shrimp, oysters, corn, and cream to the pot. Simmer the chowder on high sauté for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
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The fish should reach a safe internal temp of 145°F (63°C). You can check a few pieces with a meat thermometer if you’d like to be extra cautious.
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Ladle the chowder into soup bowls and garnish (if desired) with fresh herbs and black pepper. Enjoy!
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💭 Expert Tips from Dietitian Summer Yule
This is a level 2 recipe (transition or weight maintenance). This Instant Pot seafood chowder provides a range of nutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, and iron. It is a flavorful way to add more variety and nutrition to your meals.
One thing to note is the heavy cream. Each serving includes about 1/4 cup, which adds roughly 200 calories since cream contains about 50 calories per tablespoon. If you prefer a lighter chowder, reducing the cream is one simple adjustment.
There are several ways to thicken chowder without cream. One option is a roux made from flour and butter, while a cornstarch slurry offers a lighter thickening alternative. Another approach is to puree some cooked potatoes and stir them back in, or add a small amount of mashed potato flakes. Keep in mind that these substitutions may change the nutrition profile.
Using the Instant Pot makes this chowder especially convenient. It comes together quickly, requires minimal cleanup, and works well for busy weeknights.
The recipe also helps incorporate more seafood into your diet, supporting the commonly suggested goal of two seafood servings per week. The chopped smoked oysters are delicious, with a complex flavor that is the perfect bacon substitute for seafood chowder without bacon.
Shrimp, cod, and smoked oysters provide lean protein along with minerals such as zinc and iron. Combined with plenty of fiber-packed vegetables, this Instant Pot vegetable seafood chowder offers satisfying texture, vibrant flavor, and a balanced, nutritious meal.
Nutrition information is for one serving.
nutrition info disclaimer
All recipes on this website may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your medical needs and personal preferences. Consult with a registered dietitian or your physician if you need help determining the dietary pattern that may be best for you.
The nutrition information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. It will differ depending on the specific brands and ingredients that you use. Calorie information on food labels may be inaccurate, so please don’t sweat the numbers too much.
“To taste” means to your preferences, which may have to be visual to follow food safety rules. Please don’t eat undercooked food x
Calories: 655kcalCarbohydrates: 33.9gProtein: 56.8gFat: 34.6gSaturated Fat: 15.5gPotassium: 1022.7mgFiber: 3.8gVitamin A: 75.3% DVVitamin C: 43.3% DVCalcium: 17.2% DVIron: 31.3% DV
Keywords instant pot fish chowder, instant pot seafood chowder
FAQs
How to make keto Instant Pot seafood chowder?
Low carb Instant Pot seafood chowder can be had by substituting the potatoes and corn for non-starchy veggies. You’ll also need to swap out the spelt flour for a keto friendly thickener. Xanthan gum tends to be my low carb thickener of choice. Add it at the end; you should only need a little to thicken this whole pot of chowder.
How to make low fat fish chowder?
For a low fat seafood chowder recipe, substitute the whipping cream for low-fat milk. This change will result in a thinner and less creamy chowder. Pureeing some of the cooked potatoes and adding them back to the soup may help thicken things up.
How to make gluten free Instant Pot seafood chowder?
For Instant Pot seafood chowder that is gluten free, you will need to find a substitution for the spelt flour. Some gluten free ways to thicken chowder include using a corn starch slurry, potato flakes, or xanthan gum.
How to make seafood chowder in a slow cooker?
You can make this seafood chowder in a crock pot instead! Cook the veggies, clam broth, chicken broth, and seasonings on low for 6-8 hours. Then add the seafood and cream, and cook on high for an additional 30 minutes.
👩🏻🍳 More Instant Pot Recipes
Want more ideas for things to make in an Instant Pot? After you make this seafood chowder, here are some other recipes for the Instant Pot to try:
🦐 Other Seafood Recipes
Love seafood? Me too! Here are some more recipes for seafood you may enjoy:
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Hello! I’m Summer, a registered dietitian and home chef who loves to cook, eat, and create recipes for you! Every recipe on this site has been tested by me to help ensure your success in the kitchen. All eaters are welcome here 🙂
