15 Minute New England Clam Chowder

pressure cooker clam chowder
OK, if you use fresh clams it’s 5 more minutes but who wouldn’t want a chowder from scractch in under half an hour?  You sautee’ the bacon and onions for 5 minutes, pressure cook the veggies for 5 minutes, add the cream and clams and simmer for just 5 minutes more.  Wow!  This recipe was so fast and delicious that it is now on my “what to serve if we have guests for lunch” rotation. Once you try it you will never be able to enjoy anyone else’s clam chowder!


Pressure Cooker Recipe: New England Clam Chowder

12-24 fresh clams or 11 oz. or 300g of strained frozen or canned clams
2 cups Clam Juice (see instructions to make your own, below)
1 cup, smoked and cured bacon or pancetta (cubed)
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup of white wine
2 Medium Potatoes, cubed skin on
1 Bay Laurel Leaf
1 Sprig Thyme
1 pinch, Cayenne pepper (or red pepper flakes)

1 cup of milk
1 cup of cream
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour

pressure cooker clam chowder step-by-step photos in fissler pressure cooker

Prepare the clams and make your own clam juice:

  • Fresh Calms- Prepare your pressure cooker by putting in one cup of water, and the steamer basket.  Clean the shells of the clams, then place them in the steamer basket.   Close and lock the lid of the pressure cooker and turn the heat to high. When the pan reaches pressure, lower the flame to minimum heat and count 5 minutes cooking time under pressure. When time is up, bring the pan to the sink, pour cold water over the top, and open the pan. Open the clams over the pan (to keep the juice dribbling in there) and set the clam meat aside.  Discard clam shells and unopened clams – the liquid at the bottom of your pan is the clam juice!
  • Frozen Clams - If they are frozen in their open shells, follow the instructions for fresh clams, above.  If they are unshelled simply let them defrost in your refrigerator overnight or immediately in your sink by running cold water over the unopened package.   Then, put a strainer over a bowl and carefully open the package over the strainer.  Strain the clams.  The liquid in the bowl is your clam juice.
  • Canned or Jarred Clams - Put a strainer over a bowl, pour the contents of the can or jar into the strainer.  The liquid in the bowl is your clam juice.

In the cold pressure cooker, with the top off, add the bacon and turn on the heat at a low flame.  When the bacon releases it’s fat and it begins to sizzle, add the onion, salt and pepper and raise the heat to medium.

When the onions have softened, add the wine and scrape all of the brown delicious bits off the bottom of the pan to incorporate into your sauce.  Let the wine evaporate almost completely and then add the diced potatoes, clam juice (if you do not have 2 cups of juice, compensate the rest with water), Bay Leaf, Thyme, and Cayenne Pepper.

Close and lock the lid of the pressure cooker and turn the heat to high. When the pan reaches pressure, lower the flame to minimum heat and count 5 minutes cooking time under HIGH pressure. When time is up, bring the pan to the sink, pour cold water over the top, and open the pan.

While your are pressure cooking, make a roux to thicken the chowder by blending equal amounts of butter and flour over low heat and stirring constantly with a small wooden spoon until they are both well blended.

In the open pressure cooker add the clam meat, cream, milk and roux.  Stir well, and simmer all of the ingredients in the pressure cooker, with the top off,  at medium-low heat for 5 minutes.

Serve garnished with soup crackers or inside a bread bowl.

Serves 4-6


Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min