50 min
Instant Pot Ecuadorian-Style Locro de Queso with Avocado
Starchy potatoes create their own silky body in this mild Ecuadorian cheese soup, finished after pressure with queso fresco, milk, avocado and cilantro.
Instant Pot Family Dinners
Instant Pot Vegan Corn & Potato Chowder with Chives
Sweet corn and Yukon Gold potatoes turn naturally creamy in a dairy-free chowder finished with oat milk, chives and bright lemon.
Directions
Soften the aromatics
Select Sauté Normal on a 6-quart electric pressure cooker. Heat oil, then cook onion, carrots and celery with 1/2 teaspoon salt for 5 minutes. Add garlic, smoked paprika and thyme and stir for 30 seconds.
Deglaze completely
Pour in 1 cup broth and scrape until the heating plate is perfectly smooth. Cancel Sauté. Add remaining 3 cups broth, potatoes and 4 cups corn; stir only to distribute in the thin liquid.
Pressure-cook
Lock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes; allow about 12 minutes to reach pressure. Keep the pot below the two-thirds line and do not reduce the four cups of thin broth.
Use a controlled quick release
Wait 5 minutes after the cycle, then vent in short controlled pulses. If starchy steam sputters, close the valve, wait 2 minutes and continue more slowly. Open only after the float valve drops.
Blend for natural body
Scoop 3 cups soup into a heat-safe blender, vent the lid and blend in small pulses, or use an immersion blender directly in the pot for 8 to 10 short pulses. Leave plenty of potato and corn intact.
Finish without dairy
Select Sauté Low. Stir in oat milk, nutritional yeast, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the reserved 1 cup corn. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes until the fresh corn is tender and the chowder reaches 165°F; do not pressure-cook the oat milk.
Brighten and serve mild-first
Turn off the cooker, stir in lemon juice and half the chives, and adjust salt. Ladle into bowls and top with remaining chives. Put black pepper and hot sauce on the table.
Why this works
Why it worksFour cups of thin broth cover a fully deglazed base; oat milk and nutritional yeast stay out until after pressure to reduce scorching and separation.
Why it worksBlending only part of the potatoes and corn creates chowder body without flour, cashews or a heavy cream finish.
Why it worksReserved corn cooks during the final simmer, adding the distinct kernels and fresh sweetness visible in the finished bowl.
Useful kitchen gear
Tools that make this easier.
Compare the function and specifications first; skip anything your kitchen already handles well.
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Compare on Amazon6-quart electric pressure cookerThe four-cup thin-broth base, five-minute cycle and controlled release are written for this capacity.See current options →
Compare on AmazonImmersion blenderShort pulses thicken part of the chowder while leaving visible potato pieces and corn kernels.See current options →
Compare on AmazonStainless-steel soup ladleA deep ladle portions the chunky finished chowder without crushing its reserved corn and potatoes.See current options →
Swaps & notes
Easy swaps
- Use unsweetened soy milk instead of oat milk for more protein; verify it is plain and unflavored.
- Substitute red potatoes for Yukon Golds, keeping the cubes 3/4 inch so they cook on the same schedule.
- For a non-vegan finish, use whole milk and replace nutritional yeast with 1/2 cup shredded mild cheddar, added off heat.
Cook notes
- Total time includes vegetable prep, sautéing, about 12 minutes to pressurize, the 5-minute cycle, a 5-minute rest, controlled venting, blending and finishing.
- Follow the manual for your exact model. Keep the cooker at or below the two-thirds line and never cover or touch the steam-release mechanism.
- Hot purée expands. If using a countertop blender, work in small batches, remove the center cap and cover the opening loosely with a folded towel.
- This recipe is written for a 6-quart cooker; do not double it in that size.
Storage
Cool in shallow containers within 2 hours and refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat to 165°F over low heat, stirring and adding broth as needed. Freeze up to 2 months; the potatoes soften slightly after thawing.
Questions
Can I use canned corn?
Yes. Drain it well and use the same five-cup volume, but expect slightly less fresh sweetness and a softer kernel texture.
Why did my chowder trigger a burn warning?
Common causes are browned bits left on the base, too little thin broth or dairy added before pressure. Scrape the plate completely clean and reserve oat milk for the final simmer.
How can I make it thicker without flour?
Blend one additional cup of the cooked soup, then simmer uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes. The potato starch and puréed corn thicken it naturally.
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Instant Pot Vegan Corn & Potato Chowder with Chives
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1. Soften the aromaticsSelect Sauté Normal on a 6-quart electric pressure cooker. Heat oil, then cook onion, carrots and celery with 1/2 teaspoon salt for 5 minutes. Add garlic, smoked paprika and thyme and stir for 30 seconds.
2. Deglaze completelyPour in 1 cup broth and scrape until the heating plate is perfectly smooth. Cancel Sauté. Add remaining 3 cups broth, potatoes and 4 cups corn; stir only to distribute in the thin liquid.
3. Pressure-cookLock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes; allow about 12 minutes to reach pressure. Keep the pot below the two-thirds line and do not reduce the four cups of thin broth.
4. Use a controlled quick releaseWait 5 minutes after the cycle, then vent in short controlled pulses. If starchy steam sputters, close the valve, wait 2 minutes and continue more slowly. Open only after the float valve drops.
5. Blend for natural bodyScoop 3 cups soup into a heat-safe blender, vent the lid and blend in small pulses, or use an immersion blender directly in the pot for 8 to 10 short pulses. Leave plenty of potato and corn intact.
6. Finish without dairySelect Sauté Low. Stir in oat milk, nutritional yeast, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the reserved 1 cup corn. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes until the fresh corn is tender and the chowder reaches 165°F; do not pressure-cook the oat milk.
7. Brighten and serve mild-firstTurn off the cooker, stir in lemon juice and half the chives, and adjust salt. Ladle into bowls and top with remaining chives. Put black pepper and hot sauce on the table.