Creamy Instant Pot Cauliflower and Bacon Chowder

Instant Pot Cauliflower Bacon Chowder is a flavorful, low‑carb chowder that’s rich, creamy, and quick to make in a pressure cooker. This recipe highlights smoky bacon and tender cauliflower for a satisfying bowl that works as a starter or a comforting main when served with crusty bread.

Using the Instant Pot speeds up the process and concentrates flavor, while an immersion blender creates a smooth, restaurant‑style texture. If you prefer a chunkier soup, mash some cauliflower pieces by hand and leave a few small florets whole for bite.

If you’re watching carbs but don’t want to sacrifice creaminess or depth of flavor, this chowder is an excellent choice. Cauliflower takes on a rich profile when cooked with bacon, onion, garlic, and chicken broth, then finished with a touch of heavy cream.

A few tips for making this cauliflower chowder

• Choose a 2 to 2½ pound head of cauliflower for balanced texture and volume.
• Thick‑cut, smoky bacon gives the best flavor and texture; reserve some cooked bacon for garnish.
• For a low‑carb thickener use arrowroot starch; otherwise, cornstarch or potato starch will work.
• An immersion blender yields the smoothest chowder; if you don’t have one, use a potato masher or transfer portions to a blender (cool slightly first).
• Deglaze the pot with a splash of broth after sautéing onion and bacon to lift any fond and deepen the flavor.

This Instant Pot cauliflower bacon chowder is versatile: scale the recipe up or down, swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth to lighten it, or increase the cream for extra richness. Leftovers keep well and flavors meld even more after a day in the refrigerator.

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Recipe details

Ingredients

• ½ lb thick‑cut bacon (about 5 slices), chopped into bite‑sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
• 1 tsp kosher salt (or ½ tsp table salt)
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 4 cups low‑sodium chicken broth
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2½ lbs head of cauliflower, roughly chopped

To thicken (mix these together to make a slurry)

• 1–2 tablespoons arrowroot (or use cornstarch or potato starch)
• 1–2 tablespoons cold water

Instructions

1. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté (medium/normal). Add the bacon and cook until browned and crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels, reserving about 2 teaspoons of bacon fat in the pot.
2. Add the butter, chopped onion, and bay leaf to the pot. Sauté, stirring and scraping the pot bottom, until the onion becomes translucent. If needed, splash in a small amount of broth to deglaze and lift any browned bits.
3. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper; cook about 1 minute, stirring constantly until fragrant—avoid burning the garlic.
4. Pour in the chicken broth and stir to combine.
5. Add the chopped cauliflower and about two‑thirds of the cooked bacon (save the remaining bacon for garnish). Stir to incorporate.
6. Secure the lid and set the steam release to Sealing. Cancel Sauté. Select Pressure Cook (Manual) and set to 4 minutes. When the cooking cycle completes, allow a natural release for 10 minutes.
7. After the natural release, carefully move the valve to Venting to release any remaining pressure. When it’s safe, open the lid and stir the soup. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
8. Mix the arrowroot (or chosen thickener) with cold water to form a smooth slurry, then stir it into the hot soup to thicken. If you prefer a thinner chowder, use less slurry.
9. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup for a smooth texture. If you don’t have an immersion blender, mash the cauliflower with a potato masher or blend small batches in a countertop blender (cool slightly before blending).
10. Stir in the heavy cream and taste; adjust salt and pepper as needed.
11. Serve hot, garnished with the reserved bacon pieces.

Nutrition

Approximate calories per serving: 232 kcal. Nutrition is automatically calculated and should be used as an estimate only.

Additional Info

Course: Soup • Cuisine: American