Pressure Cooker Corn Soup Recipe (2024)

Why It Works

  • Using whole cobs in the pressure cooker draws out extra flavor and starch from them, making your corn soup super corny and rich.
  • The soup comes together in under half an hour.

Come mid-summer, there's nothing I like more—with perhaps the exception of perfect tomatoes. But perfect tomatoes are fewer and farther between than great ears of corn. My wife, Adri, and I eat corn nearly every day when it's in season.

There's nothing that beats the simple, sweet pleasure of corn on the cob, but a good corn soup comes in a close second. As an added benefit, it also eliminates the need to pick at your teeth to remove stray corn skins after you're done with it, an act that is as annoying for the picker as it is unsexy for the one who must observe the picker in the act of picking. In other words, corn soup is the corn preparation of choice for date nights.

The real key to a good corn soup lies in extracting as much flavor as possible out of those cobs. Sure, there are plenty of sweet juices and starch in the kernels themselves, but throw away the cobs and you're tossing flavor right into the compost bin. My traditionalcorn chowder recipecalls for you to scrape excess corn milk out of the cobs with the back of a knife, then also make a quick stock flavored with those spent cobs. It works well, but I wondered if my pressure cooker might make it work even better.

As I discovered a while back, the pressure cooker is the ideal piece of kitchen equipment for makingdeeply flavorful chicken stock in a fraction of the time. Stock cooked in a pressure cooker extracts flavor from chicken bones in less than 20% of the time it takes on the stovetop, and it getsmoreflavor out of them to boot. If it works for my chicken, why not for my corn?

Pressure Cooker Corn Soup Recipe (1)

I made two batches of corn soup side by side. For the first, I made a quick stock on the stovetop by simmering empty corn cobs in store-bought chicken stock, then used that stock to finish off my soup, which also included sautéed leeks and garlic, corn kernels, bay leaves, and tarragon stems. The second batch I made by throwing the corn cobs into a pressure cooker with chicken stock and the remaining ingredients from the get-go.

There was no doubt about it: The version made in the pressure cooker had a more intense corn aroma and richer texture due to the starch extracted from the cobs. Not only that, but I found that using the pressure cooker completely eliminated the need to scrape out the corn milk from the cobs—plenty of starchy liquid comes out on its own. So much, in fact, that even without a thickener like flour or potato, this corn soup comes out as thick and rich as heavy cream, despite having only a couple of tablespoons of butter in the whole batch.

Pressure Cooker Corn Soup Recipe (2)

After cooking on high pressure for 15 minutes, I discarded the spent cobs, tarragon stems, and bay leaves, then puréedthe rest together in a blender, seasoning with a touch of salt and pepper. For extra smoothness, I pushed the entire concoction through a fine mesh strainer.

The resulting golden liquid tasted more like corn than corn itself. It was corn compressed, multiplied, and intensified.

Pressure Cooker Corn Soup Recipe (3)

I was blown away by how intense the flavor of this soup was. Even after I'd thinned it out with some additional stock, it was still the corniest corn soup I'd ever had. I served mine with some chopped tarragon, chopped chives, and a drizzle of olive oil, along with a few raw corn kernels for that fresh crunch.

My wife got hers with chunks of crab meat for an extra treat. This is not because I don't also love crab (I do), but because, all corniness aside, I know how powerful a few well-placed and inexpensive bribes can be in the complicated commerce of marital bliss.

August 2015

Recipe Details

Pressure Cooker Corn Soup Recipe

Active15 mins

Total30 mins

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 2 medium leeks, white and pale green parts only, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

  • 2 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced

  • 6 ears of corn, kernels cut off from cobs, cobs split in half and reserved

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 4 sprigs tarragon, leaves minced, stems reserved separately

  • Up to 1 quarthomemadeor store-bought low-sodium chicken stock

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for serving

Directions

  1. Melt butter over medium heat in a pressure cooker. Add leeks and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes.

    Pressure Cooker Corn Soup Recipe (4)

  2. Add corn with cobs, bay leaves, tarragon stems, and enough chicken stock to barely cover corn (the cobs might still be sticking out a bit). Stir to combine. Seal pressure cooker and bring to high pressure. Cook for 15 minutes. Release pressure using quick-release method and uncover. Discard corn cobs, bay leaves, and tarragon stems.

    Pressure Cooker Corn Soup Recipe (5)

  3. Working in batches, transfer mixture to the jar of a blender. To prevent the blender lid from exploding, remove the central lid and cover the space with a folded kitchen towel. Start blender slowly and gradually increase speed to high. Blend until completely smooth, adding more chicken stock or water as necessary. Season to taste with salt and pepper and press through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean pot. Repeat with remaining soup.

    Pressure Cooker Corn Soup Recipe (6)

  4. Serve soup immediately with minced tarragon leaves and chives and a drizzle of olive oil, or chill and serve cold. (Once chilled, you can adjust the texture by whisking in water a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.)

Special Equipment

Electric or stovetop pressure cooker (get our full review); blender

Read More

  • Pressure Cooker Corn Risotto
  • The Best Way to Cut Corn Kernels From the Cob
  • Sweet and Savory Corn Casserole
Pressure Cooker Corn Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long do you process corn in a pressure cooker? ›

Secure the lid and seal. When the cooker comes up to high pressure (15 psi), set a timer for 2 minutes. After the 2 minutes are up, run the cooker under cold water until it releases. Enjoy!

Is it better to cook soup in a pressure cooker? ›

Pressure cookers considerably shorten the cooking time of just about anything – including soups! Here are a few tricks, and coordinating recipes, to get you making soups like a pro – faster. Now, you do it! These amazing soups, only need 15 minutes or less to cook under pressure.

What is the soup setting on a pressure cooker? ›

Instant Pot SOUP Setting (SOUP/BROTH BUTTON) The default Instant Pot soup setting is pre-programmed to set the pot to cook at HIGH pressure for 30 minutes. The soup program brings the contents of the pot to a slow simmer and results in a clear broth due to lack of boiling motion.

Why is my pressure cooker not building up pressure? ›

If your Pressure Cooker doesn't pressurize, check to make sure the lid is properly locked and the vent pipe is clean and unobstructed. Also, ensure that there is enough liquid in the cooker as specified in the recipe. If none of these steps work, consult the manufacturer's instructions or contact a professional.

How long does a pressure cooker take to be ready? ›

Remember that pressure cookers require a minimum amount of liquid and a maximum amount of food to function properly. Depending on the model and recipe, your pressure cooker may take up to 20 minutes to build up pressure.

At what pressure do you can corn? ›

Pack kernels loosely into jars. Season & add liquid. Heat Process 500 ml jars – 55 minutes; 1 L jars – 85 minutes at 10lb (69kPa) in weighted gauge pressure canner.

How long do you pressure homemade soup? ›

For weighted gauge pressure canners at 0-1000 feet, process at 10 pounds pressure - 60 minutes for pints and 75 minutes for quarts. At higher altitudes, process at 15 pounds pressure. For dial gauge pressure canners at 0-2000 feet, process at 11 pounds pressure – process 60 minutes for pints and 75 minutes for quarts.

What not to do with a pressure cooker? ›

Pressure Cooker Don'ts:
  1. Don't open the pressure cooker while cooking. ...
  2. Don't release the pressure before it's time. ...
  3. Don't overfill the pressure cooker. ...
  4. Don't add thickeners. ...
  5. Don't give up after one bad experience.
Oct 5, 2018

Is soup better in a slow cooker or a pressure cooker? ›

Slow cookers and pressure cookers come in a variety of sizes up to eight quarts, but pressure cookers need extra room inside the pot for the steam to accumulate, which limits the batch size. If you have a large family or plan on making soups and stews you can store for later, you may be better served by a slow cooker.

How much liquid do you need for pressure cooking? ›

A pressure cooker shouldn't be more than 2/3rds full. With liquids, avoid filling more than half full. Overfilling leads to food being ejected from the pressure release valve – a messy business. If this does happen, you'll need to take apart and clean the parts thoroughly.

How do I reduce soup in my pressure cooker? ›

Nothing too complicated about reducing liquids in your pressure cooker. First, open the pressure cooker in the quickest method possible – Normal Release for electrics. Then, put the pan back on medium to medium-low heat without the top to reduce the recipe to the desired thickness.

Why soup in a pressure cooker cooks faster? ›

Boiling water with no pressure can only get as hot as 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Water under 10 lbs of pressure can get as hot as 240 degrees. This is why pressure cooking is faster than simply boiling. Water and steam transfer heat better than air.

What happens if not enough liquid in pressure cooker? ›

It's necessary for steam to build up, ultimately creating a high-pressure environment used for faster cooking. Without sufficient liquid, pressure won't build — and you'll likely get the dreaded “burn” error.

How do I know if my pressure cooker is too full? ›

Your Instant Pot should have a line on the inner pot to show the maximum amount of food you can cook in it at once (and it's there for good reason!). Overfilling your Instant Pot can affect the pressure that builds up inside, so you might end up with a mushy meal, or one that doesn't cook properly.

How long does it take to process corn? ›

Between 24 and 36 hours is the about how soon you'd expect to see those kernels if your bowel is working well.

Do you blanch corn before pressure canning? ›

To Prepare Whole-Kernel Corn

For freezing, place ears in 1 gallon of boiling water and blanch for 3 minutes after the water returns to a boil. For canning, blanch for 3 minutes after the water returns to a boil. Cool ears and cut kernels from cob at about three-fourths of the depth of kernel. Do not scrape the cob.

How long does it take to cook hard corn? ›

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the corn. Cook, stirring occasionally to make sure the corn is submerged, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the corn is tender and bright yellow.

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