Ham & Cheese Chowder

One afternoon in the winter of 2022, I was craving a toasted, melty ham and cheese sandwich… but I also wanted a thick and hearty soup. A light bulb went off and I felt inspired to transform the hammiest and cheesiest ham and cheese sandwich into the most decadent chowder. To add to the challenge, I wanted to do it with less than ten ingredients (just seven in this case, to be exact). The end result tasted so great and was so simple, it was borderline surreal. Scoop it with some garlic toast or a buttery, toasty croissant. From Super Shortcut Instant Pot® by Jeffrey Eisner, photograph by Aleksey Zozulya.

Course

Soups and Creams

Duration

25 Minutes

Cooking Technique

Pressure Cook, Saute

Keywords

(about 2–3 of them), (i used half swiss and half cheddar, 25 minutes, 4-6 servings, but you can use any kind you like), cheese sandwich, chicken or ham broth, chowder, cornstarch plus 3 tablespoons cold water, croissant, ham of your choice, heavy cream or half-and-half, instant pot, melty ham, or 3⁄4 cup garlic herb cheese, pressure cook, saute, sherry wine, soups and creams

Servings

4-6 Servings

Ingredients

4 cups chicken or ham broth
1⁄4 cup sherry wine
2 pounds Idaho (russet) potatoes (about 2–3 of them)
3 tablespoons cornstarch plus 3 tablespoons cold water
2 cups heavy cream or half-and-half
1 (5.2-ounce) package Boursin cheese (any flavor) or 3⁄4 cup Garlic Herb Cheese
4 cups (1 pound) shredded cheese (see Jeff’s Tips), plus more for topping (I used half Swiss and half Cheddar, but you can use any kind you like)
1 1/2 pounds ham of your choice

Instructions

Add the broth, sherry (if using), and potatoes to the Instant Pot. Stir well.
Secure the lid, move the valve to the sealing position, hit Cancel, and then hit Manual or Pressure Cook on High Pressure for 3 Minutes. Quick release when done.
Meanwhile, mix together the cornstarch and cold water in a bowl to form a slurry.
Hit Cancel and then hit Sauté and Adjust so it’s on the More or High setting. Once bubbling, stir in the cornstarch slurry and let bubble for about 30 seconds. Turn the heat off the pot—the soup will have thickened into a chowder consistency almost immediately.
Add the cream and Boursin. In batches, whisk in the shredded cheese. Stir until fully combined and then stir in the ham.
Ladle the soup into bowls and serve topped with more cheese.

Notes

Jeff’s Tips:
This makes a wonderfully thick and rich chowder! For a thinner chowder, lessen the slurry to 1–2 tablespoons each of cornstarch and water. You can start with less and always add more. You don’t need to use all the cheese: Start with 2 cups and work your way up. But I like it super cheesy. To make it lighter on the carbs (and keto), sub a large head of cauliflower for the potatoes. Remove the stalk, chop up the florets, and add them to the pot when you would the potatoes, but reduce the pressure cook time to 1 minute (instead of 3). Top the soup with a few small drops of liquid smoke to give it an extra smoky flavor! If you make the recipe as written, refrigerated leftovers are going to really thicken. When reheating, simply add more broth or cream to your liking and stir until it’s the desired consistency.
To Serve 1–2:
Simply halve the recipe. Cook times remain the same.

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