Instant Pot Crab and Corn Chowder

This crazy delicious Instant Pot Crab and Corn Chowder is such a flavorful, filling and easy dinner! You'd never know that it's actually a healthy dinner, too! 21 Day Fix container counts and Weight Watchers Freestyle points included.

Hey guys!! Sorry I missed last week, but I figured most everyone would be busy with the Super Bowl, so I decided to wait until today to post this super easy crab and corn chowder. It's SO freaking good, you guys. That spicy seasoning with the sweet corn and crab and the creamy, dreamy broth... it's just magical. 

Speaking of magic, I want to share with you something super exciting for me (and the reason I also won't be posting a new recipe next weekend. Sorry!).  My family and I are headed to Disney in exactly 4 days!!! I've been dreaming about taking the girls there since before they were born (literally) and I can't believe it's almost finally here! We're also going to Universal for Harry Potter World, it's going to be freaking epic. My eldest and I just finished the final HP book TODAY, so perfect timing 🙂

If you're wondering what my plans are for eating healthily when I'm in the parks, I'll tell you. I have none.  I'm going to eat all the things (and probably share them in my Insta stories if you follow me there!). I have no intention of feeling any guilt about that either, so there you have it. I've heard there are some great healthy options in the parks these days, and if they call out to me then I'll get them, but only then. Big vacations like this are something that we can only splurge on once every few years, so if I want a Dole Whip or a Butterbeer, you can believe I'm going to get it while the gettin's good!

Anyway, let's get back to bidness and talk about this Instant Pot Crab and Corn Chowder, shall we?! I tried to answer some questions I thought you might be asking, hope it's helpful!

Is Crab and Corn Chowder Healthy?

Umm... not usually, but this one is! Most chowder recipes involve heavy cream or half and half to give you that glorious creamy consistency, but not this one. I wanted to give you guys something you could really feel good about, so I used my very favorite not-so-secret ingredient, cauliflower! It bumps up the nutrition, gives your fam some hidden veggies and slashes carbs, all while keeping it creamy and delicious. Boom.

As always, 21 Day Fix container counts are in the recipe card. In addition to that, Weight Watchers Freestyle points (with only 3 points per serving)!  

Can you Freeze this Healthy Crab and Corn Chowder?

Yes! The second best part about using cauliflower instead of potatoes in a recipe like this is that it freezes beautifully! Potatoes have a tendency to get mealy/gritty once they've been frozen, but not cauliflower! So go ahead and meal prep the crap out of this one!

Do I Need a Steamer Basket to Make This Instant Pot Crab and Corn Chowder?

Not necessarily, but it does make it easier! Here is the steamer basket that I use (← affiliate link), it's my favorite because it sits up higher off of the rest of the food and because it has a great handle that makes it easy to remove from your IP. However, you could also use one of those expandable ones (like this ← affiliate link) which you can usually find right in your grocery store. If you don't have a steamer, you could also make a little basket out of aluminum foil if you like!

Is This Crab and Corn Chowder Kid-Friendly? 

Absolutely! If your kids like crab, they're going to love this recipe. It's one of my older daughter's faves. Here's a hot tip for you: If your kiddos can't take the heat (like mine) pull their portions out before you add in the extra old bay and the cayenne at the end! 

What Can I Make with Leftover crab?

I love this Healthy Crab Cake Mac & Cheese! It's also great in an omelet with old bay seasoning, sauteed spinach and cheese or in this delish Instant Pot Zucchini Soup with Crab. You could also just double this recipe and call it a day if ya like!

I hope you guys love this one as much as I do! It's definitely become one of my fave warm-you-up winter dinners!

Just FYI – this recipe has only been tested in the Instant Pot 6 quart duo (which you can check out here! <- affiliate link), but there should be enough liquid for it to also work in the 8 quart!

If you make this Healthy Crab and Corn Chowder recipe be sure to snap a pic and tag me @thefoodieandthefix or use #thefoodieandthefix on Instagram so I can check it out! I love watching your IG stories! It makes me ridiculously happy to see what you guys are making 🙂

How to Make Crab and Corn Chowder in the Instant Pot:

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📖 Recipe

Healthy Instant Pot Crab and Corn Chowder

Yield: 4 Servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

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Ingredients

• 4 teaspoon butter
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 6 cups cauliflower, chopped (about 1 lb 4 oz)
• 1 ½ cups 1% milk
• 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 ½ cups frozen sweet corn
• 8 oz crab meat, picked through for shells (I buy the pre-cooked, pasteurized, refrigerated crab meat in a can or plastic container that's in the seafood area of my store)
• 2 teaspoon low-sodium old bay seasoning
• ½ teaspoon salt
• black pepper, to taste
• cayenne, to taste (optional, start with a little bit and work your way up!)
• steamer basket (you can use an expandable one - most grocery stores carry them, or the kind that I used in the photos)

Instructions

1. Turn on saute function, melt butter. Add the onions, peppers 1 teaspoon of low-sodium old bay, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 2 minutes or so.
2. Add the broth. Top the veggie mixture with a steamer basket and put cauliflower inside it. Cook on manual (or pressure cook) for 3 minutes, quick release when finished.
3. Remove about a cup of the cauliflower and give any big pieces that didn't break up on their own a rough chop (I just use a fork to break them up). Set aside. Put the rest of the cauliflower in a blender and blend with the milk. Remove the steamer basket from the pot.
4. To the pot, add the crab and frozen corn and heat through. Add in the blended cauliflower mixture, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon of the low-sodium old bay, and the cayenne to taste. Stir in the pieces of cauliflower that you set aside and serve!

Notes

21 Day Fix Container Counts per Serving: 1 Green, 1 Yellow, ½ Red, ½ teaspoon

Weight Watchers Freestyle Points: 3

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 ¾ cups
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 243Total Fat: 6g

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