This creamy Corn Chowder is loaded with bacon, sweet corn, and tender potatoes. The one thing you won’t find in this recipe is heavy cream—but you’ll never miss it!
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A lightened up version of the classic!
Corn chowder is a classic soup recipe, but the traditional version is super heavy—not exactly spring or summer fare. This corn chowder recipe is lighter thanks to a few simple tricks that add richness without all the cream and butter.
- If you spend the first half of summer waiting for local corn to arrive at the farmers market, and then spend the rest of the summer finding ways to add corn to every single meal you eat (guilty!), you’ll appreciate this recipe. Corn is the star! (For a go-to corn side, check out Grilled Corn.)
- This corn chowder is a more traditional version of my Shrimp Corn Chowder, made with bacon instead of shrimp. (For another spin on corn chowder, try my Corn Chicken Chowder.)
- If you like your soup with some textural heft to it—as opposed to soups that are pureed velvety smooth like my Roasted Carrot Soup or Crockpot Tomato Soup—then this corn chowder is going to be your jam. It’s a soup that eats like a meal!
5 Star Review
“Have made this several times during this year & loved it. Made it today for ladies luncheon & got rave reviews.”
— Lauretta —
My Top Tips for Perfect Chowder
- Pick the Best Fresh Corn. The husks should be bright green (not yellow or brown!) and feel damp (not dry or wet!). The tassel of silk should also be neither wet nor dry. If you’re at the farmers’ market and feel shy about peeling down a bit of the husk to peek at the kernels, you can use your hands to feel the kernels around the top; they should feel big and juicy.
- Consider Making Corn Stock. If you have time, you can make corn stock for a stronger corn flavor. After removing the corn kernels, place the cobs in a Dutch oven with a quartered onion. Add a quart of water, bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer for an hour; strain the broth and use 14 ounces of it to make your corn chowder instead of using chicken broth.
- Make It Thicker. You can puree a portion of the soup in a blender and then stir it back in, or simply use an immersion blender to blend the soup until it reaches your desired consistency. The starch in the corn and potatoes means you don’t have to puree very much to add more thickness!
How to Make Corn Chowder
Cook the Bacon. Reserve a tablespoon of the bacon fat.
Sweat Onions and Celery. Do this in butter, until they are tender.
Add the Seasonings. Now, it’s smelling extra good.
Make a Roux. Start with the flour, then the broth and milk.
Simmer. Add the corn, potatoes, and seasoning then boil gently until the potatoes are tender.
Finishing Touches. Stir in the half and half, then add you toppings. ENJOY!
Recipe Variations
- Make It Meatless. In addition to simply skipping the bacon, you can serve your corn chowder with plant-based bacon. Note that you’ll still need to add an extra tablespoon of butter to the recipe, and you’ll likely also need to use some extra oil for cooking the veggie bacon. Swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth too. For a vegan version, use coconut milk.
- Add Some Smoky Flavor. Add a diced roasted poblano pepper (or two if you want it extra spicy!) to the soup when you add the corn to the pot.
- Try Lobster Corn Chowder. Stir cooked lobster meat into the pot of corn chowder just before serving.
- Swap the Bacon for Sausage. Cook up your favorite chicken sausage and crumble it into the soup instead of garnishing with bacon.
- Add Leftover Ham. Add your leftover diced, cubed ham. You can also add a ham bone when cooking (wait to salt the chowder, however, since ham bone is salty).
What to Serve with Corn Chowder
- Bread. A crusty baguette is perfect for soaking up the last bits of soup at the bottom of the bowl, or Jalapeno Cornbread or Cornbread Muffins.
- Salad. Soup and salad is a classic combo—you’ll feel like you’re at Panera! Pair this corn chowder with my Grilled Chicken Salad or Quinoa Salad.
- Sandwich. Maybe your usual combo at Panera is soup and a sandwich. That’s good too! Serve your corn chowder with an Air Fryer Grilled Cheese or Shredded Chicken Sandwich.
Corn Chowder
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
A lightened-up creamy corn chowder loaded with sweet corn, tender potatoes, and crisp, smoky bacon. It's an easy soup that eats like a meal!
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Ingredients
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 6 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 6 small green onions thinly sliced with white and green parts divided
- 2 stalks celery diced about 1/2 cup
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 14-ounce can low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup nonfat milk or milk of choice
- 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen corn kernels about 3 ears if using fresh or 12 ounces frozen
- 1 can cream-style corn 15 ounces
- 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes peeled and 1/4-inch diced (about 3 small/medium)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper plus additional to taste
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- ½ cup half-and-half
- Hot sauce optional for serving
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or similar large, deep pot, saute the bacon over medium low heat until crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pan and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Lightly pat dry and set aside for serving. Discard all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat.
- Add the butter to the pot and let it melt. Set aside 1/4 cup of the sliced green onion tops for serving, then add the rest of the green onions to the pot. Add the celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, salt, and black pepper. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle the flour over the top of the onion mixture, then cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the broth, a few splashes at a time at first, stirring out any lumps. Slowly pour in in the rest of the broth and the milk, then add the corn kernels, cream-style corn, potatoes, and cayenne.
- Stir and bring to a gentle boil. Let bubble, stirring occasionally and running a wooden spoon along the bottom of the pot to make sure nothing is sticking, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 to 13 minutes. Remove from the heat, then stir in the thyme and half-and-half.
- If desired, to thicken the chowder further, puree it briefly with an immersion blender or transfer a few ladlefuls to a blender, puree, then stir back into the pot. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired (I usually add a pinch or two of salt).
- Serve hot, sprinkled with reserved bacon, green onion tops, and a dash or two of hot sauce as desired.
Video
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Transfer leftover corn chowder to an airtight container or freezer bag and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- TO FREEZE: Warm gently on the stove over medium fheat or reheat in the microwave.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 (of 6)Calories: 383kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 13gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 37mgPotassium: 804mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 612IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 113mgIron: 2mg
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Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Make My Corn Chowder Thicker?
The best way to thicken corn chowder is to puree some of the vegetables in the soup and add them back in to give it more body. You can do this with a regular blender or an immersion blender.
Why Did My Corn Chowder Curdle?
Corn chowder can curdle if the temperature is too high (which is why you don’t want chowders to come to a rolling boil) or if the heat is raised too quickly.
I would definitely give it a 5! It looks scrumptious. However, there’s just too many ingredients for this 85-years young lady!
Hope you’ll be able to enjoy it Jan!
YUM!!! Skipped the bacon. and left the peels on the potatoes. Didn’t have any non-fat milk, so used 2%. The fresh corn stayed crispy! Will definitely make this again! (P.S. I bought a copy of your book, and gifted one to a foodie cousin. Mmmmm!)
Hi Karen! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review! Thanks for your support!
This was so good! I wasn’t sure about the amount of cayenne (typically, I would add more but did not) but it was seasoned perfectly for our tastes. I also didn’t peel the baby yukon gold potatoes and it was fine. I love a soup that’s sort of thick but because my husband doesn’t, I added a tiny bit more broth. Guess I was going “all autumn” here because we had some pumpkin muffins with it – was a very nice combination we thought. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Hi Chris! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Hi! I’m definitely making this. I like that you add the nutritional information. Would this be about 1 cup per serving? Thanks!
Hi Karen! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review! I’m sorry, I didn’t measure the servings. It is 1/6 of the recipe. Hope this helps!
Very good chowder. Will definitely make again!
The recipe is a little wordy so I made bullet points. Intimidation erased.
Hi Kristi! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Have made this several times during this year & loved it. Made it today for ladies luncheon & got rave reviews. They want the recipe ! Easy to put together & great flavor. It’s a keeper for sure!
Lauretta, I’m so glad to hear it, thank you!
Delicious and easy recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it, Randall! Looks great!