This Creamy Corn Chowder Recipe is a cozy comfort food loaded with corn and potatoes. Super easy to make, quick enough for weeknights and hearty enough for weekends. Your next go to for a hearty soup option.
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Why We Love This Corn Chowder
- It's so good! Tastes like its been simmering for hours but it only takes 30 minutes!
- Starts with smoky bacon and bacon grease, you know its going to be fabulous with the best flavor!
- Easy soup recipe to make that has the best sweet corn flavor.
- This soup is easily made any time of the year using fresh summer corn, frozen corn or canned corn.
- Has a thick and creamy texture, exactly as a chowder should be.
Creamy Corn Chowder Recipe Ingredients
- Bacon
- Onion
- Minced Garlic
- Unbleached All Purpose Flour
- Chicken Broth
- Yukon Gold Potatoes
- Frozen Corn
- Dried Thyme
- Dried Parsley
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Dried Bay Leaf
- Heavy Cream
- Milk
Substitution Suggestions:
- Bacon: There is no substitute for this. This starts the chowder with a lot of flavor. If you are not a bacon fan, you can skip it and start with olive oil.
- All Purpose Flour: Whole wheat, white whole wheat or all purpose can be used. The flour is what will make the chowder nice and thick. If you want to leave out the flour, you can remove 1 cup of soup after it has cooked and puree it in a food processor or blender. Then stir it back into the soup. This will help thicken it up and keep it gluten free.
- Yukon Gold Potatoes: Any type of potatoes will work: russet or red potatoes are good options. I like the yellow potatoes better because I think they have a creamier texture.
- Frozen Corn: Feel free to use fresh sweet corn. Cut the kernels off the cobs and keep the cobs. You'll need 4-6 ears of corn depending on size. Add the corn cobs to the soup with the potatoes and corn kernels and let all that flavor muddle into the soup. You can also use canned corn, drain first and add to the soup as recipe states.
- Chicken Broth: Feel free to use vegetable broth or if you are using fresh corn, use water and make a corn broth. The flavor of corn will be more abundant and super delicious.
- Heavy Cream, Milk: you can substitute the cream and milk for half and half. I like to use the cream and milk because it creates the perfect consistency and gives it a richer flavor. Any type of milk can be used, whole milk, 2% or skim will work just fine. I normally use 2% cows milk.
How to Make Easy Corn Chowder
- Chop up bacon and add it to a large dutch oven or soup pot. Cook over medium heat until the bacon is crispy. Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease in the pot and discard the rest.
- To the hot bacon grease, add the chopped onion and cook on medium heat until soft and translucent. About 4 minutes.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook another minute until fragrant.
- Next, stir in the flour and cook for one minute.
- Slowly add the chicken broth while scraping the bottom of the pot and stirring to fully dissolve the flour.
- Now gently add the peeled and diced potatoes, frozen corn kernels, thyme, parsley, salt and black pepper. Give it a good stir.
- Partially cover the pot and bring soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
- Stir in the heavy cream and milk. Cook until heated through and then remove from heat.
- Serve and garnish with crispy bacon pieces and fresh chopped parsley.
What To Serve With Corn Chowder
This is a meal in itself, but I do like to serve it with some crackers, bread and butter, biscuits or fresh dinner rolls.
If you want a little bit more protein you can serve a chicken dish with this chowder. Here are some favorites that are super easy.
Or you can always go the soup and sandwich route and make some of these yummy sandwiches to accompany this delicious soup.
Storing Creamy Corn Chowder
Storing: Store any leftover cooled chowder in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing: This soup can be frozen, just be aware that the texture may change once its thawed and reheated. Sometimes the potatoes and dairy can cause the soup to feel grainy, but the flavor will still be there. In all honestly, the little bit of texture change has never bothered me or my family.
Reheating: Reheat over low heat on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through.
If you love corn, try these other recipes!
FAQs About Creamy Corn Chowder
There are a few ways to thicken up corn chowder. First, you can remove a cup or so of the finished soup and either puree it or mash it, then stir it back into the soup. Second, you can mix a tablespoon of corn starch or flour with a couple tablespoons of the chowder broth or water, and then stir it into the soup. Let it simmer a few minutes to thicken up.
Traditionally, chowder is a mix of onion, potatoes and cream. However, you can make the chowder however you like. Chowders can be made with half and half or milk, and you don't have to use onions and potatoes.
The difference between soup and chowder is mostly the consistency and ingredients used. Soups are usually lighter with a thin broth, and chowders are thick and rich usually made with cream and chunky ingredients like potatoes.
More Delicious Soup Recipes:
- Chicken Dumpling Soup
- Italian Minestrone
- Cheeseburger Soup
- Chicken Taco Soup
- Cheesy Broccoli Soup
- Zuppa Toscana Soup
- Chicken and Potato Stew
- Baked Potato Soup
- Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Creamy Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- ½ pound bacon
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ pounds yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced into bite size pieces
- 4 cups frozen corn
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large dried bay leaf
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven or soup pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon grease and discard the rest.
- To the bacon grease, add the diced onions and cook until soft and translucent. About 4 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté for one minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the flour and cook for one minute.
- Slowly add the chicken broth while scraping the bottom of the pot and stirring so all the flour dissolves.
- Gently add the diced potatoes, frozen corn, thyme, parsley, salt, black pepper and bay leaf. Give it a good stir.
- Partially cover the pot and heat to boiling.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender. Stir the chowder a few times to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in the heavy cream and milk. Heat through and then remove from heat.
- Serve with cooked bacon pieces and enjoy!
Lisa says
I used this recipe as a great base and made it my own. I used half the onions and potatoes and used 5 1/2 cups of corn because that’s what I had cut off the cobs. I added more pepper and salt and used fresh parsley as well as dried. I also added celery with the onions and added some some polish sausage slices. When I added the milk and cream. Thank you for the awesome start!
Heather Warburton says
Sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing!