Corn Chowder

I tried the seasonal corn chowder from Panera Bread for the first time, recently, and oh my goodness, it is incredible! So delicious that it had me craving my own homemade corn chowder. Each summer I love to make it at least once with seasonal sweet corn. It’s cozy, satisfying and so super tasty! My kids have already requested that I make it again soon. And that won’t be a problem!

I know there are tons of corn chowder recipes out there, but this one is just simply over-the-top delicious. Give it a try – I know you’ll agree!

Why you should make this recipe

• Super hearty. This dish is incredibly delicious, comforting, and filling. You will definitely leave the table satisfied!
• Packed with flavor. This bowl of deliciousness is packed with goodies! It’s perfectly seasoned and loaded with savory bacon, sweet corn and tender yellow potatoes. Layers and layers of flavor!
• Made in one pot. This chowder recipe is super easy to make all in one pot. Just sauté the bacon, veggies, add the rest of the ingredients, and simmer on the stove. 

Ingredients needed

This wonderfully creamy corn soup is made with nourishing, simple ingredients and packs plenty of wonderful corn flavor. You’ll need:

• Butter. For cooking the vegetables and also adding flavor.
• Bacon. Adds a nice smoky flavor and is a must for any delicious chowder recipe!
• Onion, red bell pepper, celery, and garlic. The combination of veggies give this dish amazing flavor and makes it super satisfying. Feel free to leave out the bell pepper or celery, if you’d like.
• Broth. This works great with either chicken or vegetable broth. I like to use a low sodium variety, so that I can control the salt in the recipe.
• Potatoes. We like Yukon Gold potatoes best for this chowder because they are tender and give this soup a nice creaminess. Russet potatoes may be used, if that’s what you have.
• Corn. The star of the show! Fresh sweet corn is so tasty and wonderful in this recipe, but canned or frozen corn work just fine too.
• Heavy cream. Adds wonderful rich creaminess. Feel free to sub with half & half or whole milk.
• Salt, pepper and thyme. A few simple seasonings is all you need to brighten the taste. Add some cayenne pepper if you like spice.

How to make this recipe

It’s a good idea to start by preparing all of the ingredients first. Get all of the veggies and bacon chopped up and measure everything out. Here’s how to make this:

1. Sauté bacon + veggies. While you’re finishing up all of the prep work, melt butter over medium high heat in a large pot and once heated, sauté bacon, onion, bell pepper and celery until veggies are soft. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
2. Cook the soup base. Now, add salt, pepper and broth. Bring to a boil, then stir in potatoes, corn and thyme. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cream.
3. Garnish + serve. Ladle chowder into soup bowls and garnish with chives, bacon bits and cheese. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Enjoy hot — maybe with some crusty bread? Yum!

Expert tips

• Fresh corn. If you’re using fresh corn on the cob, you’ll need to shuck it and then remove the silk threads by brushing the corn with a firm bristled brush or even a clean toothbrush.
• Crispy bacon. If you prefer the bacon to be crispy, cook it first before adding in the veggies, until crisp. Don’t drain the bacon grease. Use it in the recipe (along with the butter) for flavor. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain until chowder is done. Once chowder is cooked, crumble bacon over the top, so it stays crispy.  
• Dairy free. This corn chowder recipe calls for heavy cream, but if you want to keep things dairy-free, use almond or coconut milk. You can also use whole milk or half & half to lower the calories a bit. It won’t be as creamy, but it will still be tasty.

Frequently asked questions

Variations

We love this recipe as written, but feel free to experiment and switch up some of the ingredients depending on what you have on hand. Here’s some options:

• Make Mexican corn chowder by adding in a can of drained black beans and a can of green chilies when you stir in the corn. Season with 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon paprika and 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin. Omit the thyme and garnish with fresh cilantro and other favorite Mexican toppings.
• Slow cooker corn chowder is a set it and forget get it kind of meal! Cook bacon in a skillet. Then, add all ingredients (except heavy cream and bacon) to a 6 quart (or larger) slow cooker. Stir ingredients well, cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours. Stir in heavy cream, cover and cook another 10 minutes to heat through. When serving, stir in bacon and garnish with cheese and any other toppings you’d like.
• In the last 3 minutes of cooking, you can stir in one pound of fresh shrimp or cooked, shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken for added protein.
• For a vegetarian version, simply omit the bacon. And to make this vegan, omit the bacon and use a plant-based milk.

Serving suggestions

When I serve this, I like to keep the sides simple because it is plenty filling and pretty much a complete meal.

• Bread & crackers. Our favorite way to eat potato and corn chowder is with some good crusty sourdough bread or chewy French bread for dunking into the soup, or with a few crackers crushed on top.
• Salad. You could also pair it with a fresh green salad on the side. For the salad, simply toss mixed greens with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Feel free to add toppings to your salad such as red onion, cherry tomatoes, and/or croutons.
• Toppings. Add bacon bits, cheese and chives over the top for extra deliciousness. It’s going to be fantastic however you enjoy it!

Storing & freezing tips

This is a great make-ahead meal! Leftovers keep well in the fridge and you can enjoy piping hot bowls of corn soup for lunch for the next several days without having to do any additional cooking!

• Storing leftovers. Let the corn chowder cool completely and place it in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to about 4 days. Simply rewarm in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.
• Freezing. Soups that contain milk or cream, like chowders and bisques, don’t usually hold up well in the freezer — they tend to take on a grainy texture and separate when defrosted and rewarmed. While non-dairy milks like coconut milk hold up a little better, soups that are frozen with it still won’t be the same when defrosted either.

Follow this tip. Hold back any dairy or non-dairy milk or cream, if freezing a soup that calls for it. Then, simply add it in when you’ve reheated the soup.

Tools for making this recipe

• Le Creuset Signature Dutch Oven. If you’re open to spending a bit of money on a piece that you’ll own forever, Le Creuset is my favorite brand for heavy pots and cookware.
• Lodge Dutch Oven. Lodge is a great brand as well. I own several of their cast iron skillets and have been very happy with them. This one is more budget-friendly, but still great quality!
• Wüsthof Two Piece Prep Set (Knives) – This is the knife set that I use most often and I can’t say enough great things about these high-quality knives.

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.