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Chilly days call for warm bowls of sweet, smoky Corn Chowder. This incredible soup can be made any time of year and comes together quickly, thanks to frozen corn.
Chowder may be my favorite way to enjoy sweet corn. As soon as I down one bowl, I’m aching for another. This recipe is made with bacon and diced potatoes, and they add a heartiness that I absolutely love.
To make things even easier, I use frozen sweet corn. It’s easy to find and plentiful year round. But if fresh whole corn is still popping up at the market, fresh corn wins.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Bacon: Chopped bacon adds a smoky counterpart to the sweet corn. Corn chowder with ham is just as fabulous.
- Turmeric: This golden-hued spice boosts the yellow color of soup naturally and adds a subtle flavor.
- Potatoes: Look for the thin-skinned new baby potatoes of any colour.
- Corn: To substitute fresh corn, bring a large pot of water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil over high heat. Add 12 ears of corn (you may need to work in batches) and boil for 3 to 5 minutes. Submerge ears in a large bowl of ice water. When the corn is cool enough to handle, cut it off the cob and proceed with the recipe.
- Half and half: Substitute 4 ½ teaspoons melted butter plus enough whole milk to equal 1 cup for the half and half.
Step-by-step instructions
- In a large stock pot or Dutch oven or medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove from pot and reserve. Add onions and butter and cook until softened, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in flour and turmeric and cook for 1 minute. Stir in chicken broth, potatoes, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in corn, half-n-half, cheese, and bacon.
- Cook until corn is heated through and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I like 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper). Garnish with chives if desired.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This Corn Chowder recipe makes a lot of soup: 16 cups or 4 quarts, enough for 8 generous servings of 2 cups each. For a party or buffet with other main dishes, plan on 1 cup of soup per person.
- Storage: Large leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Soups with dairy may have a grainy texture and separate when you thaw them out. So, I don’t recommend freezing this soup.
- Spicy: Dice up some fresh jalapeños or serranos and add with the corn in step 3, and serve with plenty of hot sauce.
- Seafood: Don’t skip the bacon! Just add some peeled, deveined baby shrimp or lump crabmeat in with the corn and cook until just tender.
Recipe FAQs
Soups can vary in texture and be thin and brothy, while a chowder is thick, hearty, and rich.
Corn chowder is excellent with sandwiches like grilled cheese or BLTs. Or, serve with chunks of bread or rolls for dipping.
To substitute fresh corn, bring a large pot of water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil over high heat. Add 12 ears of corn (you may need to work in batches) and boil for 3 to 5 minutes. Submerge ears in a large bowl of ice water. When the corn is cool enough to handle, cut it off the cob and proceed with the recipe.
More hearty soups
Corn Chowder
Chilly days call for warm bowls of sweet, smoky Corn Chowder. This incredible soup can be made any time of year and comes together quickly, thanks to frozen corn.
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In a large stock pot or Dutch oven or medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove from pot and reserve. Add onions and butter and cook until softened, about 10 minutes.
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Stir in flour and turmeric and cook for 1 minute. Stir in chicken broth, potatoes, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
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Stir in corn, half-n-half, cheese, and bacon. Cook until corn is heated through and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I like 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper). Garnish with chives if desired.
- Bacon: Chopped bacon adds a smoky counterpart to the sweet corn. Corn chowder with ham is just as fabulous.
- Turmeric: This golden-hued spice boosts the yellow color of soup naturally and adds a subtle flavor.
- Potatoes: Look for the thin-skinned new baby potatoes of any colour.
- Corn: To substitute fresh corn, bring a large pot of water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil over high heat. Add 12 ears of corn (you may need to work in batches) and boil for 3 to 5 minutes. Submerge ears in a large bowl of ice water. When the corn is cool enough to handle, cut it off the cob and proceed with the recipe.
- Half and half: Substitute 4 ½ teaspoons melted butter plus enough whole milk to equal 1 cup for the half and half.
- Yield: This Corn Chowder recipe makes a lot of soup: 16 cups or 4 quarts, enough for 8 generous servings of 2 cups each. For a party or buffet with other main dishes, plan on 1 cup of soup per person.
- Storage: Large leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Soups with dairy may have a grainy texture and separate when you thaw them out. So, I don’t recommend freezing this soup.
Serving: 2cupsCalories: 541kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 27gDish: 30gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 1566mgPotassium: 953mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 436IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 215mgIron: 2mg
Meggan Hill is the Executive Chef and CEO of Culinary Hill, a popular digital publication in the food space. She loves to combine her Midwestern food memories with her culinary school education to create her own delicious take on modern family fare. Millions of readers visit Culinary Hill each month for meticulously-tested recipes as well as skills and tricks for ingredient prep, cooking ahead, menu planning, and entertaining. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the iCUE Culinary Arts program at College of the Canyons.