Corn Chowder
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Posted: 02/13/25
Updated: 07/31/23
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Fresh Corn Chowder is a delicious dinner for summers when corn is at it’s peak or during the winter when you need to warm up with a bowl of soup. This easy chowder recipe has potatoes, corn, celery, carrots and more!
Corn chowder is creamy, loaded with veggies, potatoes, and bacon, and is a fabulous “stick to your ribs” meal. It’s one of my favorite one pot soup recipes to make since it’s so easy and serves 6!
This hearty potato corn chowder with corn pairs great with some homemade biscuits or breadsticks. And I love to finish off the meal with a really easy dessert like these chocolate cake mix cookies.
Grab these tasty ingredients and make this easy chowder recipe. You’ll have dinner on the table in no time!
Why You’ll Love Corn Chowder with Bacon
- It only takes 45 minutes to make this hearty pot of soup that serves 6.
- This chowder is a great way to get in a large serving of vegetables. Have picky eaters? I bet they’d eat corn chowder!
- It’s is really adaptable, so you can swap out veggies and other things in this recipe to better fit you needs.
Ingredients for Corn Chowder
- Corn – Grab a couple cans of corn or a bag of frozen corn for this super simple recipe. You could even cut corn off the cobs if you really want to. Sweet corn works in this recipe as well.
- Russet potatoes – You can use russet potatoes or gold potatoes in this corn chowder recipe, either will work great!
- Low-sodium chicken broth – You don’t have to use low-sodium chicken broth, but it makes it much easier to control the salt content of this chowder.
- Onion – I recommend using a yellow onion. It’s mild flavor will work well in this recipe!
- Celery – Be sure you dice the celery into small chunks so that it will easily distribute throughout the entire pot of chowder.
- Carrots – Dice fresh carrots for this recipe! Frozen will work ok in a pinch, but fresh will always taste better.
- Heavy cream – Heavy cream is what makes this the most perfectly rich and creamy corn chowder recipe.
- Milk – Whole milk is best and will help make the chowder extra creamy, but 2% milk or 1% would work just fine.
- Bacon – Cut the bacon into small pieces, especially if it’s thick bacon.
- Garlic – You can either mince fresh garlic cloves, or buy the jar of pre-minced garlic at the grocery store.
- All-purpose flour – All-purpose flour will act as a thickener and will help make this chowder extra thick.
- Salt and ground black pepper – These two seasonings add the perfect amount of flavor!
Helpful Tools
- Dutch oven or stock pot
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons and tools
- Ladle
How to Make Corn Chowder
Place chopped bacon into a dutch oven or large pot and cook over medium-high heat until crispy.
While the bacon is cooking, you can chop all of your veggies!
After the bacon is cooked till crispy, remove it from the pot and place it onto a paper towel lined plate. Leave about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pot, but remove and discard the rest.
Add onion, celery, and carrots to the pot and sauté them in the bacon grease for 5 minutes. No need for olive oil or another cooking oil, the rendered bacon fat will keep the veggies from sticking to the pan.
Stir in the minced garlic and sauté for 30-60 seconds. Add the all purpose flour to the pot and stir.
Then, pour in the chicken broth and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to make sure all flour dissolves.
Add the cream, milk, corn, potatoes, most of the bacon, and salt and pepper. Stir well until everything is thoroughly incorporated and increase the heat to bring the it to a boil.
After the chowder comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are cooked all the way through. This will take about 15-20 minutes, be sure you stir the soup while it simmers.
Serve immediately and garnish with leftover bacon and chopped chives.
What to Serve with Corn Chowder
Like any hearty bowl of soup, this potato corn chowder pairs wonderfully with dinner rolls, crescent rolls, biscuits, or any other type of bread.
This chowder would also go great with a sandwich too. Or, maybe go the simple route and serve soup and salad! It really is the best corn chowder!
How to Store Leftover Corn Chowder with Bacon
FRIDGE: Place leftover soup in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
FREEZER: Leftover corn chowder can be stored in an airtight container or freezer bag and kept in the freezer for up to 2 months.
To reheat, place the leftovers in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed thoroughly.
Can I substitute heavy cream or milk?
If you don’t have heavy cream on hand, you can use half and half or a can of evaporated milk. You could also use extra heavy cream or half and half in place of milk. Sour cream and plain greek yogurt are also great ways to make corn chowder extra creamy! You can make this homemade corn chowder dairy free by using full fat coconut milk or another dairy-free cream substitute.
What makes a Chowder a Chowder?
Chowder is typically a creamy based soup with ingredients like corn, potatoes, clams, and other popular add-ins. Chowders are typically very thick, creamy, and hearty type soup dishes!
Pro Tips!
- If you want to add a little kick to your chowder, sprinkle a little red pepper or red pepper flakes into the pot!
- Feel free to swap out any of the veggies for ones that you like better.
- Dice the potatoes into even, small chunks so that they cook evenly and don’t take long to get tender.
I hope you love this hearty one pot soup dish! Throw it together on a busy weeknight and tell me what you think.
More Soup Recipes You’ll Love
- On a chowder kick? Check out this super tasty Clam Chowder recipe.
- Cheeseburger Soup is a family favorite and is absolutely delicious!
- Want some easy recipes for your Instant Pot? Check out this Instant Pot Potato Soup.
- This Instant Pot Lentil Soup is another really easy recipe that the family will love.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Corn Chowder
Creamy Corn Chowder that's loaded with corn, bacon, celery, carrots, chicken, potatoes and more! Makes and easy dinner recipe that's packed with flavor.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 strips bacon cut into small pieces
- ½ onion diced
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- 4 cups frozen or fresh corn
- 3 russet potatoes peeled and diced, about 1 pound
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons chopped chives garnish, optional
Instructions
- Add chopped bacon to a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook until bacon is crispy, about 10 minutes.
- While bacon is cooking, prep your vegetables.
- Once the bacon is crispy, remove it from the pot onto a paper towel lined plate. Leave about 2 Tablespoons of bacon grease in the pot, discard the rest.
- Add the onion, celery, and carrots to the pot with bacon grease and saute for 5 minutes.
- Stir the minced garlic into the pot and saute for 30-60 seconds.
- Add the flour to the pot and cook for about 1 minute, stirring while it cooks.
- Pour in the chicken broth and scrape the brown bites from the bottom of the pan and stir to make sure the flour has dissolved.
- Add cream, milk, corn, potatoes, most of the bacon (reserve some for topping if desired), salt and pepper.
- Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. After it comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, until potatoes are cooked, about 15-20 minutes. Stir soup while cooking.
- Serve immediately and garnish with reserved bacon and chopped chives if desired.
Tips
FRIDGE: Place leftover soup in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
FREEZER: Leftover corn chowder can be stored in an airtight container or freezer bag and kept in the freezer for up to 2 months.
If you don’t have heavy cream on hand, you can use half and half or a can of evaporated milk. You could also use extra heavy cream or half and half in place of milk. Sour cream and plain Greek yogurt are also great ways to make corn chowder extra creamy!
Nutrition Information
Calories: 460kcal (23%), Carbohydrates: 54g (18%), Protein: 14g (28%), Fat: 24g (37%), Saturated Fat: 12g (75%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 58mg (19%), Sodium: 404mg (18%), Potassium: 1068mg (31%), Fiber: 5g (21%), Sugar: 10g (11%), Vitamin A: 4387IU (88%), Vitamin C: 15mg (18%), Calcium: 118mg (12%), Iron: 2mg (11%)
Elaine says
I love corn chowder. This is the best recipe I’ve found! 5/5