Corn Chowder Recipe (VIDEO) (2024)

Fresh Corn Chowderloaded with summer corn at its peak of freshness. If you love the comfort of Clam Chowder, this corn chowder recipe is sure to become a new favorite. This crowd-pleasing soup is perfect for entertaining on cool summer nights.

Corn Chowder Recipe (VIDEO) (1)

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Corn Chowder Video Tutorial:

Corn chowder is quite a treat when fresh corn is abundant. We love to use both the kernels and the stripped cobbs for sweet corn flavor. This corn chowder has the creamy richness of a Potato Soup and the addition of tender corn and bacon makes every bite memorable.

Corn Chowder Recipe (VIDEO) (2)

Ingredients for Potato Corn Chowder:

The ingredients here are simple pantry and refrigerator staples that come together to make the best pot of soup.

  • Corn:on the cob is best so you can utilize the kernels and the corn milk from the husks (see below for fresh corn substitutions).
  • Potatoes: we use Yukon gold potatoes for their tender waxy texture which is perfect for a chowder.
  • Carrot, Celery, and Onion: this trio is critical to adding flavor and we use them in just about every soup recipe.
  • Bacon: Sauteeing the bacon adds and then cooking the veggies in the bacon grease adds wonderful flavor and we use the cooked bacon to garnish the soup. No one will resist that bacon topping!
  • Chicken Broth, Milk & Cream: These are the base of the corn stock. We simmer the shucked cobbs in this combination for a deeply delicious chowder base.
  • Cayenne Pepper: this simple seasoning is all you need plus salt and black pepper of course.

How to Easily Remove Corn Silk:

After the corn is shucked, it’s important to remove the silk threads for the smoothest consistency. The easiest way to remove corn silk is to brush the corn with a firm bristled brush or even a clean toothbrush. The bristles catch the silk and it comes off quickly and easily.

Corn Chowder Recipe (VIDEO) (3)

What is Corn Stock?

Using the whole cob of corn will give you the best-flavored corn stock. Allowing the stripped cobs to simmer for 20 minutes with the broth, cream, and milk draws out every bit of rich and sweet flavor from the corn. After discarding the cobs, you are left with really delicious corn stock.

Time-Saving Tip: set the corn broth to cook at the same time you are making the chowder.

How to Make Corn Chowder:

Once the corn stock is made, the steps for making corn chowder are simple. Watch the video tutorial above and you will be a pro in no time.

  1. Sautee bacon in a dutch oven until crisps and renders fat. Remove bacon to a plate.
  2. Sautee veggies (onion, celery, and carrot) in the bacon grease until softened.
  3. Add potatoes and corn kernels and season with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.
  4. Add corn stock into the pot and simmer until potatoes are tender.
  5. Serve in warm bowls garnished with bacon and chives.

When Corn is Not In Season:

Fresh corn on the cob and especially local produce will give this chowder the best flavor. For winter corn chowder or when fresh corn is not available, try these instead:

  • Frozen Corn: frozen is usually produced at the peak of freshness so it will work and will save you some time. Since you won’t have the cobs for making corn stock, add a 15 oz can of creamed corn for a tastier broth.
  • Canned Corn: Use (1) 15 oz can corn and (1) 15 oz can creamed corn. Add the liquid ingredients at step 3 without pre-cooking them. The liquid from the canned corn will add a boost of corn flavor.

More Corn Recipes:

If you love corn, these corn recipes are the best way to use up sweet fresh corn.

  • 15-minute Corn on the Cob – Our go-to boiled corn recipe
  • Corn Salad – with avocado and the best (EASY) dressing
  • Grilled Corn – with irresistible lemon dill butter
  • Instant Pot Corn on the Cob – juicy and perfect every time
  • Mexican Street Corn – the topping is mouthwatering good

Corn Chowder Recipe

4.98 from 741 votes

Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com

Corn Chowder Recipe (VIDEO) (6)

This fresh corn chowder recipe is loaded with summer produce at its peak of freshness. This is a crowd-pleasing chowder that is perfect for entertaining on cool summer nights.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 45 minutes mins

Ingredients

Servings: 8 cups

For the Corn Stock:

  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream

For the Corn Chowder:

  • 4 cups corn kernels (from 4-5 ears corn), reserve cobs for stock
  • 4 oz (4 slices) bacon, chopped
  • 1 large onion, finely diced (1 1/2 cup)
  • 1 large carrot, cut into 1/4" dice (1 cup)
  • 3 stalks celery, finely diced (1 cup)
  • 1 lb Yukon potatoes, 3 medium, peeled and cut into 1/4" thick pieces
  • 2-3 tsp sea salt, or to taste
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
  • 2 Tbsp Chives, chopped, to garnish

Instructions

How to Make Corn Stock:

  • Cut the kernels from the cobs and set kernels aside for making chowder.* Place the bare cobs in a stockpot.

  • Add 4 cups broth, 1 1/2 cups milk, and 1 cup cream to pot. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer un-covered 20 minutes while making the chowder. Use tongs to remove and discard cobs before using corn stock in step 3.

How to Make Corn Chowder:

  • Place a 5 Qt dutch oven over medium/high heat. Add chopped bacon and cook stirring occasionally until browned. Remove bacon bits with a slotted spoon and set aside.

  • In the same pot, add chopped onion, celery and carrot to the bacon fat and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft (7-8 min).

  • Add sliced potatoes, 4 cups corn kernels, 2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper. Pour corn stock into the pot, bring to a light boil then simmer uncovered 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste**. Ladle into bowls and garnish with reserved bacon and chopped chives.

Notes

*After cutting the corn off the cobs, remove as much of the silk threads as possible to give your finished chowder a smooth consistency.

**Corn can have varying degrees of sweetness, if your corn is super sweet, you can add a little more salt to balance the sweetness.

FOR A CREAMIER SOUP: transfer 1/4 of the soup to a blender and blend until smooth then stir it into the rest of your chowder.

Nutrition Per Serving

321kcal Calories30g Carbs10g Protein19g Fat9g Saturated Fat53mg Cholesterol767mg Sodium699mg Potassium3g Fiber7g Sugar2080IU Vitamin A13.3mg Vitamin C108mg Calcium2.6mg Iron

  • Full Nutrition Label
  • Nutrition Disclosure

Nutrition Facts

Corn Chowder Recipe

Amount per Serving

Calories

321

% Daily Value*

Fat

19

g

29

%

Saturated Fat

9

g

56

%

Cholesterol

53

mg

18

%

Potassium

699

mg

20

%

Carbohydrates

30

g

10

%

Fiber

3

g

13

%

Sugar

7

g

8

%

Protein

10

g

20

%

Vitamin A

2080

IU

42

%

Vitamin C

13.3

mg

16

%

Calcium

108

mg

11

%

Iron

2.6

mg

14

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Corn Chowder

Skill Level: Easy/Medium

Cost to Make: $$

Calories: 321

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

Natasha Kravchuk

Corn Chowder Recipe (VIDEO) (7)

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

Read more posts by Natasha

Corn Chowder Recipe (VIDEO) (2024)

FAQs

What two ingredients must be present for the soup to be called a chowder? ›

Firstly, What Exactly Is Chowder?
  • Seafood – The core ingredient (clam, lobster, fish).
  • Seasoning – Typically happens through whole ingredients, like diced onions, celery, bacon, and herbs.
  • Liquid – Milk or cream is essential to the recipe, though many variations also include the use of vegetable stock to thin the stew.

Why is my corn chowder not thickening? ›

Cook It Longer

Sometimes soup just needs to simmer longer to reach the perfect consistency. Check to see if the vegetables are tender, and then taste the broth. If the soup tastes a bit watery, give it more time.

How to make chowder thicker? ›

You can start with 2 tablespoons of flour for every 1 cup of liquid as a general rule of thumb. To make a smooth paste, combine the flour with a small amount of cold liquid. Stir the paste gradually into the soup. To allow the flour to thicken the mixture, cook and stir it for a few minutes.

How do you thicken corn chowder with cornstarch? ›

Start by combining one tablespoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl and stirring the mixture until it forms a thick paste with no lumps. Next, slowly add the cornstarch slurry to the simmering soup, stirring continuously as you go.

What ingredient does chowder always have? ›

Types. Chowder is a soup with cream or milk mixed with ingredients such as potatoes, sweet corn, smoked haddock, clams and prawns, etc. Some cream-style chowders do not use cream, and are instead prepared using milk and a roux to thicken them.

What is the most important ingredient in soup? ›

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

Will heavy cream thicken corn chowder? ›

However, chowder can also get a bad reputation due to the large amounts of butter, bacon, and heavy cream that are often used to thicken it and add flavor. As a result, it can be a super-rich dish.

Will heavy cream thicken chowder? ›

Heavy cream

Use heavy cream as a keto-friendly thickening option for your soups and broths. Heavy cream has more fat than regular whole milk, so you can add it to your soup recipes without worrying about it curdling.

Can you add milk to soup to make it creamy? ›

Whole milk or half-and-half also thicken up the soup. I've even made it with half the amount (1/2 cup or 120ml) heavy cream in a pinch. (Add more chicken broth if you use heavy cream; see recipe Note.)

How do I thicken my corn chowder? ›

Cornstarch is a great option as it is a natural thickening agent, but you'll want to be careful about how much you use. Start with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked together with cold water to create a slurry. Then, gradually add the slurry to the soup, letting it boil for one to two minutes before adding more.

What is usually a main thickening agent of chowder? ›

Roux (pronounced roo) is a mixture of equal weights (parts) of flour and fat (usually clarified butter; chicken fat, bacon fat, and margarine are also used) cooked over medium heat and stirred constantly. Roux is the most common thickener for sauces and soups.

When to add heavy cream to chowder? ›

Slowly add the the butter/flour/poaching liquid mixture to the pot with the potatoes. Add the fish and scallops. Continue cooking and stirring until chowder thickens. Add the cream and stir until heated through, but do not boil.

How much cornstarch to thicken 4 cups of liquid? ›

If you're cooking hot liquids like sauces, stock or broth, 1 tablespoon of corn starch per cup of liquid will give you a thin to medium consistency that's appropriate for soups or very thin sauces. 2 tablespoons per cup will give you a thicker, more gravy-like consistency.

How long does it take for cornstarch to thicken soup? ›

Second, you must fully activate the power of the cornstarch by bringing the mixture to a boil. While whisking or stirring constantly (again, lump prevention), pour your slurry into the pot of warm liquid. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture has come to a boil and thickened, usually 1 to 2 minutes.

What to do if soup is too watery? ›

6 ways to thicken soup:
  1. Blend all or part of it. If you've made a broth with chunks of vegetable in it, such as minestrone soup, then pour the soup through a sieve. ...
  2. Add cream or yogurt. ...
  3. Add flour or cornflour. ...
  4. Use a butter and flour paste. ...
  5. Blend in bread. ...
  6. Add lentils or rice.

What makes a soup a chowder? ›

The difference between chowder, soup, and stew is that chowder is a soup made with broth that is thickened with flour and cream, with seafood and/or vegetables mixed in. Soup is made with water or broth and can host a variety of ingredients like pasta, vegetables, fruits, grains, meats or seafood.

What 2 ingredients are used to thicken the soup? ›

Add flour or cornflour

You can also use flour or cornflour to thicken a soup. Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer.

What defines a chowder? ›

: a soup or stew of seafood (such as clams or fish) usually made with milk or tomatoes, salt pork, onions, and other vegetables (such as potatoes)

What are the 2 basic categories of soup? ›

Soups can be divided into two types – thick and thin soups. This is further classified into various categories – Passed, Unpassed, Cold and International Soup based on the texture of the soups or a national soup from a particular country.

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