This corn chowder recipe is loaded with sweet corn, the bacon adds smokiness, and you will love how creamy and flavorful it is!
I based this corn chowder off my Easy Chicken and Corn Chowder. It's fairly thick, creamy, and fills you right up. I suppose since corn is in season in the summer and early fall, this is more of a summer soup. I see nothing wrong with eating soup year-round when you can crank up your air conditioning. 😉
You may also like my Salmon Chowder or my Ham and Corn Chowder.
This potato and corn chowder is sure to be a hit with the whole family. The sweetness of the corn and all the bacon makes it irresistible in my opinion! This soup is the perfect satisfying one pot meal.
What kind of corn to use?
I used frozen corn, but if you've got fresh corn, then by all means use it! Just cut it off the cob and add it to the soup. You could even grill it and then add it for extra smokiness. I'd buy 4-5 cobs of corn to make what's needed for this soup. I don't recommend canned corn unless you're really in a pinch. I find the flavor and texture of frozen or fresh to be a lot better.
Recipe notes & tips:
- I don't recommend subbing the cream for milk or half-and-half because there's a good chance the soup will curdle (it happened in another of my chowder recipes) since we boil it, so exercise caution if doing that.
- You can sub the Russet potatoes for another kind if you wish.
- The cayenne pepper doesn't make the soup particularly spicy, but it does add a little extra zip.
- I like to prep as I go along to save time, but feel free to prepare everything ahead of time if that's more comfortable for you.
- This soup is quite thick to begin with, and it thickens up more the longer you leave it. Feel free to add a little more chicken broth to leftovers if you need to thin it out a touch. It's one of those better-the-next-day kinda soups in my opinion. The flavors meld even more.
Other recipes with corn to try:
Let me know if you've made this easy corn chowder recipe! Questions? Ask me in the comments below.
Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 4 strips bacon cut into small pieces
- 1/2 medium onion chopped small
- 3 sticks celery chopped small
- 2 medium carrots peeled & chopped small
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups chicken broth or stock
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 4 cups frozen or fresh corn
- 2 large Russet potatoes peeled & diced
- 1 dash Italian seasoning
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper optional
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep your bacon (I use kitchen shears to make cutting it up easy) and add it to a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook until crispy (about 10 minutes).
- Meanwhile, prep your onion, celery, and potatoes.
- Once the bacon is crispy, take it out of the pot and remove to a paper towel lined plate. Leave about 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the pot.
- Add the onion, celery, and carrots to the pot and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the flour and cook for about a minute, stirring nearly constantly.
- Add in the chicken broth and give it a good stir to ensure the flour has dissolved and the brown bits are scraped up from the bottom of the pot.
- Add in the cream, corn, potatoes, Italian seasoning, cayenne pepper, and most of the bacon (I save the rest for garnishing the bowls later on). Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Once it's boiling, reduce the heat to a rapid simmer so it's gently boiling. Cover the pot so the lid is slightly ajar.
- Cook until the potatoes are tender (about 15-20 minutes). Stir every so often. The soup will thicken up more the longer you cook it.
- Season the soup with salt & pepper as needed. Garnish bowls with the rest of the bacon.
Notes
- Serves 4-6 depending on portion size.
- You may need to add more broth to leftovers as the soup thickens the longer you leave it.
- Since the cream is boiled, I would NOT recommend subbing it for milk or half-and-half because there's a good chance it'll curdle from the high heat.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information
Jody says
Has anyone added shredded cheddar cheese?
Mary says
This is simply delicious!!!
Natasha says
Thank you!! 🙂
Alison Theodore says
This was a complete winner in our home. The soup is delicious! Just what we needed on a day in January. Thank you!
Natasha says
Fantastic! You're welcome!
Corlene says
This is delicious! Made this and shared with my in-laws. It was a hit!
Thanks for sharing!
Natasha says
Wonderful!! 🙂 I appreciate you passing the recipe on! XO
Chris Couch says
Does it matter what kind of flour ( self rising or all purpose) ?
Natasha says
I use all purpose 🙂
Adam says
Great recipe! My kids came in from sledding and asked for corn chowder. Strayed from my normal recipe and they loved it! Will definitely make again.
Natasha says
I'm so glad to hear it!! 😀
Susan says
Made this without the bacon or Italian seasoning (didn’t have it) and added some chopped yams to sweeten/thicken it up. Delish! It’s going to be even better tomorrow!
Natasha says
Glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂
Timbre Rojanasupya says
I love corn, veggies and bacon. What a wonderful marriage of these wonderful flavors! Thank you 😊
Natasha says
You're very welcome!
Julia says
I added a diced jalapeno and some rotisserie chicken. Really good!
Natasha says
Awesome!!
Gloria Jalali says
Is it possible to go easy on the salt? Many people have medical issues that restrict salt. Thanks,
Gloria
Natasha says
Hi! Well... I don't list a salt quantity in here partly for that reason (so people can add it as needed). Bacon has a fair amount of salt, and chicken broth has some... so you could always look into slightly lower salt alternatives (like low sodium chicken broth). I'll be honest though... without enough salt this soup may be fairly bland. That's the case with many creamy recipes unfortunately.
william j roberts says
I added diced chicken breast and was excellent with some nice crusty bread.
Natasha says
That's great!! Thanks for leaving me a comment!
Michelle says
Easy and delicious! My family approved.
Natasha says
Awesome!!
Heather says
So easy and so delicious!! I’m in love.
Natasha says
That's great! Thanks for commenting!
Amanda says
Fantastic recipe, definitely a new favourite for us.
Natasha says
That's great!! Thanks for taking the time to comment, Amanda.
Stacy says
Would this freeze ok??
Natasha says
I think it should be fine, but I haven't tested. I'd thaw it overnight in the fridge and warm on a low heat. It may separate a bit, but it'll taste fine still.
Kim says
We made this last night and it was a definite hit in our house! This recipe will easily get added into our rotation! I added a touch of smoked paprika as well! Thank you so much for posting this!
Natasha says
That makes me happy! 🙂
Kristin S says
Delicious! I took the short cut of using real bacon bits and sauteing them a bit in olive oil to crisp them up. I can't tell that the taste was lacking due to not using bacon grease to saute the vegetables. Thank you for sharing!!
Natasha says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Melinda says
Hi there! Hoping to make this recipe this weekend. Does it freeze well?
Natasha says
Hi! I haven't tried freezing this recipe myself, but I think it should be ok as long as you reheat on a low heat.
Cathy says
Just made this today and it is really good!
Thanks for the recipe and can’t wait to try some others.
Natasha says
Wonderful! You're very welcome! 🙂
Tammy says
could you use soy heavy cream ? and omit the bacon im vegan?
Natasha says
Hi Tammy! I have never cooked with soy heavy cream, so I really can't speak on the results. The bacon builds a lot of flavor, so I'm not really sure if it'll still taste as good. Sorry I can't be more helpful. I do have some vegan soups in my vegan category that have been tested, though: https://www.saltandlavender.com/category/vegan/
Jane House says
This is the best one I've tried. I did add more stock as it ended up being too thick for me, but it's very flavorful, since everything cooks on bacon fat...
Natasha says
Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Jane! Yup, it's definitely easy to thin it out as needed.
Virginia says
Could you make this as suggested but not add the cream for the boiling part, and then when slightly cooled, add a healthier cream substitute ?
It sounds and looks delicious!
Natasha says
I think that could work... let me know how it goes if you do try!
Lisa Unterreiner says
Do u think it’s possible to substitute coconut milk instead of heavy cream ?
Natasha says
Hi Lisa! Honestly, I'm not sure with this recipe. It would take on a slight coconut flavor, and I'm a little worried it may turn out a bit greasy. You could give it a try... maybe cut the recipe in half for a test? I did recently receive a comment on another one of my chowder recipes where they subbed the cream for coconut milk and they enjoyed it, so maybe it's worth a shot?
Julie says
What size Dutch oven do you use for the soup?
Natasha says
Hi! I think it's 5.5 quart.
Maraya says
Nice recipe, but why bother to cut up the raw bacon? It's easier to cook it in strips. It's also easier to remove it from the pan. After it drains, crispy bacon is easily crumbled into small pieces.
Natasha says
Personal preference, I guess! Either method works fine.
Dina says
This looks fantastic! I’m a turkey bacon kind of girl, do you think the flavor of the soup will be good if I subbed turkey bacon for regular bacon? Thanks in advance! Can’t wait to try this.
Natasha says
I know this will sound nuts, but I've never tried turkey bacon in my life. I imagine it should be fine though if you like the taste of it! Let me know how it goes. 🙂
Dina says
Ha, that’s funny! I tried making this last night and used turkey bacon. It was delicious! Comforting and hearty, perfect for a cold, rainy day. Thanks for a great recipe!
Natasha says
You're welcome!!
Sue Clark says
Easy to make and delicious chowder maybe a little bit more bacon 🥓 another great recipe from salt and lavender
Natasha says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! You could definitely add more bacon. 🙂
Cammy Herman says
Everything I make from your blog turns out phenomenal, this chowder being no different! Creamy and comforting, with a little kick from the cayenne, this is a HIT in our house.
Natasha says
Aww I'm so happy to hear that!! Really appreciate you taking the time to comment! XO
Jess says
Made this today and WOW! Better than restaurant chowder. This is going to be a staple in our house!
Natasha says
Yay! So glad to hear that. Thanks for commenting!