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Easy Ham and Corn Chowder

Published: / Updated: / 74 Comments

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This ham and corn chowder recipe is loaded with potatoes, bacon, and plenty of corn! It's creamy, comforting, and easy to make. 

creamy ham and corn chowder in a bowl

This ham potato and corn chowder recipe is based on my popular chicken and corn chowder. The ingredients and cooking process are fairly similar, so if you like that recipe (and if you like ham), you may want to give this one a try too!

This corn chowder with ham is made from everyday ingredients. Bacon, onion, celery, and garlic infuse a ton of flavor. The flour and potatoes thicken the soup and make it hearty. Italian seasoning and a pinch of cayenne pepper (optional - it doesn't make it spicy but it adds a little something-something) punch up the taste even more. And cream gives it that signature silkiness. 

This is one of those recipes that's great for leftover ham from Easter or Christmas, but you can also just buy a piece of ham and cut it up like I did. You can find smaller pieces of ham (like around 1-2 pounds) in most major grocery stores.

Ham and potato corn chowder in a yellow soup pot

Recipe notes & tips:

  • As ham and bacon can be quite salty, you may want to use low-sodium chicken broth if you have any concerns with salt content.
  • I haven't tried making this recipe with anything besides cream, so with any recipe, substitutions are at your own risk. Someone made my other (similar) chowder recipe with half-and-half instead of cream, and the heat curdled it, so just be mindful if you're doing a substitution.
  • The soup gets thicker the longer you leave it. You can add more chicken broth to leftovers to thin it out if needed.
  • I used frozen corn. You could definitely use fresh or canned corn if you wish.
  • I like the starchiness of Russet potatoes, but you can use a different variety if you like.

ham and corn chowder in two bowls

I hope you'll love this satisfying soup recipe! It really warms you up and sticks to your ribs. 🙂

More tasty recipes with ham:

close-up of ham and corn chowder

Questions about this corn chowder recipe with ham and potatoes? Made it? Leave me a comment below!

Tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram if you've made any of my recipes so I can see your creations.

creamy ham and corn chowder in a bowl

Ham and Corn Chowder

This ham and corn chowder recipe is loaded with potatoes, bacon, and plenty of corn! It's creamy, comforting, and easy to make. 
5 from 25 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Total Time 50 mins
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 459 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 4 strips bacon cut into small pieces
  • 1/2 medium onion chopped
  • 2 sticks celery chopped
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 cups chicken broth or stock
  • 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
  • 2 cups frozen corn
  • 1 pound smoked ham chopped
  • 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, ham, and potatoes. 
  • Once the bacon is crispy, take it out of the pot and remove to a paper towel lined plate. Leave the bacon fat in the pot. 
  • Add the onion and celery to the pot and sauté for 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the flour and cook for about a minute, stirring nearly constantly.
  • Add in the garlic, followed by the chicken broth. Give it a good stir to ensure the flour has dissolved and the flavorful brown bits are scraped up from the bottom of the pot. 
  • Add in the cream, corn, ham, 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. 
  • Cook until the potatoes are tender (about 15-20 minutes). Stir every so often. The soup will get thicker the longer you cook it.
  • Season the soup with salt & pepper if needed. Garnish with the rest of the bacon.

Notes

  • Serves 4-6 depending on portion size.
  • If you're sensitive to salt, use low-sodium chicken broth. Ham can be quite salty.
  • 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

Nutrition

Calories: 459kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 21gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 100mgSodium: 1624mgPotassium: 1109mgFiber: 4gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 643IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 73mgIron: 3mg
Keyword corn chowder with ham, ham and corn chowder, ham and potato corn chowder
Author Natasha Bull
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  1. Matt says

    I would like to make this soup for a large group. Do the ratios of the ingredients stay the same if making triple what your recipe calls for?

    Reply

  2. Heather Roberts says

    5 stars
    My family loved this recipe- I would advise to prep veggies before cooking bacon- It needed quite a bit of stirring/attention. I subbed 1/2 and 1/2 which worked just fine.

    Reply

  5. Vicki says

    5 stars
    Made this to serve families staying at the Ronald McDonald House tonight. It smelled so welcoming and delicious! A nice comforting meal with salad, rolls, and fruit parfaits. I will definitely make this again. Thank you for a terrific recipe!

    Reply

    • Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says

      We are so thrilled it was a hit, and that's such a wonderful gesture on your part, Vicki! Thank you! 🙂

      Reply

  6. Steve says

    5 stars
    This was really good. I had some spare shredded carrot from the last soup that I made, so I added this with the onion and celery. For the corn, I used a can of creamed corn and a half-cup of frozen corn to make 2 cups. Used white potatoes, diced small, so they would hold together a little better. Added two pinches of paprika with the cayenne. And, when it got down to 5 minutes left, I added a cup of shredded cheddar cheese.

    Paired it with some buttered sourdough. Fantastic!

    Reply

  7. Nicole says

    5 stars
    So good!! Great way to use up ham from Thanksgiving! We decided to omit the Italian seasoning and added a 4 oz can of diced green chiles to add some heat to it. Turned out so yummy!

    Reply

  8. Debbie says

    I made the ham corn chowder tonight. I cut the amount of ham down ,1 pound just seemed like a lot.
    It turned out delicious .
    Thanks for posting this recipe

    Reply

  9. Jane Harding says

    The ingredient quantities for four and eight portions are harder to understand than those quoted for six portions. Can you explain how to convert? Thank you.

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi Jane! I am not quite sure I understand what you're asking. Are you moving the slider in the recipe card to change the number of servings? That's simply a computer calculation that's done automatically, and yes, it'll look weird if you change a recipe that's meant for 6 (the way it's written) to serve 4. Really the main purpose of that slider is to double, triple, or halve the recipe without having to do the math yourself.

      Reply

  10. Amy Pletcher says

    5 stars
    I just made your ham and corn chowder!!!!! OMGoodness!!!!!!!! It is FANTASTIC!!! I I used fresh corn that I prepped to freeze myself. Followed the recipe to a "T". Even my daughter said smells like you are making potato soup. I did not tell until she put it in her bowl. After I did she put her nose up and said eww gross. But then she tried it and changed her attitude! Lol she actually said it was good!! Anyway, it is cold and snowy here and this was perfect!! We pared it with some sourdough bread we got from Aldi. Have a wonderful night!!

    Reply

  11. Lisa says

    5 stars
    This potato soup is so good. It’s the new way of making potato soup. Will be making it again and again. Thanks so much!

    Reply

  12. Robyn says

    5 stars
    Corn chowder has been a childhood favorite and my Mom made it often. This was close to giet recipe and we LOVED it. We made a few modifications (we love spicy), but the basic recipe is perfection.
    Thank you for sharing this. It will become a mainstay in our autumn meal rotation. It's chilly here in Oregon and this really hit the spot.

    Reply

  17. A Bean says

    5 stars
    Great recipe! Tastes yummy..the dash of Italian is lovely.. I did add 2 oz of sharp cheddar cheese..just for another layer of flavor, and adds a creamy touch

    Reply

  18. Sandy Johnson says

    5 stars
    This was delicious. Surprised it did not call for cheese, but creamy and thick without it. Will give the chicken corn chowder a try.

    Reply

  19. Ashley K says

    5 stars
    This was absolutely delicious!! Maryland decided to go from springtime back to winter and this made the perfect meal! I substituted 2 cans of corn for frozen and everything was just perfect!!

    Reply

  20. Katy says

    Hello - I love a thick chowder, but there’s a dairy allergy in the family so I can’t use heavy cream. I use regular lactose free milk. I try to add an extra tablespoon of flour to the beginning. But I’m not sure that’s the right answer. What, in your opinion, is the best substitute?

    Reply

  21. Alice says

    5 stars
    I'm making this right now. I added a touch of nutmeg. I live in Hawaii and the nights have been cool so this will be warming. I just tasted it and it is FABULOUS. Mahalo nui loa, thank you very much, for this great recipe! I will be making this often!

    Reply

  22. Pargetter says

    5 stars
    Great recipe to use leftover Christmas ham. Followed recipe except for 1lb frozen corn. Tasted great with just a touch of hot sauce.

    Reply

  23. Natalia says

    5 stars
    I am a rice girl at heart but dang this soup was SO GOOD potatoes and all! Added some carrots and wow! Thank you for this recipe 🙂

    Reply

  25. Maria says

    5 stars
    This was a hit with folks who normally don't care for soup or chowder aka my husband. He was like "Wow, this is really good!" Loving your blog...it's awesome!

    Reply

  27. Jeri Livingston says

    5 stars
    I made this tonight for dinner, it was super easy to make, I was surprised of how thick it turned out, expected to add cheese to make it thicker but it wasn’t needed, I served it with French bread, hubby enjoyed it so much he went back for seconds, thanks for sharing this delicious recipe.

    Reply

  28. Stephanie says

    5 stars
    Made this for dinner today. Very tasty and my family, esp. my husband really liked it. They’re anxious to eat the leftovers for lunch tomorrow (they expect it to be “even better the next day” 😉). Thanks for sharing it.

    Reply

  29. Amy says

    5 stars
    Made this for Christmas Eve dinner. Both my husband and son were skeptical at first, mostly because they didn’t think soup was an ‘appropriate’ meal for Christmas Eve (men, lol), but they were both blown away!! They loved it! As did I! It is creamy and delicious. I made the recipe exactly as written and wouldn’t change a thing. Added a few French fried onions on top, served with an arugula pear salad and some yeast rolls.

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi Cindy! I have never tried canned potatoes, so I can't really say for sure. If you've made soup with them before, I don't see why it wouldn't work. Let me know!

      Reply

  31. Hannah says

    Hi there! Just wondering if this recipe would freeze? I live in NZ, and it’s summer... so not quite soup weather, but I have a lot of left over ham from Xmas!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi! I haven't tested it, but I think you should probably be fine. It may end up a little bit separated since it's creamy, but I think it'll still taste good. 🙂

      Reply

  32. Janelle Tessier says

    5 stars
    Made this tonight and it really is good! Nice and hearty for a cold October evening. I will add more corn next time but that's just my thought. I did add the cayenne pepper too.

    Reply

  33. Jenna says

    5 stars
    I just made your corn chowder tonight and it was a hit! Next time I’ll add more potatoes but that’s just personal preference. Can’t wait to try your other recipes, thank you!

    Reply

  35. Wendy Noyes says

    I used your ham corn chowder recipe tonight. My husband of 36 yrs and best friend, said that was some of the best soup I’ve made in a real long time. I used the ends of the ham from the deli case. I plan to become a frequent flyer of your website. Thank you and God bless you 🙃

    Reply