Corn Chowder
This corn chowder is a thick, creamy one-pot American soup built on smoky bacon, tender Yukon Gold potatoes, and mounds of sweet corn. Blending just a third of the pot gives it a velvety body while leaving plenty of whole kernels to pop against the spoon. A last-minute pour of milk and cream keeps it silky without turning heavy or pasty.
Render diced bacon in a Dutch oven and set it aside, then soften onion and celery in the drippings with a little butter; stir in flour to build a quick roux, whisk in broth until smooth, and simmer diced Yukon Gold potatoes with thyme and a bay leaf until fork-tender. Add the corn kernels, simmer 5 minutes, then blend about a third of the pot with an immersion blender so it turns velvety while keeping plenty of whole kernels. Finish over low heat with whole milk and a splash of heavy cream, never letting it boil, season aggressively with salt and pepper, and serve topped with the reserved bacon and sliced green onions.
- Blend only part of the pot: pureeing about a third gives a creamy corn chowder without losing the sweet burst of whole kernels.
- Add the milk and cream off a hard boil and keep it at a bare simmer so the dairy stays smooth and never curdles.
- If using fresh corn, simmer the stripped cobs in the broth for 10 minutes and discard them; they lend deep, sweet corn flavor for free.
Equipment
- Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Wooden spoon
- Immersion blender
- Ladle
Malzemeler
Chowder base
- thick-cut bacon, about 4 oz / 115 g, diced
- 28 g unsalted butter
- yellow onion, diced
- celery, diced
- garlic, minced
- 24 g all-purpose flour
- 450 g Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, 1/2-inch dice
- 750 g corn kernels, from 6–7 ears, or frozen and thawed
- 960 ml chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 g fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp dried
- bay leaf
- 1 g smoked paprika
To finish and garnish
- 240 ml whole milk
- 120 ml heavy cream
- 8 g kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
- green onions, thinly sliced
Yapılışı
- ADIM01
Dice the bacon and cook it in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 8 minutes. Lift it out to a paper-towel-lined plate and pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of the fat.
- ADIM02
Add the butter to the reserved bacon fat. Once it foams, stir in the onion and celery with a pinch of salt and cook until translucent and soft, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- ADIM03
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes to cook off the raw taste. Slowly pour in the broth while whisking, scraping the bottom of the pot so no lumps form and the base looks smooth.
- ADIM04
Add the potatoes, thyme, bay leaf, and smoked paprika. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook, partially covered, until the potatoes are fork-tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
- ADIM05
Stir in the corn kernels and simmer until heated through and tender, about 5 minutes. Fish out and discard the bay leaf.
- ADIM06
Turn off the heat. Using an immersion blender, puree about a third of the pot directly in the pot until the broth thickens and turns creamy, leaving most of the kernels and potato whole. (Or blend 2 cups in a stand blender and stir it back in.)
- ADIM07
Set the pot over low heat and stir in the milk and cream. Warm gently for 3 to 5 minutes until steaming, but do not let it boil or the dairy can break. Season with the salt and pepper, then taste and adjust.
- ADIM08
Ladle the chowder into bowls and top with the reserved crisp bacon, sliced green onions, and a few extra grinds of black pepper.
Make ahead
Make the chowder through the potato-and-corn simmer up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate without the milk and cream. When ready to serve, reheat, blend part of the pot, then stir in the dairy and finish with fresh garnishes.
Storage
Cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring often and loosening with a splash of broth or milk as it thickens in the fridge; avoid a hard boil so the dairy stays smooth.
Variations
Vegetarian Corn Chowder
Skip the bacon and start with 2 tablespoons olive oil plus the butter. Use vegetable broth and bump the smoked paprika to 3/4 teaspoon for smoky depth. Finish with a handful of grated sharp cheddar stirred in off the heat.
Southwest Corn Chowder
Sauté a diced poblano and half a seeded jalapeño with the onion, and add 1 teaspoon ground cumin with the flour. Finish with a squeeze of lime and chopped cilantro, and top with crumbled cotija instead of green onions.
Shrimp & Corn Chowder
Stir 340 g (12 oz) peeled, deveined shrimp into the simmering chowder in the last 4 minutes, cooking just until pink and opaque. Note that this adds Shellfish as an allergen.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
Sık sorulanlar
Can I use frozen or canned corn for corn chowder?
Yes. Frozen corn works year-round and can go in straight from the freezer or thawed, no draining needed. Canned corn works too; just drain it well. Fresh corn at peak summer season gives the sweetest, most vivid corn chowder, but a good bag of frozen kernels is a close, reliable second.
How do I make my corn chowder thicker?
The flour roux plus starchy Yukon Gold potatoes do most of the work. For a thicker corn chowder, blend more of the pot, mash a few potato pieces against the side, or simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes to reduce. In a pinch, stir in a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch whisked into 2 tablespoons cold water and simmer 1 minute.
Can I make corn chowder ahead and freeze it?
The base freezes best before the dairy goes in, since milk and cream can separate and turn grainy after thawing. Freeze the finished-but-dairy-free chowder for up to 3 months, then reheat gently and stir in the milk and cream fresh. If you freeze the fully finished soup, expect a slightly grainy texture that a good stir and low, slow reheating usually smooths out.
Why isn't my corn chowder sweet enough?
Sweetness depends heavily on the corn. Out of season, kernels can be starchy rather than sugary. Simmer the stripped cobs in the broth for 10 minutes and discard them to draw out extra corn flavor, and if needed add a small pinch of sugar. Go easy on salt until the end so it doesn't mask the natural sweetness.
How do I make corn chowder vegetarian?
Leave out the bacon, cook the aromatics in olive oil plus the butter, and use vegetable broth. Add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of smoked paprika to bring back the smoky note the bacon provided. A little grated sharp cheddar stirred in at the end adds savory depth.
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