This Summer Corn Chowder with bacon and potatoes is on the table in around 30 minutes and cooks on the stovetop. Its thick, creamy and luscious and coats the spoon perfectly. Its fresh and savoury and perfect for eating all year round. If you're a fan of Seafood Chowder, this one is a must try.
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Recipe Highlights
- Make it all in one pot in around 30 minutes
- Its light and fresh, and full of flavours
- Easy 5 minutes of prep and no precooking of the corn is needed
- Its pure comfort food made a little healthier
- Perfect for Lunch or Dinner
- Easy to customize with lots of ideas below (see recipe tips!)
Ingredients
This corn chowder doesn’t contain any cheese. It doesn’t need it. With just a little butter and cream its easy to create a perfect consistency that won’t fall off your spoon when you pick it up.
And its perfect for dunking your bread in as well. The secret to a thick corn chowder is to puree some of the ingredients and you can do this using either a stick blender or food processor. It really does make a difference and only takes a couple of minutes to do.
If you love thick soups, check out my Bacon and Split Pea Soup which I make constantly in winter and often in summer, and my Yellow Lentil Soup for a super filling Dinner low in fat.
Ingredient Notes
- Corn: Since corn is the star of this dish, get your hands on the best corn you can. If that means canned corn, that’s, fine. Even better if you can get fresh corn cobs and cut the kernels off (make sure to remove all stringy bits)
- Bacon: Go for a bacon that has some fat on it as it will provide more flavour. Using a bacon that has no fat at all, will mean less flavour, but somewhat less calories. I love using a smoky bacon for extra flavour.
- Potatoes: Yukon gold potatoes or yellow potatoes are ideal for this recipe as they are soft and waxy and create a lovely creaminess and smooth texture when blended. Alternatively you could use any type of potato that has a yellow skin, or even red skinned potatoes like the Desirae in Australia
- Chicken Stock/Broth: this is the base of the chowder and provides the flavour base. Alternatively you can use vegetable stock, but it wont have as much flavour. Pre bought liquid chicken stock or a chicken bouillon cube dissolved in hot water are good options.
- Garlic: freshly crushed garlic will provide a punchier hit of garlic flavour, however garlic paste, or minced garlic from a jar works well. If you’re a garlic fan, feel free to add a little extra.
- Cream: Its best to use either heavy cream or thickened cream depending on where you’re located. They are similar and will achieve the same result – to make the chowder thick, creamy and luscious
- Butter: any butter will do, full fat is my preference as it adds more flavour. But low fat or even dairy free butter will work.
- Cornstarch: also called cornflour, this is used to help thicken the chowder
- Salt/Pepper/Bay Leaf/Thyme: these round out the other flavours and create a nice savoury balance to the sweetcorn. If you don’t have fresh thyme, dried is fine, or alternatively fresh basil works well.
How To Make
- Cook Bacon: Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced bacon and cook, stirring often, until it is crisp. Remove the bacon to a paper towel to drain any excess fat (but leave the rendered fat in the pan).
- Cook Onion and Garlic: Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes or until it is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and thyme. Stir and cook for 1 minute, or until the garlic is fragrant. Add the cornstarch and stir so it evenly coats the onion.
- Add Potatoes and Stock/Broth: Add the chopped potatoes and 3 cups of chicken stock. Raise the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes.
- Puree: Transfer the soup to a blender or use an immersion blender to puree the soup until it is smooth.
- Add Corn, Cream and Seasoning: Add the remaining two cups of chicken stock, along with the corn, and bay leaf. Cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until the corn kernels are tender. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the heavy cream and butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe Tips
- Make it Spicy: Add some red chilli flakes on top to serve, or even a little fresh diced red chilli. Alternatively a little cayenne pepper will add additional heat.
- Make it Smokey: Add a tiny pinch of ground paprika, smoked paprika, and hot paprika for an amazing smokiness that bring the soup alive, and if you’ve used smoky bacon as well, this is the ultimate combo.
- Make it Dairy Free: Use a dairy free butter, and leave out the cream
- Extra Freshness: add fresh thinly sliced spring onions on top to serve, or fresh chopped chives.
- Storage: Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Soups are a great way to use up leftover items in your fridge or pantry, like in the Vegetable and Barley Soup, or to create a delicious low carb dinner like in this Roasted Cauliflower Soup.
Common Questions
I don’t recommend using creamed corn for this recipe as it will turn to mush and you wont be able to taste the corn flavour. For the punchiest corn flavour fresh corn kernels are best, and next best is canned sweet corn, drained thoroughly of its juices.
Using coconut cream or coconut milk would significantly change the flavour, and you may not be able to taste the corn so much. Heavy cream or thickened cream has less flavour on its own so the corn flavour comes through. If you’d like to make it dairy free, omit the cream and use a dairy free butter.
Serve this summer corn chowder up with some Air Fryer Garlic Bread, or this quick 3 ingredient flatbread.
Summer Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked bacon - chopped
- 1 sweet onion - chopped
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme - minced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 large yukon gold potatoes - peeled and chopped
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 3 cups fresh corn kernels
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Salt and pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced bacon and cook, stirring often, until it is crisp. Remove the bacon to a paper towel to drain any excess fat (but leave the rendered fat in the pan).
- Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes or until it is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and thyme. Stir and cook for 1 minute, or until the garlic is fragrant. Add the cornstarch and stir so it evenly coats the onion.
- Add the chopped potatoes and 3 cups of chicken stock. Raise the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes.
- Transfer the soup to a blender or use an immersion blender to puree the soup until it is smooth.
- Add the remaining two cups of chicken stock, along with the corn, and bay leaf. Cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until the corn kernels are tender. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the heavy cream and butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve topped with the crisp bacon and green onion or cheese, if desired. Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Notes
- Corn: Since corn is the star of this dish, get your hands on the best corn you can. If that means canned corn, that’s, fine. Even better if you can get fresh corn cobs and cut the kernels off (make sure to remove all stringy bits)
- Bacon: Go for a bacon that has some fat on it as it will provide more flavour. Using a bacon that has no fat at all, will mean less flavour, but somewhat less calories. I love using a smoky bacon for extra flavour.
- Potatoes: Yukon gold potatoes or yellow potatoes are ideal for this recipe as they are soft and waxy and create a lovely creaminess and smooth texture when blended. Alternatively you could use any type of potato that has a yellow skin, or even red skinned potatoes like the Desirae in Australia
- Chicken Stock/Broth: this is the base of the chowder and provides the flavour base. Alternatively you can use vegetable stock, but it wont have as much flavour. Pre bought liquid chicken stock or a chicken bouillon cube dissolved in hot water are good options.
- Garlic: freshly crushed garlic will provide a punchier hit of garlic flavour, however garlic paste, or minced garlic from a jar works well. If you’re a garlic fan, feel free to add a little extra.
- Cream: Its best to use either heavy cream or thickened cream depending on where you’re located. They are similar and will achieve the same result – to make the chowder thick, creamy and luscious
- Butter: any butter will do, full fat is my preference as it adds more flavour. But low fat or even dairy free butter will work.
- Cornstarch: also called cornflour, this is used to help thicken the chowder
- Salt/Pepper/Bay Leaf/Thyme: these round out the other flavours and create a nice savoury balance to the sweetcorn
Nutrition
Note: Sugars contained in this recipe are from naturally occurring sugars in fruits, vegetables or other natural sweeteners. Calories have been calculated for your convenience using My Fitness Pal and are based on the ingredients listed in the recipe card.
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