Fresh Corn Chowder loaded 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.
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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.
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.
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.
- Sautee bacon in a dutch oven until crisps and renders fat. Remove bacon to a plate.
- Sautee veggies (onion, celery, and carrot) in the bacon grease until softened.
- Add potatoes and corn kernels and season with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- Add corn stock into the pot and simmer until potatoes are tender.
- 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
Ingredients
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
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
We made this according to the recipe a few weeks ago. It was delicious! My family loved it and I’m actually making it again tonight for dinner. I love your recipes and have not been disappointed one time.
Thank you,
Kathy Morris and crew!
Hi Kathy! That’s wonderful to hear. Thanks so much for sharing.
I have made this several times. I always use canned corn (2 cans) and 1 can of creamed corn. Served in a sour dough bread bowl. That’s a meal!!
I love this recipe. But I personally would leave out the milk as there’s already enough calories in the heavy cream
EXCELLENT! Went by the recipe except I did not have fresh chives so I used dried. My 5 ears of corn was only equivalent to 3 cups so I added two cups of frozen corn. I will definitely be making this again. Thank you very much! I’ve tried so many new recipes the last 2 years and there’s only been a handful that I would have made again!
Hi Cindy! I’m so happy to hear that. Thank you for sharing.
I was craving some comfort food and this hit the spot. Just enough heat to make it tasty.
Thanks for another great recipe!
You’re so welcome! I’m happy that you loved it!
Been making this recipe for a few years now and I always make some for hunting season to take with us to camp as well as some extra to freeze! I typically add chicken to make it more of a meal but it’s our favorite fall/winter recipe.
It’s a good idea to add chicken too and I’m happy to hear that you have been making this recipe for how many years now. Thank you so much for sharing.
How and when do you add the chicken? I struggle with rubbery, overcooked chicken at times. :/
This was great without bacon. Used Ghee to sauté the veg. taste was amazing. Totally added the cobs to the stock, super idea.
Great to haer that you enjoyed our Corn Chowder recipe!
Howdy! How would this recipe work with Red Potatoes? That appears to be all I have at my local grocery store
Hi Eve, I haven’t tested that to advise. If you do an experiment and use that, we’d love to know how it turns out!
We love your corn chatter recipe. We like to make it in the fall when we have delicious fresh corn. Still at the market. We froze some. But we were unhappy with it. This year we simply made And froze the base and cooked and added the potatoes when we defrosted it. We then thickened it with potato starch. It turned out great. We love having the taste of the fresh corn from the fall available to us. As winter sets in.
That’s great, Lida! Thank you so much for sharing that with us!
Very good chowder. I made the slurry like someone else did but kept the recipe the same. Thanks!
You’re welcome, Tish!
I followed this recipe to the tee! It is a very robust (tasty) chowder, which I enjoy in a chowder. The only things I would change the next time I make this (which I will) is:
1. Add some flour to the vegetables to thicken the broth; and
2. Allow more time for the carrots to soften.
Thank you for sharing, Donna.
This is by far the best Corn Chowder recipe I have tried. I did add two tablespoons of diced red and green peppers to the recipe, for color and taste because I still had my own garden grown to use up. Corn chowder is not just for summer, it warms you up on a chilly Autumn day!
Thanks Natasha
You’re very welcome, Mariane!
Excellent! This is a solid recipe. Mine wasn’t the consistency that I like at the end, so I added a little cornstarch slurry, simmered it for a few more minutes, and mounted a few tbsp of butter. It was silky, y’all.
I’m so glad it all worked out, Jeremy! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.