Fresh Corn Chowder loaded with sweet summer corn and tender potatoes in a creamy and flavor-packed corn broth. You’ll love that you have options using either fresh corn on the cob, frozen or even canned corn when it’s not in season. It also keeps well in the refrigerator, which I love for meal planning!
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Helpful Reader Review
“This is hands down the best corn chowder that we have ever had. I made it for company and they said that we could have just served them the chowder and skipped the main course because the chowder was so scrumptious! Thank you!” – Karen ★★★★★
The Best Corn Chowder Recipe
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. Pair it with warm homemade biscuits and dinner is made!
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.
Corn Chowder Video Tutorial
Watch my video tutorial and I’ll show you just how easy it is to make corn chowder. Corn chowder is actually one of the first soups I learned how to make when I got married 21+ years ago. I remember researching the top restaurant copycat soups and then developing this recipe – it’s a keeper!
Ingredients for Corn Chowder
The ingredients here are simple pantry and refrigerator staples that come together to make the best pot of soup.
- Corn: Corn that is still on the cob is best so you can utilize the kernels and the corn milk from the husks. Check out my tips for buying corn. If fresh corn is out of season, no problem – see below for corn substitutions.
- Potatoes: we use Yukon gold potatoes for their tender, waxy texture which is perfect for a chowder.
- Carrot, Celery, and Onion: This aromatic trio is critical to adding flavor and we use them in nearly all of my soup recipes.
- Bacon: Sauteeing the bacon 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 and Cream: These form 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.
Can I use Frozen or Canned Corn?
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.
How to Make 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.
- Make the Corn Stock – Cut the kernels from the cobs and set kernels aside for making chowder.* Place the bare cobs in a stockpot.
- Add broth, milk, and cream, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes while making the chowder. Use tongs to remove and discard cobs before using corn stock.
How to Cut Corn off the Cobs
Cutting corn from the cob can get messy with kernels landing all over your kitchen. You can avoid making a big mess with this simple trick:
Set a small bowl upside down inside of a larger bowl. Place your corn vertically on top of the smaller bowl, hold the top, and cut the kernels off by running your knife straight down against the cob. The kernels will fall into the larger bowl, just be careful not to hit the bowl with your knife. You can also do this over a bundt pan.
How to Make Corn Chowder
- Sautee bacon in a Dutch oven until crisps and renders fat. Remove bacon to a plate, reserving 2-3 Tbsp of bacon grease in the pot.
- 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.
How to 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 bristled brush or even a clean toothbrush. The bristles catch the silk and it comes off quickly and easily.
Storing Corn Chowder
- To Refrigerate: Cool the soup completely to room temperature before storing, then transfer it to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: I would not recommend freezing corn chowder since the dairy in the recipe can separate, and potatoes can get grainy and mushy.
- To Reheat: Add soup to a saucepan and reheat over low heat, stirring frequently to bring back the creamy texture. You can also reheat in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until heated through.
Topped with bacon and chives, this Corn Chowder becomes such a comforting bowl of soup. It’s a family favorite, right up there with Zuppa Toscana!
More Corn Recipes
If you love sweet summer corn, these corn recipes are the best way to enjoy corn while it’s at the peak of freshness and flavor.
- Boiled Corn on the Cob
- Avocado Corn Salad
- Grilled Corn in Foil
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
- Mexican Street Corn
- Shrimp Boil
- Corn Guacamole
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
Filed Under
More Family-Favorite Soup Recipes
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Split Pea Soup – My Mother’s recipe
- Beef Stew
- Tomato Soup
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- French Onion Soup (Natasha’s Fave)
Try adding some Hatch green chiles an a tiny can of black beans for a little southwest flair and color.
I made this in late winter, and it was delicious. Bought fresh corn on cob today and making it again tomorrow. Definitely a great recipe!!
I’m so glad you enjoy it, Chris!
Excellent recipe! It’s perfect! Thanks so much.
Tried the recipe today. Very easy to make, but it came out so bland, I had to season the heck out of it. Ended up with smoked paprika instead of cayenne (I’m spicy averse), more salt, a little msg, and some powdered chicken boullion.
This is my second time making this summer corn chowder for company and OH MAN. People were raving over it. It is so light, yet hearty. Comforting, yet not too heavy to serve as a first course.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND blending up 1/4 of it and then adding make into the soup. I almost missed it as a tip on her recipe, because it didn’t print out on my recipe. But in my opinion – it makes it a TRUE chowder. With some smooth and creamy parts, along with the chunks of the veggies & corn.
Followed the recipe to a T and mmmmm-mmmmm–mmmmmm it is so good.
Thank you so much for your wonderful recipes! Your website is my VERY first visit everytime I’m hosting or want to make something new, because your recipes are all TRIED AND TRUE! 🙂
This was delicious! No substitutions… just followed the recipe.
Do you cooks the corn on the cob first? Or cut the kernels when it’s raw? Thank you!
Hi Lora! You cut them off while it’s raw. I hope you love the recipe!
Added a huge thyme bundle while the broth was cooking … yums … thanks for this!
Can you use corn on the cobs that have just been cooked from the bbq
Yes, you can! It will actually enhance the flavor!
Such a great recipe! Sometimes I sub a cubed beef kielbasa for the bacon, or diced ham. Add a can of diced tomatoes and a hunk of velveeta cheese. Today I added asparagus!
That sounds great, Karen!
I’ve had this before, and it is excellent. The number of servings is a bit confusing. It seems to have about 19 cups of ingredients in it, which to me would be about 8 2-cup servings. However, the recipe says it makes “8 cups”. can you clarify?
Hi, you are correct – this should say 8 people and each serving is about 2 cups. Thank you for pointing that out. I updated the recipe card.
This recipe is a Gem…1st time making it,I followed the exact recipe and measurements,and it didn’t disappoint, Very comforting, savory,especially with all the rain we’d been having,perfect meal with toasted baguette. Definitely will add to the roster.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Xina!
I. Would. Probably DD HOMINY, EITHER WHITE OR YELLOW FOR ADDITIONAL TASTE, IVE ALWAYS LOVED HOMINY AND THIS CHOWDER SEEMS LIKE THE ONE TO USE ITIN
THANK YOU FOR THE RECIPE
You’re welcome, Karen! The addition of hominy sounds great!
hey Miss Natasha…I used your recipe for the corn chowder soup, and I was so excited to use it in my Church soup cook off…. well…. I was really surprised as you did good Gal …as your soup won first prize as most savory and best all-around taste. kudos Gal!!! makes a very tasty Batcheler dish!
This recipe ROCKS! I followed your exact recipe (like I always do) and it was delicious! I used the 2 cans of sweet corn and 1 can of creamed corn version, it was easy and perfect. At the request of my family, we will be having this again next weekend! Thank you Natasha for all your easy to follow recipes.
You’re very welcome, Sandy! I’m glad you’re loving the recipes!
My family loved it, it was so comforting and delicious probably going to make this again!
Hi Ezme! That’s great to hear. I’m glad you loved it.
I would love to add shrimp to this, any suggestions?
Hi Teresa! I would add them at the very end. They cook very quickly, usually in 2-3 minutes. The shrimp will turn pink and opaque when it’s cooked through.
I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m thinking salmon might be good in that as well
I would recommend adding a bit of EVOO & quite a bit of blackening seasoning to peeled & deveined shrimp. Mix well. Cook in a pan on the stove on med-high heat, about 2 min per side. Then simply add a few to the chowder as a topping. Yum!
In the “Can I used canned corn” section it says use 1 can of corn and 1 can of creamed corn.
In the notes it says to use 2 cans of corn and 1 can of creamed corn.
Hello! Here’s what’s in the recipe Canned Corn: Use (2) 15 oz cans corn and (1) 15 oz can creamed corn. Add frozen or canned corn when you would normally add the corn kernels in step 3.
Loved it! Better than any corn chowder I’ve had at a restaurant.
I just finished making this soup. It was super easy to make. I’ve had a craving for corn chowder for the past couple of weeks. I could not find any corn chowder, canned or otherwise, without chicken. I just wanted corn chowder. I did not add any salt to the recipe. I did add a sprig of thyme and a couple of mini sweet peppers to add some color and an added burst of flavor. The soup was delicious. I recommend this to beginner cooks or otherwise. Thank you for the recipe Natasha.