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!
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
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)
I made this and it’s an amazing recipe….. the first time I made it everyone raved….. the second time I did it a lil different but still amazing…. Both times I cut up raw shrimp and threw it in toward the end…. awesome
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Love this recipe. We can’t get enough. I gave the recipe to my daughter and she had the same “problem” Since I first tried it at the peak of corn season I was able to blanch a quantity of corn for future batches. I cut the corn off the cobs and then froze the corn and the bare cobs so I can boil the cobs when making each batch for lots of flavour. I also chopped and precooked the bacon, saving a bit of bacon grease and froze the bacon and the grease in portions needed for the recipe. Now I’m fully prepared to whip up a batch of chowder in record time this winter.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Summer corn chowder is exactly what I was searching for when wanting a smooth rich & flavorful soup. We followed the recipe to a T and it was perfection! Need to make another batch to share with friends!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Laurie! Thank you for the wonderful review!
I know a recipe is a winner when my oldest teenage son gets up from the table and says, “Thanks Momma Bear, that was SO delicious.” And my youngest son says, “I am taking this to school. It’s sooooo good.” Thanks for this one, I already can’t wait for lunch tomorrow.
WOW! That’s just awesome! Isn’t it the best when kids love what we moms make! That’s so great!
Can you use organic frozen corn and still get the same results?
Hi Sheila, I haven’t tried this myself but several of our readers have successfully made this with frozen corn.
Absolutely delicious! Prepped the veggies and creamy broth the night before. In the am, I combined them in a crockpot. Followed the recipe exactly as written. My company loved it and everyone had seconds!
Perfect autumn lunch paired with apple Waldorf salad.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
So very good! I’ve been looking at this recipe for ages and so glad finally tried it! Delicious! Thanks for a winning dinner!
I’m so glad you enjoyed that, Jenii!
Hi Natasha! I just made this corn chowder last night…BEST ever!! We loved it! I’m depressed cause I should’ve made it sooner so I could make more with the fresh corn before it was out of season. Thanks for another fabulous recipe! Love following you!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Lisa!
Hey Natasha, we made your corn chowder recipe and absolutely loved it! We had so much corn we doubled the recipe, I didn’t look it up until after I had discarded the cobs but in lieu of that, we took a magic bullet full of kernels and added some chicken stock to it and pureed the mixture and used it as part of our stock. Another change was 3 345 ml. cans of 2% evaporated canned milk instead of the milk and heavy cream. I put in about a tbsp of black pepper along with the cayenne. We put the bacon back in for the cook instead of using it as a garnish, other than that it was verbatim except maybe we went a little heavy on the carrot, onion, and celery, but not much! We let it sit overnight before having for lunch the next day…Delicious!!! Thanks very much.
I’m so glad you enjoyed that, Craig! Thank you for sharing that with me.
It made me fart! I loved it!
lol. What? I’m laughing reading your comment.
This soup is incredibly delicious! I mistakenly added 3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, but the flavor was excellent. Changes I made (on purpose) were to use Fat Free 1/2 & 1/2 and evaporated skim milk, as well as adding a couple cloves of garlic. I also increased the pepper and used crushed red pepper for the heat.
Magnificent! This is now my go-to corn chowder recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Sue! Thank you for the wonderful review!
I already gave this recipe a 5 star review. AMAZING!!! But I’m already thinking I’d love some of this in my freezer to eat during the winter. Do you think it would freeze well?
Hi Xenia, I haven’t tested that but one of our readers wrote great feedback regarding freezing this recipe.
Hi Natasha, your corn chowder was so delicious, 1st time I made it with fresh corn and carrots and celery, it was so yummy and fresh, next time I might had diced ham, but Thankyou again for another delicious meal, I love making your recipes and watching your videos
You’re welcome, Mary! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
Absolutely delicious and easy to make. A winner for sure!
I’m so glad to hear that! Thank you for sharing that with me!
Can you use almond milk instead of dairy milk???
Hi Katie, I haven’t tested that but I think it’s worth experimenting. Canned coconut milk might be a good option since it has that creamy aspect to it.
Hi Natasha,
Do you think I could substitute this with frozen corn?
Hi Nico, I haven’t tried this myself but several of our readers have successfully made this with frozen corn.
I just finished making your Corn Chowder and I agree the taste was VERY VERY Good and so fresh !!
I should have gone lighter on the Cayenne pepper but I am impressed with ur ability to create. You are such a natural talent!!!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Blaine!
Great recipe. Partner loved it. I added more cayenne than the recipe asked for and it was extra fantastic. Will try puréeing part of it next time for a more chowder texture
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Awesome base for crab/corn chowder. I’m in Maryland so er got the good stuff…blue crabs!. I substituted celery for red bell peppers and added old bay and parsley.
Thank you for sharing that with us, Amanda! I’m so glad you enjoyed that.
Loved this recipe. The corn stock was amazing. The taste was over the top. This will be my new favorite corn chowder recipe.
That’s so great Lori! Thank you for that wonderful review!
That’s so great! I’m so happy you found a new favorite! Thank you for that great review, Lori!
This corn chowder is perfection!!! Sweet from the corn…Smokey from the bacon fat…creamy from the milk….crunchy from the bacon…slightly crisp sweet corn…soft textured potatoes…healthy from SO many vegetables…decadent from the bacon and cream,,,filling and stick to your ribs goodness…but also a fairly light meal in a bowl. It took some time, especially since I doubled the recipe. But SO worth it!!!! I also highly recommend my under $10 OXO corn stripper from Amazon. That made zipping that corn off the cob easy and fun. Oh, thank you for this recipe!!!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Nancy!
I found this recipe about a month ago and am making my third batch. It is so delicious We can’t get enough. Since it is corn season I am also in the process of freezing some corn on the cob (after blanching) so I can make this chowder all winter. Thank you for an amazing recipe.
Sounds like you found a new favorite, Donna! Thank you for that awesome feedback!
Cannot wrap my head around the boiled cream. Add cream last.
Thank you for sharing that with me.