This creamy and chunky corn chowder with an addition of sweet and regular potatoes as well as a touch of bacon will not leave you hungry!
This soup is absolutely perfect for lunch or dinner if you add a slice of good bread. Take a look at our recipe for Salmon Chowder if thick soups are what you are after!
I’ve always struggled to get my kids to fall in love with soups but I think I might’ve figured it out! While they are not the biggest fans of brothy soups, they absolutely adore creamy soups like this corn chowder.
And I am no exception if I am honest. There is something incredibly comforting and satisfying about thick creamy soups in the middle of winter. Let’s take a look at this chowder for example.
Hearty, chunky and all around delicious. The contrast of sweet corn and salty smoky bacon makes each spoonful a perfect medley of flavours.
What is a chowder?
While all chowders are soups, not all soups are chowders. So what are the required features? Traditionally the chowders are very thick, chunky soups, loaded with ingredients and almost always cream or milk based with one exception of Manhattan Clam Chowder.
This suits me very well. I quite like the soups that are more stew- like in nature. They are far more satisfying. This creamy corn chowder is no exception.
Soup Ingredients
One of the great things about soup in general and this one in particular is how accessible and affordable the ingredients are. This soup is loaded with all great things like sweet corn, potatoes and bacon. It is also flavoured with fresh thyme and bay leaves.
I started the soup by cooking the bacon and then sauteing some onions, celery and carrots in the bacon fat. That created a wonderfully flavourful base for the rest of the players.
Potatoes are very common ingredients in chowders. In my recipe I used a combination of regular and sweet potatoes for some variety. If you avoid potatoes, you can use butternut squash.
Top Tips and Notes
- First of all, you can absolutely skip the bacon and have this chowder 100% meat free. While bacon adds a lot of flavour, it is not necessary.
- You can use any corn you have. I used frozen corn and the soup was delicious! So don’t think that just because your corn is not fresh, the soup is not worth making. Alternatively, you can use corn on the cob or canned corn in this recipe. Some people add creamed corn for a thicker texture.
- In my recipe for Salmon Chowder I cut the fresh corn kernels off the cobs but used the cobs to infused the broth with more flavour.
- I used heavy cream for my chowder but you can also use milk for a lighter soup.
Creamy Soup Recipes to Try:
Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 4 strips bacon/streaky bacon in the UK
- 1 onion
- 2 stalks celery
- 2 carrots
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 bay leaf
- 750ml/3 cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
- 2 potatoes, medium
- 1 sweet potato, medium equivalent amount of squash
- 400g/3 cups frozen corn
- 375ml/1 ½ cups heavy/double cream
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Fry the chopped bacon until crispy, then remove half of it from the pan and reserve for later. (If your bacon is very fatty, remove the excess fat but leave 2 tbsp in the pot.)
- To the same pot, add the chopped onion, celery and sliced carrot and cook for 10 minutes over low heat, then add minced garlic and thyme, cook for 30 seconds longer. Sprinkle the flour all over and combine with the fat until it turns into a paste, continue cooking for a couple of minutes.
- Pour in the chicken stock, add a bay leaf, cubed sweet and regular potatoes and frozen corn, bring to a boil and cook for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are soft. Then add in the cream and season with salt and pepper, allow the cream to warm through, then take off the heat. Serve with the reserved bacon, chopped fresh parsley or green onions for garnish.
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