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Home / Main Dishes / Soup

Hearty Homemade Corn Chowder

4.84
/5
50 minutes minutes
376 Comments
Jump to Recipe Print Pin
By: The Chunky Chefpublished: 09/16/2018

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Cozy up to a big bowl of this homemade corn chowder! Easy to make with either fresh or frozen corn, it’s a great year-round soup!

Cozy corn chowder, made with tender potatoes, salty bacon and sweet corn!  Perfect as a weeknight meal!  Crockpot directions too! #soup #chowder #cornchowder #fall #souprecipe #weeknightmeal #crockpot #slowcooker

I cannot wait to get into soup season!  Normally we eat soup year round, but this summer has been insanely hot.  And sadly, it still is.  Here is is mid-September, and we’ve only had 2 semi-cool days.  I say bring on the chilly weather!

There’s not a whole lot I love more than a thick and hearty soup… actually, a chowder.  Chowders are so rich and stick-to-your-ribs fantastic!

Ladle full of corn chowder

CAN YOU FREEZE CORN CHOWDER?

I love freezing soups, but due to the dairy and potatoes in this one, I don’t recommend freezing it as is.  If you REALLY want to try it, here’s what I would try:

  • Skip adding the half and half during step #8.  Instead, add it in when reheating the soup.
  • Cool soup completely, then add to freezer-safe containers and freeze 1-2 months.
  • To thaw, place containers in the refrigerator overnight or until thawed completely.  
  • Reheat in dutch oven or soup pot and once heated through, add half and half and stir to heat.  Serve as directed.

HOW CAN YOU MAKE CORN CHOWDER THICKER?

I would say this chowder is about a medium thickness, but if you’d like it thicker, there are a few options.

  • Puree more of the soup in the blender, or alternatively, mash some with a potato masher.
  • Before adding in the half and half, whisk a tablespoon or so of cornstarch into the half and half, then add to the soup as directed.
  • Add equal parts softened butter and flour and knead together with your fingers or a wooden spoon until a thick paste has formed.  Add to the finished soup and stir until the heat has melted the butter.  This is called a Buerre Manie and it’s a great way to thicken sauces, soups, roasts, etc.

Overhead view of corn chowder in white bowl

CAN CORN CHOWDER BE MADE IN THE SLOW COOKER?

Absolutely!  I get it, some days the last thing you want to do is stand by the stove for 30 minutes.  On those days, the slow cooker is my best friend!  Slow cooker directions are listed below the recipe.

CAN YOU ADD CHICKEN OR CHEESE TO THIS CORN CHOWDER?

Sure can!  Sometimes I add about a cup or so of shredded cheddar cheese to the soup, or add a sprinkling of cheese when serving.  Chicken is also a fabulous addition!  For this, I like to use shredded chicken, from leftovers or a rotisserie chicken.

Holding a bowl of creamy corn chowder

WHAT TO SERVE WITH CORN CHOWDER

  • Ultimate Grilled Cheese
  • Cheesy Garlic Crescents
  • No-Knead Artisan Bread
  • Simple Green Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette

Spoonful of corn chowder

HELPFUL TOOLS:

  • Dutch Oven – My favorite soup pot!
  • Immersion Blender – If you don’t have one, these are incredibly handy!  No need to transfer hot soups to a blender.
  • Traditional Blender – This is my favorite traditional blender!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!

Cozy corn chowder, made with tender potatoes, salty bacon and sweet corn!  Perfect as a weeknight meal!  Crockpot directions too! #soup #chowder #cornchowder #fall #souprecipe #weeknightmeal #crockpot #slowcooker

Hearty Homemade Corn Chowder

4.84 from 161 votes
Author: The Chunky Chef
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
Servings: 6 servings
(hover over # to adjust)
Print Rate Pin
Cozy up to a big bowl of this homemade corn chowder! Easy to make with either fresh or frozen corn, it's a great year-round soup!

Ingredients

  • 8 slices bacon, diced
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 5 cups water (chicken broth or vegetable broth may be substituted)
  • 8 ears yellow sweet corn (husks and silks removed)
  • 1 lb. yukon gold or baby red potatoes , sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup half and half or heavy cream
  • handful of chopped fresh chives

Instructions

  • Slice corn kernels off the cob and set aside.  Take each ear of corn and hold it over a bowl.  Use either the back of your knife or a spoon and scrape any remaining pulp and juice from the cobs.
  • Cook bacon pieces in large heavy bottomed pot (like a dutch oven) over MED heat.  Cook about 5-8 minutes, or until bacon is crisp.  Use a slotted spoon to remove to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.
  • Use a clean paper towel to absorb some of the bacon grease, reserving about 1 Tbsp of grease in the pot.  Add butter and melt over MED heat.
  • Add diced onions and cook about 5 minutes, until soft and translucent.  Add garlic and flour and cook about 1 minute, stirring often.
  • While whisking, pour in water and increase heat to MED-HIGH.  Add in corn, potatoes, thyme, smoked paprika, and salt and pepper.  Stir and bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to MED-LOW and simmer.
  • Simmer, stirring every so often, for 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender.
  • Use an immersion blender to blend about half the soup until smooth.  Alternatively, remove about 3 cups of the soup to a blender and blend until smooth.  Stir the blended soup back into the pot.
  • Add in half and half, reserved corn juice, and about half the chives.  Stir in and heat through.
  • Serve sprinkled with remaining chives and cooked bacon pieces, if desired.

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Chef Tips

Recipe adapted from Cooks Illustrated magazine (August 2011)

SLOW COOKER DIRECTIONS:

  • Cook bacon in skillet.  Set aside to drain on a paper towel-lined plate (this will be used as a garnish).
  • Add all ingredients (except half and half, chives, and cooked bacon) to a 6 qt or larger slow cooker.  Stir well, cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours.
  • Use immersion blender to blend about half the soup (or add 3 cups of soup to a blender and puree then add back to the slow cooker).
  • Stir in half and half and chives, cover and cook another 10 minutes or so to heat through.
If using frozen or canned corn, add a drizzle of honey to replace the corn "milk".
  • use approximately 4 cups of frozen or canned corn (32 oz)

Nutrition Disclaimer

The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

Did You Make This?Tag @the_chunky_chef on Instagram and hashtag it #thechunkychef so I can see what you made!
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Cozy corn chowder, made with tender potatoes, salty bacon and sweet corn!  Perfect as a weeknight meal!  Crockpot directions too! #soup #chowder #cornchowder #fall #souprecipe #weeknightmeal #crockpot #slowcooker

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Meet The Chunky Chef

Hey there! I'm Amanda. Wife, mother, photography nerd, and bacon lover! I believe that delicious meals should be easy to make. Now that you’re here, stay a bit, browse a few recipes, and let’s get cookin’!

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4.84 from 161 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




  1. Jennifer says

    Posted on 12/28 at 2:39 pm

    If using canned corn, should I drain it?

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 12/28 at 8:17 pm

      Yes 🙂

      Reply
  2. Shelly says

    Posted on 12/7 at 8:44 pm

    Thank you for the recipe.
    This delicious chowder came together quickly and easily, and was perfect on a chilly night.
    I added a little diced carrot and red bell pepper because I had them. I also added 2oz of cream cheese and about half a cup of shredded cheddar just before serving to make it extra rich and creamy.
    I think this would have been tasty without any changes, however!

    Reply
  3. Eliza says

    Posted on 11/19 at 10:47 pm

    So I went rogue and made this in my instant pot using the “soup” function. I cooked the bacon on a baking sheet in the oven 425 for ~15 min, and while that was cooking sautéed the onion in a pan and then cooked the garlic with gluten free flour (as my husband is sensitive to gluten). Then cut up the potatoes, added cut celery, put in the cooked garlic onions and all spices into the instant pot, using Costco’s chicken stock instead of water and did add extra frozen corn- 6 cups total. Added chili powder, red pepper flakes, extra thyme, dried chives, and paprika all together. Threw in 2 of the mini cans of coconut cream along with everything else and totally omitted the half & half/milk since I’m lactose intolerant.  Honestly, it came out so flavorful and delicious. My brother who lives with us and is picky and typically hates my gluten free/lactose free creations loved it and ate seconds with no complaints. Being able to ignore the bacon in the oven while working on the onions and then throwing it all into the instant pot to cook while I go watch “The Good Place” is definitely the way to go. Done in 7 minutes after pressurizing. Delicious!!!!!

    Reply
  4. Luigi De Felice says

    Posted on 11/14 at 12:46 pm

    It was delicious the best corn chowder ever 

    Reply
  5. Sheila says

    Posted on 11/10 at 11:08 am

    Awesome recipe but I used canned corn and instant mashed potatoes, leaving out flour. 

    Reply
    • Linda says

      Posted on 1/31 at 3:06 pm

      I did the same thing. I love using mashed potato flakes instead of flour. It worked great.

      Reply
  6. Dara Kristine M Magrum says

    Posted on 11/1 at 6:40 pm

    We are now enjoying the corn chowder that I made and froze during the summer. We left out the heavy cream and added that when we heated the soup. Using corn stock really punches the corn flavor in the soup. I wish I could leave a picture of it so everyone can see. This soup is amazing and I can’t wait for next summer when corn is in season and I can make homemade corn stock for future corn chowders.

    Reply
  7. Elvrine says

    Posted on 10/31 at 9:07 pm

    I added carrot and celery diced…with the onions 
    Yummy!!! 

    Reply
  8. Anna says

    Posted on 10/28 at 6:45 pm

    Delicious! I kinda cheated though. I used two cups of frozen corn and a can of creamed style corn instead of fresh. I added a poblano and Anaheim pepper for a small kick. I also added about two cups of leftover chicken to use it up. Everyone loved it! 

    Reply
  9. Kaala says

    Posted on 10/19 at 6:10 am

    This chowder recipe is so tasty and will be a staple in our home. Perfect Fall/Winter meal with a side of bread. I used canned corn intead of fresh and it still turned out well. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  10. Jennifer A Moore says

    Posted on 10/18 at 7:45 pm

    How many carbs are in this recipe?

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 10/18 at 7:51 pm

      As I’m not a nutritionist, I don’t provide full nutritional information for my recipes (wouldn’t want to potentially and unknowingly pass along incorrect information). Your best bet would be to copy the ingredients into your favorite online nutritional calculator.

      Reply
  11. Chan says

    Posted on 10/14 at 7:44 pm

    Just made this soup, but I used coconut milk due to a milk allergy. It’s so good!

    Reply
  12. Squawkamole says

    Posted on 10/13 at 5:19 pm

    Very good! 15 minutes of prep ? Took 45 for frying, dicing and cutting corn off cob .
    I must be to old 😊
    We love it!!!

    Reply
  13. Alan Schellerer says

    Posted on 10/8 at 4:52 pm

    I made this for my wife and kids and it was AMAZING! I made a double batch to freeze but we ended up eating it next day, sooooo gooood……..

    Reply
  14. Kennedy says

    Posted on 10/5 at 6:49 pm

    I made this chowder for my coven and they adored it! I used corn from the garden and used two large carrots to add some more color. This was my first time making chowder and they’ve already requested that I make this again sometime soon.

    Reply
  15. Cici says

    Posted on 9/27 at 6:02 pm

    I do not have a blender, how can I blend the soup?

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 9/27 at 8:16 pm

      It won’t have the same consistency, but you could use a potato masher to blend as well as you can.

      Reply
      • Cici says

        Posted on 9/28 at 1:43 pm

        This was a cooking assignment for my culinary class. So I made it, I did not use a potato masher, but I think it turned out pretty good. I use turkey bacon, and no potato’s and its pretty tasty. Thank you for this recipe 🙂

        Reply
  16. Penelope Summers says

    Posted on 9/14 at 11:58 pm

    Great recipe! My husband doesn’t like garlic so I left that out. And I always use chicken stock. I added two cans of crab meat at the end so now it’s corn crab chowder! Yummy!

    Reply
    • Chris Elcome says

      Posted on 10/3 at 9:16 pm

      When do you add the flour???

      Reply
      • The Chunky Chef says

        Posted on 10/3 at 10:45 pm

        Step 4.

        Reply
  17. Lindsey Mirotznik says

    Posted on 9/6 at 8:39 am

    This seems like a silly question, but when do i add the bacon? It doesn’t say but it seems weird to blend bacon? So when you add the cream?

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 9/6 at 10:19 pm

      It’s listed in step 9… the bacon is just a garnish on top for a little crunch 🙂

      Reply
  18. Kels says

    Posted on 9/1 at 8:37 pm

    Do you cook the corn first before taking it off the cob? 

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 9/1 at 10:15 pm

      You don’t have to, but can if you want 🙂

      Reply
    • Elaine says

      Posted on 11/17 at 2:53 pm

      If you roast the corn first, especially if you use a grill, it’ll add the most amazing flavor. But it’ll still be delicious without cooking the corn first.

      Reply
  19. Caitlyn says

    Posted on 8/20 at 7:20 pm

    I love this soup! I didn’t have bacon unfortunately but used some ham instead. Also hubby didn’t think there was enough seasoning last time I made it (he’s Indian and loves his seasonings lol) so I added a few teaspoons of thyme and paprika. May have ended up being two table spoons of thyme. Wonderful recipe though, honestly my favorite corn chowder I’ve had 🙂 

    Reply
  20. Chris B says

    Posted on 8/3 at 7:13 pm

    Best corn chowder I’ve ever made..follow directions and you can’t go wrong

    Reply
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