Creamy Corn Chowder packed with tender potatoes, sweet corn, smoky bacon and fresh herbs in a creamy cheesy broth. The taste of summer in one pot – ready in about 30 minutes!
This creamy homemade Chowder with fresh corn, zucchini, potatoes and crispy bacon is the perfect one pot summer meal. Heart, comforting and ready in about 30 minutes.
Add some crusty bread for a quick and easy weeknight meal.
What I love about this recipe:
- Best of summer flavors from the local farmers market.
- Hearty but not heavy – with simple seasoning.
- Delicious, comforting and ready in about 30 minutes. Ideal for busy weeknights.
- Cooks completely in 1 pot with simple grocery store ingredients.
What’s in this easy, creamy Corn Chowder recipe?
- thick-cut bacon slices
- butter
- yellow onion
- carrot
- sea or kosher salt and black pepper
- garlic cloves
- all purpose flour
- chicken stock
- yukon gold potatoes
- fresh sweet corn
- zucchini
- fresh dill
- whole milk or heavy cream
- shredded sharp cheddar cheese
How to make the best Corn Chowder recipe:
Shuck the corn then use a sharp knife to cut the corn kernels off the cob and set aside.
Cut bacon into bite size pieces then add chopped bacon to a soup pot or dutch oven over medium to medium high heat.
Cook until crispy (stir bacon occasionally) then remove from the pot and set aside (for topping the chowder), leaving about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pot.
Add butter to the pot, then drop in the chopped onions and carrots. Season with salt and pepper and cook 3-5 minutes over medium heat or until the carrots are almost fork tender.
Reduce to low heat, add minced garlic and corn, season this layer with salt and pepper then cook 1 minute.
Sprinkle flour over the top, stir well and cook another minute.
Stir in the chicken stock then add potatoes and zucchini. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.
Stir well then cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10-12 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Stir in the milk or cream then remove from the heat and slowly add the cheese a little at a time until it’s completely melted then add the dill.
Taste and adjust for seasonings. Serve your Potato Corn Chowder topped with (reserved) crispy bacon and fresh bread.
Can I use frozen or canned corn?
I recommend fresh sweet corn if possible for bet flavor but if it’s not available, you can use either frozen or canned corn.
More popular corn recipes:
Storage and reheating:
Cool leftovers completely then store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days. Reheat in the micro or in a saucepan on the stove over low heat.
Subs and variations:
Dice a rib of celery or add a bay leaf to the chowder.
Add protein like chicken, shrimp. lobster or crab.
Serve with slivered green onion on top.
Swap russet or redskin potatoes for yukon.
Use chicken broth, bone broth, vegetable stock or homemade chicken stock.
Sub different cheeses, like gouda or even pepper jack for a little heat!
Enjoy!
Creamy Corn Chowder
Equipment
- soup pot or dutch oven
Ingredients
- 5 slices thick cut sliced bacon diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large carrot peeled and diced
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups yukon potatoes
- 5 ears fresh sweet corn shucked and sliced off cob
- 2 medium zucchini ends cut and diced
- 1 cup whole milk can sub 2% but won't be as creamy
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese shredded
- 2 teaspoons fresh dill diced (or use same amount dry dill)
Instructions
- Shuck the corn then slice kernels off the cobs and set aside.
- Cut bacon into bite size pieces. Add to soup pot then cook over medium heat until crispy (stirring occasionally) then remove from the pot and set aside. Leave about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pot.
- Add butter to bacon drippings, then drop in chopped onions and carrots. Season with salt and pepper and cook 3-5 minutes or until the carrots are almost fork tender.
- Reduce heat to low, add minced garlic and corn, season with salt and pepper then cook 1 minute.
- Pour in chicken stock, potatoes and zucchini. Cover, bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 10-12 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
- Stir in milk then remove from heat and slowly add cheese a little at a time until it's completely melted. Blend in dill, taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
- Serve topped with (reserved) crispy bacon. Enjoy right away.
Did you make this recipe?
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This recipe will satisfy my love for creamy hearty soup. All the bright colored veggies make one fantastic looking soup! Will definitely be making this soup very soon. Pinned. Thanks for sharing. Chat later.
Hi Mary – thank you so much!