Potato Corn Chowder Recipe
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Grab a spoon and dive into this thick and crave worthy potato corn chowder! Fresh corn off the cob, diced bacon, onion, garlic, diced potatoes, in a creamy base. This potato corn chowder is loaded with rich flavors in every single bite.
The perfect way to use up sweet corn from your garden or the farmers’ market! If you have had the Panera summer sweet corn chowder, you will find this homemade chowder is similar in flavor.
What is Potato Corn Chowder?
Potato Corn Chowder is a thick and chunky corn chowder that used fresh corn cut off the cob with diced potatoes. I find using fresh corn elevates the flavor of the chowder!
It is a wonderful way to use up your summer produce and allow your corn to be the star of the meal! Give this corn chowder soup a try!
Ingredients Needed
- Diced Bacon
- Sweet corn
- Onion
- Garlic
- Thyme
- Cornstarch
- Potatoes
- Chicken stock
- Heavy Cream
- Butter
- Bay leaf
- Salt and pepper
How to Make Summer Chowder
Start by cooking bacon in a skillet on the stove. Once the bacon is cooked, remove it and place it on a paper towel-lined plate. This will remove the excess grease.
Add in your chopped onions to the pot, and cook and stir occasionally cooking for 5-7 minutes or until your onions have softened and become translucent.
Next, add in the garlic and the thyme, stir for 30 seconds or so to allow the garlic to become fragrant.
Next, pour in the cornstarch and stir around, making sure the ingredients are evenly coated.
Then, you will toss in the diced potatoes and the stock. Turn the heat to high and bring the ingredients to a boil. You will cook until the potatoes are cooked. To know they are cooked poke the potatoes with a fork, and if they are fork tender they are done.
Add soup to a blender, and puree the soup till it is smooth. Then pour into the pan. Add in the leftover stock, corn, and bay leaf.
Lastly, season with salt and pepper, remove the bay leaf and pour in the cream and butter. Mix until blended, then top with bacon, green onions, and cheese!
How to Store Leftover Soup
If you do not eat all the soup right away, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave, on the stove, or even the slow cooker.
Helpful Tips For Making Chowder
- You can use jarred minced garlic, but I find mincing my own garlic adds more flavor to the soup.
- Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes are recommended for this corn and potato chowder recipe.
- If you do not want to use heavy cream you can use a whole milk to replace it. The cream adds richness and thickness, so take note of that.
- I love to puree the soup to help add rich creamy texture, but you can opt out of this step if you want.
- Feel free to skip the bacon, and swap the chicken stock to vegetable stock if you want a vegetarian soup.
- Feel free to double the recipe if you are going to serve a larger group of people.
Frequently Asked Questions:
No blender, no worries. You can use a food processor or even a potato masher. Just breaking down the potatoes will thicken the soup quite a bit. But, it is a step that does not need to be done. You can leave the chowder chunky if you want.
If you do not have fresh sweet corn on hand, you can use frozen. Just stir in the same time, and allow a minute or two longer to cook. This will allow the corn time to thaw and warm up once mixed into the soup.
More Recipes To Try
Potato Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked bacon chopped
- 1 sweet onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme minced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 large yukon gold potatoes peeled and chopped
- 4 cups chicken stock divided
- 3 cups fresh corn kernels
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring often, until it is crisp. Remove the bacon to a paper towel to drain any excess fat (but leave the rendered fat in the pan).
- Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes or until it is soft and translucent.
- Next, add the garlic and thyme. Stir and cook for 1 minute, or until the garlic is fragrant.
- Next add the cornstarch and stir so it evenly coats the onion.
- Add the chopped potatoes and 3 cups of chicken stock. Raise the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes.
- Transfer the soup to a blender or use an immersion blender to puree the soup until it is smooth.
- Add the remaining two cups of chicken stock, along with the corn, and bay leaf.
- Cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until the corn kernels are tender.
- Remove the bay leaf and stir in the heavy cream and butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve topped with the crisp bacon and green onion or cheese, if desired. Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.