Corn Chowder is hearty and creamy, made with potatoes then topped with crispy thick-cut bacon, ready in 30 minutes! Try this today!
When the weather starts to cool, nothing warms you up like a big bowl of cozy Soup! This creamy corn chowder combines fresh corn and smoky bacon for a comforting quick dinner perfect for chilly evenings. For more cozy chowder recipes, try my Ultimate Clam Chowder and Bacon Chicken Chowder next!
Table of contents
Sabrina’s Corn Chowder Recipe
My Corn Chowder is thick and creamy, made with fresh corn kernels, potatoes, and half and half in a seasoned broth. And my version of this hearty soup brings the sweetness of fresh corn together with the rich, smoky flavor of crispy bacon. It’s the perfect comfort food for cold weather because it’s so cozy and filling. I start making it in late summer during corn harvest season and keep on making it all through winter, swapping in frozen corn when fresh corn is no longer at its best.
I start my chowder with thick-cut bacon, fried until perfectly crispy and set aside, leaving some of the bacon fat for sauteing the onions. Next I add all the soup ingredients minus the bacon and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. Finally comes the cream, then it’s ready to serve with those super crispy bacon crumbles and some green onions. It’s such an easy recipe to prepare you can see why it’s a favorite cozy weeknight dinner all winter long!
Ingredients
- 8 Slices Thick-Cut Bacon: You can use regular bacon if needed. Try various smoked bacon flavors like applewood, maple or hickory.
- 1 Yellow Onion: Dice it in ¼ inch pieces or slightly smaller so you get the onion flavor without big chunks.
- 1 Sprig Fresh Thyme: Thyme is a fresh earthy herb that goes well with bacon and cream. Dried thyme can be used, but use only a teaspoon.
- 4 Cups Chicken Broth: Vegetable broth or beef broth can also be used if needed.
- 4 Yukon Gold Potatoes: This helps to thicken the chowder. Russet potatoes can be used, but they might break down more, adding a bit of graininess to the broth.
- 4 Cups Sweet Corn: Fresh shucked ears of corn, frozen corn, or even canned corn can be used. I prefer fresh for the best taste when it is in season (late summer to early fall).
- 2 Cups Half and Half: Leave your half and half at room temperature while the soup simmers so it is warm when you add it. This helps keep it from curdling or separating.
How to Make Corn Chowder
Time needed: 30 minutes.
- Cook Bacon
In a large pot, fry the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon and set it aside. Keep the fat in the pot for the onions.
- Saute Onions
Add the diced onion to the pot with the reserved bacon fat. Cook and stir until the onions are soft and translucent.
- Combine Ingredients
Season with salt, pepper, and thyme and add chicken broth, diced potatoes, and corn to the pot. Stir everything together and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Simmer
Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook the soup pot for 15-20 minutes. Cover if you don’t want it super thick.
- Add Cream
Remove the pot from the heat and gently stir in the half and half.
- Garnish and Serve
Crumble the cooked bacon over the chowder, garnish with chopped green onions, and serve with crusty bread.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 8 slices thick cut bacon , chopped
- 1 yellow onion , diced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 4 Yukon potatoes , diced
- 4 cups sweet corn
- 2 cups half and half , room temperature
Instructions
- Add the bacon to a large Dutch oven on medium heat, cook until crisp, then remove the bacon. Reserve about two tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan and drain the rest.
- Add the onions to the pot with the reserved bacon fat and cook for 2-3 minutes until just softening.
- Add the salt, pepper, thyme, broth, potatoes, and corn to the onions and bring to a boil
- Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the half and half.
- Serve topped with the bacon crumbles.
Nutrition
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Chef’s Note: How to Thicken Corn Chowder
This corn chowder recipe has a creamy broth with big chunks of vegetables and bacon. Check out these 3 options I have used to make my chowder even more creamy!
- Flour: If you want a creamier corn chowder, add 2-3 tablespoons of flour to the bacon grease and onions after you remove the bacon. Whisk for 1-2 minutes until the flour starts to brown, then add the half and half, whisking to combine. Then follow the recipe as written, adding more broth until you reach the desired consistency.
- Cornstarch: You can also whisk 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in with the cold broth before you add it to the chowder. As the broth heats, it will thicken the soup. You can add more corn starch and balance it with more broth if needed to reach your preferred thickness.
- Immersion Blender: A third option would be to take the immersion blender and cream the soup to your desired consistency. When I do this, I usually reserve some of the cooked vegetables on the side to add back in at the end, and top with bacon right before serving.
Can This Be Made Ahead?
Yes. If you want to make this corn chowder recipe ahead and freeze it, I would stop before the potatoes are completely cooked through and wait to add the half and half until you’re reheating it. For the fridge and for freezing, prepare the chowder up to the point before adding the half and half. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When ready to serve, reheat on the stove, then stir in the half and half. Garnish with bacon just before serving.
Nutritional Facts
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Add a sprinkle of cheddar cheese to the top of the chowder for extra flavor.
- If you want to add some spice to this corn chowder recipe, add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper and chopped peppers. Top with sliced jalapenos.
- You can use canned corn and frozen corn, or cut the kernels off of the corn cob yourself for this recipe.
- Let the half-and-half sit at room temperature while the soup cooks to prevent curdling or separating when you add it to the hot soup.
- Remove the pot from the heat so it is not bubbling or simmering when you add the half and half. (Also prevents curdling).
- To make this Corn Chowder even heartier, you can add a colorful mix of bell peppers, crisp celery, sweet parsnips, tender carrots, and green beans,
What to Pair with Corn Chowder
- Bread: Serve this delicious chowder with a warm slice of fresh bread like Italian Bread or Honey Cornbread. You can also serve it with oyster crackers or saltines just like Clam chowder.
- Main Dishes: This corn chowder makes a perfect starter for a comfort food dinner! Serve it with my hearty Ultimate Slow Cooker Pot Roast or savory Ultimate Garlic Pork Loin Roast for a stick-to-your-bones cozy meal.
How to Store
- Storing: Store leftover Corn Chowder in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat gently on the stove over low heat, stirring occasionally, or use the microwave in short intervals, stirring in between, until heated through.
- Freezing: This recipe has potatoes and dairy, so freezing it may make it more mushy and cause some of the milk to separate and become grainy when you reheat it. But it can be frozen for up to 3 months. If you plan to store, don’t add the half and half until ready to serve.
Alternative Cooking Methods
- Crock Pot: Add all ingredients to the crock pot, except the half and half and the bacon. Cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours. When the chowder is about a half hour away from being done, stir in half and half. In a skillet cook bacon until crispy and cut into pieces. Top with bacon and serve.
- Instant Pot: Use the saute feature to cook the bacon, then the onions until translucent. Add all ingredients except for the half and half or the bacon to the instant pot. Close the lid and seal the valve. Use the manual setting on high for 10 minutes, then let it release naturally. Once the pressure is released, open the pot and stir in half and half. Top with bacon and serve.
Frequent Questions
Soups are normally broth-based and have a thinner consistency, like Classic Chicken Noodle Soup. They can also be pureed, like Tomato Bisque, but are still not considered to be thick. Chowders are a kind of soup that is usually dairy-based, thicker, and creamier and often made with potatoes and corn for a more chunky filling and thicker texture.
Depending on size, 4 to 5 ears of corn yield about 4 cups of kernels of corn.
Variations
- Vegetarian Chowder: Replace bacon with tofu or mushrooms and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Sauté the onions in olive oil and cook according to instructions.
- Beef Chowder: For a deep beef-flavored chowder just use rosemary instead of thyme and beef broth instead of the chicken broth. Cook according to the instructions.
- Seafood Chowder: Add cooked shrimp, crab, clams, or a mixture of these. Add a teaspoon of paprika. Sauté the seafood separately and stir it in just before serving to prevent overcooking.
Related Recipes
More Cozy Delicious Chowder Recipes
Photos used in previous versions of this post.
Yummy I did add diced peppers to this but very good
Making this now, using ham instead of bacon.
I made this and I cannot stop eating it!!!!! I’m in love with it ????
This is sooo good. I add rotisserie chicken and cream cheese to mine and have made this several times.
Sabrina
Your recipe is wonderful. I have a slight dilemma. I added celery but that’s not the problem. Corn Chowder with Potatoes….vs Potato Chowder with Corn! Hey, wait a second. I guess it’s all in the measurements?
Delicious !! Love this soup followed the recipe exactly except I did one cup half and one cup milk. Very tasty will definitely make this again.
Thanks for a great new soup
Hi,
For this corn chowder recipe, how many ears of corn make four cups?
Clay
Your recipe cane up when searching for ways to use remaining half-n-half from another recipe. It’s gotten cooler here, at least for today, and I had all the rest of the ingredients on hand, so corn chowder it is! I followed the recipe making the minor subs of red potatoes instead of Yukon, dried thyme for fresh. I had fresh (put up) corn, added a few sprinkles of red pepper flakes and thickened my half and half before adding to the soup. And for color, I added fresh minced green onion tops with the bacon topping. It was a hit with both hubby and I. I will definitely be making this again AND sharing with my daughter, as I know she and her husband will love it too!??
Yay!! I’m so glad you found this recipe.
This has become a household favorite! So much flavor in so little time!
Fantastic!
Excellent! Easy to make, and fast too! Husband actually said I can make this one again!
Yay!!
When do you add in the bacon fat?
You’ll want to use the bacon fat for cooking the onions. Enjoy!
I just made this chowder in the crockpot. EXCELLENT! This is incredibly flavorful and hearty. I did use the suggestion provided and I did thicken it. I also added a few shredded carrots and sliced up celery. The onion flavor really makes this a hit I think. Paired this with garlic toast. This is a great recipe! Had plenty of leftovers and froze them for future quick meals. Thank you!
Happy to hear you loved it! I like the pairing with the garlic toast 🙂 Thanks for the review!
Absolutely delicious! I’m so happy to add this to my soup rotation. Thanks so much.
So happy you liked it! This is the perfect time of year for it too!
Delish!! Made this with leftover spiral ham in the instant pot. Added cream once cooked and some instant potato mix to thicken! Turned out great!! Family favorite!!!
Yum! What a great way to jazz up leftovers!
This was awesome, it helped me alot. I kinda tweaked things alittle to the things I had, or had already started but came out perfect. I had some how ran out of flour, I had salt pork- corn on the cob, and just went for it- oh and I added more because I had more corn. My mom never blended some. But she passed away & Dad wanted corn chowder so Thanks for the recipe!
I’m so glad it turned out for you and your Dad. I’m sure that salt pork made it amazing!
When do you put in the thyme?
Thanks for catching that! You’ll add it in step 2. I hope you enjoy it!
Thank you for this recipe very delicious my whole family loved it.?
You’re welcome, Raelena.
I made this over the weekend and it was delish! Will be making it again.
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the 5 stars.
Wow! Made this soup yesterday in the slow cooker and it was great. I added some carrots and a tomato just because I had them and some roux at the end to thicken, Will make this again for sire. Thanks for the recipe.
You’re welcome, Samuel! I’m so glad you loved it.
I was thinking about boiling some chicken a adding what do you think
Sounds great! Enjoy!
Was wondering if you could sub 1 cup 1% milk and 1 cup cream for the half and half – don’t usually use cream but have some on hand and want to use it up.
Yes 🙂 Enjoy!
thanks!