Corn Chowder

There are so many soups I absolutely love, including French onion soup and Hungarian mushroom soup, but if given the choice between a brothy soup and a thick creamy chowder, I’d choose clam chowder or corn chowder almost every time. Using either fresh, canned, or frozen corn, this easy homemade corn chowder gets made all year round.

It’s everything a chowder should be—thick, creamy, hearty, flavorful, and simple. The rich broth pairs perfectly with the sweet corn. Pure comfort food. And if you really love corn, serve a bowl with a little cornbread on the side!

How to Make Corn Chowder Step by Step

Cook the bacon: Add the bacon to the bottom of a large heavy soup pot set over medium heat. Stir until the bacon is browned and crispy. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon.

Drain the bacon: Drain or spoon off all but 3 tbsp of the fat in the pot. Stir in the butter until melted.

Cook the veggies: Add in the onion and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables just begin to become tender, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Add flour: Sprinkle the flour into the vegetables to coat them evenly and make a paste. Cook a minute or two to get rid of the raw flour flavor.

Add everything but the cream: Pour in the chicken broth along with the potato, corn, honey, thyme, and bay leaves; bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender but not mushy, stirring occasionally, about 10-12 minutes.

Remove bay leaves: Discard the bay leaves from the soup.

Stir in cream and puree: Add in the heavy cream. Then using an immersion blender, puree the soup until the desired consistency is reached (alternatively, transfer about 3 cups of the soup in a food processor or blender and stir it back into the soup.)

Add the cheese and bacon: Stir in the shredded cheese until melted. Stir in most of the cooked bacon, reserving some for garnish. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.

Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the some cooked bacon and diced scallions.

Crockpot Corn Chowder

This chowder is really easy and all made in one pot, but if you still need (or prefer) to make it in your crock pot, you certainly can. Here’s how you can do so:

1. Cook bacon in a skillet.
2. Add all ingredients (except the heavy cream and cheddar cheese) to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Stir well, cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours. (NOTE: If you like your potatoes to be less soft, add them in after a couple hours of cooking. They’re usually tender after 5 hours. Cook time will vary depending on the size of your potatoes.)
3. Puree the soup to your desired consistency, then stir in cream, cover and cook another 10 minutes or so to heat through, then stir in the cheese until melted.

What to Serve with Corn Chowder

This soup is pretty substantial on its own, but some great additions that pair really well with it are these buttery popovers and homemade garlic bread, so you can mop up all the amazing chowder flavors.

How to Store

Leftovers will keep in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.