This Corn Chowder Recipe is creamy comfort food made with sweet corn, golden potatoes, and delicious bacon topped with heavy cream and cheese. PLUS instructions for how to make it in the slow cooker and pressure cooker!
My friends, I’m all about the comfort food. I’m pretty sure I could eat soup nearly every night – except that would mean giving up tacos and I just can’t do that.
But what I’m really trying to say is that recipes like this corn chowder just make my heart go pitter-patter. So thick and creamy and bursting with flavor. This is so perfectly hearty, it can totally hold its own as a main dish or a side.
There’s something else you should know. I’m completely obsessed with corn. I will add corn to just about anything. In fact, I even went to Iowa on a corn press tour several years ago. That was pretty fun. Every single meal we had included corn and it was incredible.
So no surprise, I love this corn chowder. It takes that perfectly sweet corn and makes it into the star of the show. No side dish here – this corn chowder is everything you want in a hearty soup and more. I know you’ll love it.
summer corn chowder
Here are some commonly asked questions
Can this be made with frozen corn?
Yes this can be made with frozen corn. We usually prep all our fresh corn in the summer and have it stockpiled so we can use it all year long. This soup is great for enjoying summer corn when it isn’t summer anymore. But for best results – use fresh when you can.
How to thicken corn chowder
Making corn chowder the right consistency to make it a chowder is actually quite simple. With the amount of potatoes in this recipe, using the immersion blender or even just a potato masher should be enough to make this the perfect thickness.
However – if you like it ultra-chunky, you can always add a cornstarch slurry by whisking 1 tbsp water with 1 tbsp cornstarch and then stirring it into the chowder. Stir for several minutes and it will gradually get thicker.
corn chowder
What to serve with corn chowder
What I love about this chowder is that not only is it great when served alongside other great recipes – but it is great as a stand-alone main dish. But here are some of the recipes we usually pair with this chowder.
- Chef Salad
- Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Biscuits
- Oven-Fried Chicken
- Crusty Artisan Bread
- Baked Honey Garlic Chicken
- 20-Minute Cheddar Biscuits
- Homemade French Bread
Do you have to cook the corn first?
Nope – whether you are adding it fresh or frozen, the corn doesn’t have to be cooked prior to adding to the chowder.
Can this be made in the pressure cooker?
Yes – this can be made in the pressure cooker. Cook the bacon, onions and garlic on the saute setting – follow the instructions here- just using your Instant Pot as the skillet. Make sure to deglaze the pot after they have finished cooking – especially with the cornstarch. That will like to stick to the bottom.
Then add the potatoes, half of the corn, and all of the stock. Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. Quick-release. Use the immersion blender to break up the lumps. Add the remaining corn and stir in the heavy cream and butter before serving.
bacon corn chowder
How to make corn chowder
- Heat a large stockpot 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 to the bacon fat 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.
- Now add the cornstarch and stir so it evenly coats the cooked 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 the 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 some green onions and/or cheese, if desired.
- Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Ingredients for Corn Chowder
- uncooked bacon – you can omit the bacon if you like, but it does add incredible flavor and texture with the added saltiness and crunch – but you will need to add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil to the pot when cooking the onions.
- sweet onion – you can sub with a white or yellow onion if needed.
- garlic – I usually just do 1-2 tbsp of pre-minced garlic when I’m in a hurry
- fresh thyme
- cornstarch – you can sub with all-purpose flour – both help to thicken the chowder
- Yukon gold potatoes – these can be substituted with red potatoes because they also have thin skin and similar texture. I don’t recommend using russet.
- chicken stock – you can use water if needed, but you will need to increase the salt.
- fresh corn kernels – I like to use yellow because I happen to think they have more flavor than white – but either is fine to use.
- bay leaf
- heavy cream – half and half can be used instead. Both make the chowder rich and creamy.
- butter – like the heavy cream, this is for added flavor and texture.
- Salt and pepper
potato corn chowder
How to get the corn off the cob
It can seem like a daunting task to get that corn off the cob when you have to do it in bulk. But I have found that the fastest way is to place the cob on a bundt pan – covering the hole. Then just take a sharp knife and slice down – letting all of the corn fall into the well of the pan under it.
It goes pretty quickly this way and the pan catches all of it – so clean up is a breeze.
Can this be made in the slow cooker?
You bet! You will still need to cook the bacon, onions and garlic prior to adding to the slow cooker. Then add the potatoes and all of the stock. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Then in the last hour, add the corn. Stir in the heavy cream and butter before serving.
Products I love when making this chowder…
This chowder recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made homemade soup before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love it. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this dinner recipe.
- stockpot
- minced garlic
- cornstarch
- chicken stock
- bay leaf
- heavy cream
- salt and pepper
- measuring cups
- immersion blender
If you love this Easy Corn Chowder recipe, you’re going to love these other soups and chowders too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
If you love this recipe for Homemade Corn Chowder as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!
CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!
Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!
Corn Chowder Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked bacon chopped
- 1 sweet onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp fresh thyme minced
- 1 tbsp 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 tbsp 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 to the bacon fat 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.
- Now add the cornstarch and stir so it evenly coats the cooked onion.
- Add the chopped potatoes and 3 cups of the 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 the 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 some green onions and/or cheese, if desired.
- Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Notes
- Cook the bacon, onions, and garlic on the saute setting – follow the instructions here- just using your Instant Pot as the skillet.
- Make sure to deglaze the pot after they have finished cooking – especially with the cornstarch. That will like to stick to the bottom.
- Then add the potatoes, half of the corn, and all of the stock.
- Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes.
- Quick-release.
- Use the immersion blender to break up the lumps.
- Add the remaining corn and stir in the heavy cream and butter before serving.
- Cook the bacon, onions, and garlic prior to adding to the slow cooker.
- Then add the potatoes and all of the stock.
- Cook on low for 4-6 hours.
- Then in the last hour, add the corn.
- Stir in the heavy cream and butter before serving.
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
Debby says
First time to your site and looking forward to exploring it further. However, please do us all a favor and include a “Jump to Recipe” button just above where your text begins. Thankfully, many authors do this. While I usually do go read the entire pin eventually I often need to check the ingredient list before heading out the door. Being able to check that quickly is extremely helpful versus having to do all that scrolling. Not only does that take time but with arthritis in my hands, especially my thumbs, it is painful. And when doing it in a hurry those quick repetitive movements are something I want to avoid. Scrolling through this post I found you are a prolific writer. I suspect your other pins will be the same. Since so many other sites have that “Jump to Recipe” button it must not be difficult to install. I suspect the reason you have chosen not to install it is because you are using it’s exclusion as a method to manipulate us to scroll the post hoping something will catch our eye or we may jump to see a suggested recipe. I suspect this is because each o
Additional click we make does something good for your site. I’m pretty sure I want to see more of what you have to offer IF I COME BACK knowing I’ll be required to scroll to the recipe knowing there is an easier and, forme, less painful way to get there. While I recognize there is a strategy being used here I don’t like being manipulated. And, unfortunately for us both, I can be stubborn. I’m still going to check things out a little but your consideration and inclusion of the “Jump to Recipe” button would be appreciated. Thank you. And thanks for sharing your recipes.