Enjoy the taste of sweet summer corn with this easy corn chowder recipe! Packed with fresh corn and potatoes, it’s creamy, comforting, and delicious.
It’s the perfect time of year to make corn chowder. Summer vegetables like sweet corn and peppers are still plentiful at farmers markets and grocery stores, but as the sun sets earlier and temperatures drop, a comforting bowl of soup can actually be just the thing.
This corn chowder recipe is just what I’m craving right now. A meal in one bowl, packed with diced potatoes, corn kernels, red peppers, and a lightly creamy broth bursting with sweet corn flavor. To balance out the sweetness, I add salty celery and a dash of Old Bay seasoning, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper for a spicy kick. And of course, I add a squeeze of lemon juice for a bright, tangy finish.
Overall, this corn chowder recipe is comforting, satisfying, and intensely flavorful. If you need a great way to enjoy the remains of summer corn, look no further. This is the one!
Easy Corn Chowder Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy corn chowder recipe:
- Sweet cornOf course! You’ll need 6 ears of corn. Tip: Save the leaves and bristles to add to homemade vegetable broth! In a pinch, frozen corn will work too.
- Butter – To sauté the vegetables, you can use vegan butter (or even olive oil) if you want this recipe to be dairy-free.
- Onion, celery, garlic and red pepper. – They create the tasty base of the soup.
- Yukon Gold Potatoes – They add delicious chunks to this corn chowder recipe and contribute to its creamy texture.
- Old Bay Seasoning – Adds a more savory flavor and a spicy touch.
- Smoked paprika – To give a smoky touch.
- Dried thyme and a bay leaf – For an aromatic depth of flavour.
- Paprika – For a spicy touch. Use as much as you like, depending on how spicy you want your corn soup.
- Raw cashews or heavy cream – They make the soup thick and creamy. Both options are fantastic! Take your pick.
- Fresh lemon juice – To give shine and flavor.
- And salt and pepper – So that all the flavors stand out!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to make corn soup
Well, here’s what I like most about this corn chowder recipe: use corncorn cobs In addition to the corn kernels!
To start, cut the kernels off the cobs. Once you do, run the back of your knife along the sides of the cobs. They will release a milky liquid that makes this soup extra creamy and delicious. Set the kernels, cobs, and corn liquid aside for now.
Next, sauté the onion, celery and red pepper in the butter, and add the garlic, potatoes, spices, bay leaf and 5 cups of water. Then, add the corn cobs to the pot and simmer for 20 minutes.
No broth needed! Simmering corn cobs in soup creates a quick corn broth, which really gives this recipe a sweet corn flavor.
Recipe Tip
If you don’t have access to fresh sweet corn, use frozen corn instead! Replace the fresh kernels with 4 1/2 cups frozen kernels. Omit the corn cobs and replace the water with vegetable broth.
Remove and discard the corn cobs and bay leaf, and add the corn kernels and the milky liquid from the corn to the pot.
Simmer for another 10 minutes or so, until the potatoes are tender.
Next, scoop out 2 cups of soup and transfer to a high-speed blender. Add the cashews and blend until smooth.
If you’re using heavy cream instead of cashews, simply puree the soup (an immersion blender is great for this!). In the next step, you’ll add the cream directly to the pot of soup.
Pour the creamy puree back into the pot and stir to combine. If you are making the cashew variant, simply add the lemon juice and season to taste.
If you’re making the creamy version, pour in the cream and simmer for 5 minutes to mellow the flavor. Add the lemon juice, taste and adjust seasonings, and enjoy.
Top Tips for Serving Corn Chowder
Before you start making this corn chowder recipe, garnish the dish with chopped chives. It adds a fresh, oniony touch that really completes the soup. I also like to add a little sour cream or vegan sour cream to give it a more tangy flavor.
Serve with crusty bread to mop up any remaining soup at the bottom of the plate.
Leftover corn chowder can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It can also be frozen.
More favorite soups for early fall
If you love this corn chowder recipe, try one of these early fall soups:
Corn soup
Serves 6
This easy corn chowder recipe, packed with corn and potatoes, is hearty, comforting, and flavorful. Below I offer two variations: a dairy-free version with raw cashews or a more traditional one with heavy cream. Both result in a delicious, creamy soup that I think you’ll love.
- 6 fresh sweet corn on the cob, husks and silks removed
- 2 tablespoons butter or vegan butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 red pepper, Stemmed, seeded and diced
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 5 cups water
- 4 Medium Yukon Gold Potatoes, chopped
- 2 Teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
- 2 Teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- Pinches cayenne pepper
- ⅓ cup raw cashews*
- 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Chopped scallions, To decorate
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Sour cream or vegan sour cream, Optional, to serve
Prevent your screen from going dark
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Cut the kernels off the corn cobs, then use the back of a chef’s knife to scrape off the milky liquid left on the cob. Cut the cobs in half and set them aside.
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Heat the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and red pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic, then the water, potatoes, Old Bay, salt, thyme, paprika, bay leaf, cayenne pepper, several peppercorns and corn cobs. Simmer for 20 minutes.
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Remove and discard the corn cobs and bay leaf. Add the corn kernels and the milky liquid from the corn to the pot and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
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Transfer 2 cups of soup to a high-speed blender and add the cashews. Blend until creamy, then blend the mixture back into the soup. Add the lemon juice and season to taste.
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Garnish with chives and serve with dollops of sour cream, if desired.
*For a more traditional corn chowder, omit the cashews. After pureeing 2 cups of soup, add it back to the pot along with ½ cup heavy cream. Add the lemon juice and simmer, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until the soup thickens slightly and the raw cream flavor mellows. Season to taste and serve.
