This corn chowder recipe is easy to make with fresh, frozen or canned sweet corn, potatoes and bacon. It’s a creamy and crowd-pleasing homemade soup all year-round.
Table of Contents
Easy Corn Chowder Recipe
All I crave during the fall season are soup recipes. Sometimes I’ll even make homemade bread bowls to serve them in. This recipe has amazing flavor and a thick and creamy texture. It’s one of my favorites to make, as well as ham and potato soup and chicken pot pie soup.
We love this delicious corn chowder on a chilly fall day. This corn chowder is very filling and a recipe that the whole family will enjoy. I love this time of year and making lots of hearty comforting soups like this, my clam chowder, my chicken, sausage and shrimp gumbo or this seafood stew for dinner.
If you’d like to add in more veggies, you can also add in some shredded carrots, bell peppers and chopped celery. I like to top my bowl of soup the same way as this loaded potato soup with extra bacon pieces, shredded cheese and green onions then serve with crusty french bread.
Recipe Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Corn: I like to use a mixture of corn and creamed corn to add to the overall flavor and texture. It’s a great way to use leftovers of my quick and easy creamed corn!
- Bacon: The fat from the bacon is the perfect base to cook the onions and impart more of that salty goodness.
- Potatoes: Red potatoes hold their shape well and still absorb the soup flavors.
- Butter: This adds just a little but more creaminess and fat.
- Onion: The onion is cooked in the bacon fat which helps balance the sweetness.
- Chicken broth: Chicken broth adds a nice richness to the soup, but vegetable broth will work as well.
- Milk: This is where the chowder gets its creaminess from, and I like to use a 2% or whole.
- Flour: This is necessary to thicken the chowder and give it the right consistency.
- Toppings: I love to add cheese and green onions to the top, but it is completely up to you.
How to Make Corn and Potato Chowder
- Cook. Brown the bacon in a large pot, then place on a paper towel lined plate. Leave about 1/2 Tablespoon of the grease in the pan and add in the butter and onions. Cook for about 3 minutes, then stir in the flour. Slowly stir in the chicken broth.
- Simmer. Next mix in the red potatoes, drained corn, creamed corn, salt and nutmeg. Bring to a light bowl and then let simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
- Thicken. Stir in the milk and continue simmering until the soup begins to thicken. Then remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cooking Tips
- Type of corn. I love using a mix of both plain corn and creamed corn as it gives the perfect creamy texture, but you could definitely use one or the other if you prefer. Fresh or frozen corn will also work. Sometimes I’ll mix in some grilled corn for more flavor.
- Bacon grease. After cooking the bacon, make sure to keep some of the bacon grease in the pan. It adds amazing flavor to the soup. I usually keep about 1/2 Tablespoon in the pan, but feel free to use a little more or less.
- Make creamier. For a creamier consistency, try blending some of the soup. Start with blending about 1/4 cup, then add blended portion back in. Continue to blend in 1/4 increments until desired texture is reached.
- Cheese. I like to add shredded cheese on top of my soup, however you can mix it into the whole pot to make it a cheesy corn chowder.
- Extra veggies. To sneak in more veggies, try including shredded carrots, bell peppers or celery. Simply mix them in with the onions and butter.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Simply skip the bacon and swap the chicken broth for a vegetable broth.
Sure, you will need 1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels instead of the 1 can of corn. I would still keep the creamed corn to give the chowder its creaminess and enhance the corn flavor.
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Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 6 strips bacon
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 6 small red potatoes , chopped and peeled, if desired
- 1 (15-ounce) can corn
- 1 (15-ounce) can creamed corn
- 1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 cups whole milk , warmed
- Ground black pepper , to taste
Optional toppings: Shredded cheese and Sliced green onions
Instructions
- In a large pot, cook the bacon over medium-high heat. Once cooked, remove and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Leave about 1/2 Tablespoon grease in the pot.
- Add the butter and onions. Cook 3 minutes then whisk in the flour. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth.
- Add the potatoes, corn, creamed corn, salt, and nutmeg. Bring to a light boil and simmer 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Stir in the milk and simmer until it begins to thicken. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Top with cheese and green onions, if desired, for serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
This is my go to recipe for Corn Chowder and everyone says I make the best. I was just wondering how I could adapt this recipe for a slow cooker??
I haven’t tried in the slow cooker yet, but I would add to the slow cooker after step 3. Then cook on low about 3-4 hours. You may need to create a roux at the end if it’s not thickening.
Another delicious recipe! My kids wanted a second bowl!
This chowder is a go to for fall comfort dinners at this house. so creamy and delicious!
I love the tip of using a combination of creamed and plain corn. That definitely improved the texture of the chowder. A huge winner in our house!
Super easy. A double batch disappeared in a half hour so it must be good.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! :)
A similar corn chowder won first prize at a soup cook off in our subdivision last month and I was driven to copy it. SO thanks to you I did. I never like it when people say I made your soup ‘but’…however, I just had to share with you that now that Campbells has come out with Cream of Sweet Corn soup that is to die for I substituted that for the can of creamed corn and used half and half instead of milk and being lazy…a can of diced potatoes.Luckily it is fresh corn season here in Florida so using fresh was a no brainer. And as you suggested I added a stalk of celery and a large carrot chopped and sautéed with the onion…great addition. Thanks so much for all your work and for sharing…without you I would never have figured out how to make great corn chowder. :-) And now I’m off to make another pot of Your prize winning corn chowder…my neighbors are waiting. Have a great weekend.
Love this story! Thanks for sharing! Glad you enjoyed the recipe :)
Do you know if this will freeze well? I’m looking for some good make ahead soup recipes
I haven’t tried freezing it, but I think it should freeze well! The texture might change just a bit. :)
When does the bacon go in? I see you cook a few extra pieces to top it with. I’m assuming it just goes in the pot at the end?
Hi Margaret! Yes, just stir them in at the end! :)
One of my family’s favorites in a cold evening! The ultimate comfort food to warm your belly and your soul.
I tried the recipe tonight and I have a couple of questions. Do you drain the corn before you add to the soup? Do you pour the grease out of the pan before you add the butter and onions?
Thanks
Wanda I’m wondering the same things – what did you do and how did yours turn out? If yours was too watery maybe I’ll try draining the grease and the corn.
Yes I do drain the corn and leave about 1/2 Tablespoon grease in the pan. :)
This looks insanely comforting.
I could eat this chowder every day! I wish I had a big bowl right now!
Yum I love this idea!! sounds so delicious
Corn chowder looks so comforting! I bet I can make this in my instant pot!
I am always ready for a corn chowder! This one looks fantastic!
What a tasty looking dish! Cannot wait to try this! Love! Thank you for sharing this great recipe.
I love it! I am going to try this out. Thank you for sharing this great recipe. YUM!
This soup has all my favorite parts of potato soup. Then you made it even better with corn!
Can you tell me if you drain the corn before you add it to the soup. Also, do you drain off the bacon grease before you add the butter to cook the onions? Or is the grease a part of the soup?
I drain the corn juice in and leave the bacon grease in the pan! :)