The Best Light & Creamy Corn Chowder Recipe

corn chowder recipe easy with sides of cheese, scallions and bacon

Indulge in a bowl of comforting creamy corn chowder, ready in under an hour. This easy recipe balances creamy richness with fresh corn flavor.

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

Total Time 40

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Servings Servings

Calories 182 kcal

Equipment

1 Dutch Oven or stock pot

Ingredients

1 Onion, diced
2 Carrots, chopped
3 Celery, chopped
3 pieces Bacon, diced
5 ears Corn, Fresh If using frozen, 1 bag is good.
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Jalapeno, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 tablespoons flour
48 ounces vegetable or chicken stock
¼ cup Half and Half or Heavy Cream
1 Bay Leaf
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
1 bunch Cilantro, chopped
4 ounces Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 bunch Scallions, chopped

Instructions

Cut up three slices of bacon.
Heat a stock pot over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
While the bacon is cooking, dice the onion, carrots, celery, and pepper.
Then add another tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
When it’s heated, add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook down for 7-10 minutes until soft.
Mince one clove of garlic.
Add the minced garlic and saute until it releases that garlicky smell (about 30 seconds-1 min).
To make the roux and thicken it up, add 2 tablespoons of flour and mix it in well.
Then add the vegetable or chicken stock.
Cook over medium heat until the base boils, then add the bay leaf and corn.
Turn down the heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
Add half and half to bump up the creaminess and heat for 5 minutes stirring constantly.
Remove the bay leaf before serving.
Serve with shredded cheddar, bacon, scallions, and cilantro.

Notes

You can make this recipe with diced potatoes too. I love it with Yukon. Toss them in with the corn and cook for at least 45 minutes until they are cooked through.

If you prefer to skip the bacon, feel free. I add it for extra flavor but it's not needed if you don't want the extra fat.

If you have cooked chicken breast leftover, feel free to toss that in at the end with the dairy to heat it up but not overcook it.

Here are a few other cozy soups to try:

Nutrition

Calories: 182kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 8gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 507mgPotassium: 170mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 4358IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 126mgIron: 0.5mg

Keyword Corn Chowder Recipe Easy

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