Corn Chowder

Roasted Corn Chowder in a bowl with a spoon in it and lime wedges on the side.

I can’t remember the first time I had Corn Chowder, but I do remember instantly falling in love with it. I love corn and get so excited for fresh, sweet corn in the summer. Our recipe uses both the kernels and the cobs, soaking up every last bit of flavor.

We add bacon which adds a nice smoky and salty element to the chowder, the potatoes give it body and the roasted peppers add a bright finish! Our recipe takes a little more time and effort but is 100% worth it for the best corn chowder you’ll ever taste!

An ingredient shot of all the items needed to make our Roasted Corn Chowder recipe.

How to make Corn Chowder

First you start by placing half of the corn kernels and all of the corn cobs into a pot with the stock and letting the mixture simmer for 20 minutes. This is a great way to draw out the milky, corn goodness from the cobbs.
Remove the cobbs from the pot and purée the kernels and stock together until the mixture is smooth. Transfer the stock into a large measuring cup or mixing bowl and set aside. This is the delicious corn stock base for your soup.
Place the pot back over the stove over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and render for a few minutes until the bacon has browned and crisped. Remove the bacon from the pot and set aside.
Drain all but about 3 tablespoons of the bacon grease from the pot and sauté the onions, roasted peppers, celery and potatoes. Once the vegetables begin to sweat and soften, after about 5 to 7 minutes.
Add remaining corn kernels into the mixture and season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle flour over vegetable mixture and stir together for a few minutes to remove the raw flour flavor.
Continue stirring together while adding the tequila. Allow the alcohol to burn off, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the stock to the mixture, stirring to avoid lumps forming. It’s important for the Allow mixture to come to a hard simmer to allow the chowder to thicken.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, stir in the herbs, half the cooked bacon and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook chowder for 10 minutes until potatoes are fork tender.
Remove from heat and stir in the cream. Adjust seasonings (salt and pepper) as needed.
Finish chowder with a sprinkle of crumbled cotija, the remaining bacon, cilantro leaves and extra lime wedges on the side. Serve.

Corn cobs and kernels simmering in stock. — Simmer cobs and half of the corn kernels in a pot.

Corn kernels in stock in a blender to be blended. — Purée the kernels and stock together.

Corn kernels in a blender, blended until smooth. — Purée until smooth.

Pot with bacon rendered brown and crispy. — Render bacon until brown and crisped.

Vegetables added to a stock pot and softening as they cook. — Sauté vegetables.

Corn kernels added to the soft vegetables in a stock pot. — Add corn kernels and season with salt and pepper.

Flour sprinkled on top of vegetable mixture in a pot overhead. — Add flour.

Flour mixture mixed in and cooked down to remove the raw flour flavor. — Mix together for a few minutes.

Tequila and the blended stock mixture in a pot overhead with a wooden spoon in it. — Add tequila and stir until it burns off. Then add the blended stock and corn mixture.

Herbs added to the stock pot with the soup mixture in it and a wooden spoon. — Add herbs. Followed by bacon and lime juice.

Cream added to the roasted corn mixture in a stock pot with a wooden spoon. — Remove from heat and stir in cream.

FAQs

Can this be made ahead of time?

Yes! This chowder can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Note that the cream should not be added to the chowder until ready to reheat and serve.
To reheat, pour the chowder into a pot and simmer over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes until heated through and slightly thickened up. Remove the chowder from the heat and stir in the cream. Adjust seasonings as needed and serve.

Can this chowder be frozen?

I don’t recommend freezing this chowder as the consistency will really change when reheated and will be much thinner than intended.

How do you char the corn?

You can char the corn by placing the corn on the cobs under the broiler for a few minutes, turning the corn after each minute to char all sides. You just want each side to lightly char. Cool corn then slice kernels from cobs.

Can you use frozen or canned corn?

Yes! If using frozen, I recommend using frozen corn on the cob, thawing completely, patting dry and then charring.

If using canned, thoroughly drain, rinse and pat the kernels dry (about 2 cups). Spread the kernels out onto a baking sheet in a single layer and char under broiler for a minute or 2. Add 1 cup kernels to the stock, simmer and puree as stated in the recipe.

How do you roast the peppers?

The peppers can be roasted under the broiler as well. Place the peppers under the broiler and char each side until completely black. Once the peppers are totally black all over, quickly transfer them to a heat-safe bowl and cover with a damp towel.

Allow peppers to steam for 6 to 8 minutes. Remove towel and rub all the charred skin off each pepper. Stem and seed each pepper and dice.

Variations

Vegetarian friendly version: The bacon can be omitted and replaced with 4 tablespoons unsalted butter and 4 ounces of stemmed and thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms. To replace bacon with mushrooms: Melt 1 tablespoon butter into the pot and add mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and saute until cooked down and crisp around the edges. Remove mushrooms from pot, reserve and use in the recipe in place of the cooked bacon. Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter into the pot before adding the vegetables.

This Corn Chowder is one of my favorite soups ever. It’s so rich, creamy and bright! The corn is so vibrant and really pops through all the other flavors going on.

It’s a really good way to use up all the sweet corn that’s in abundance during the summer! If you love summer corn as much as I do, you’ll also love our recipes for Cheesy Buttery Jalapeno Corn Cakes, Browned Butter and Halloumi Summer Corn Salad, and Cream Shrimp and Corn Ravioli Enjoy!

Also check out this post for our Best Soup Recipes!