I can’t remember the first time I tried a Corn Chowder Recipe, 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!
How to Make Our Corn Chowder Recipe
Process
- Place some corn kernels and corn cobs in a pot with stock and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove cobs and pour remaining mixture into a blender.
- Puree kernels and stock in a blender until smooth. Set aside.
- Place pot back on stove over medium heat and render bacon, about 5 minutes. Remove from pot and drain onto paper towels.
- Drain some grease from pot and add onions, roasted peppers, celery, and potatoes. Sauté until vegetables begin to sweat and soften.
- Stir in remaining corn kernels and season with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle vegetables with flour.
- Stir together until flour is evenly combined in vegetable mixture. Continue to stir while adding the tequila. Allow alcohol to cook off.
- Stir corn infused stock to vegetable mixture until fully incorporated and no flour lumps remain. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the mixture thickens and potatoes are fork tender. Season with salt and pepper and stir.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in herbs, followed by half the cooked bacon and lime juice. Stir together.
- Remove from heat and stir in cream and adjust seasonings.
- Ladle into bowls and top each serving of corn chowder with a sprinkle of cotija cheese, remaining bacon, cilantro leaves. Serve with extra lime wedges.
Tools You Will Need
- cutting board
- knife
- liquid measuring cup
- dry measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- blender or immersion blender
- wooden spoon
- large pot
How to Char Corn for Our Recipe
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.
How to Roast 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.
Corn Chowder Recipe 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 sauté 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.
- Using frozen or canned corn: If using frozen, we recommend using whole frozen corn on the cob. Thaw completely, pat dry and char. 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.
- Dairy-free version: Replace butter with vegan butter and heavy cream with coconut milk and omit cotija cheese garnish.
Make Ahead Instructions
This corn chowder recipe 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.
More Delicious Corn Recipes You Will Love
Corn Chowder Recipe
A truly addicting summer Corn Chowder Recipe that is hearty, bright and totally delicious! Everyone will be fighting for seconds and thirds!
Servings:
INGREDIENTS
- 3 ears fresh corn, roasted and kernels removed from cob
- 1 quart unsalted chicken stock (or chicken broth)
- 8 slices bacon, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 roasted poblanos, diced
- 1 roasted red bell peppers, diced
- 2 rib of celery, diced
- 6 baby new potatoes, diced (or 2 Yukon gold potatoes)
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup gold tequila
- ½ bunch cilantro, minced
- 1 tablespoon oregano, minced
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
garnishes
- 6 tablespoons cotija cheese, crumbled
- lime wedges
- crumbled bacon
- cilantro leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place ½ corn kernels plus all cobs into a pot with the stock and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Discard cobs. Puree kernels and stock in a blender until smooth. Set aside.
- Place pot back on stove over medium heat and render bacon, about 5 minutes. Remove from pot and drain onto paper towels.
- Drain all but 3 tablespoon grease from pot. Add onions, roasted peppers, celery, and potatoes. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until the vegetables begin to sweat and soften.
- Stir in remaining corn kernels and season with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir together. Cook mixture, about 3 minutes. Continue to stir while adding tequila to deglaze.
- Stir corn infused stock into vegetable mixture until fully incorporated and no flour lumps remain. Allow mixture to come to a hard simmer, about 10 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and potatoes are fork tender. Season with salt and pepper and stir.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in herbs, half the cooked bacon and lime juice.
- Remove from heat and stir in the cream and adjust seasonings. Top with a sprinkle of cotija cheese, remaining bacon, cilantro leaves. Serve with extra lime wedges.
NOTES
How to Char 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.
How to Roast 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.
Corn Chowder 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 sauté 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.
- Using frozen or canned corn: If using frozen, we recommend using whole frozen corn on the cob. Thaw completely, pat dry and char. 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.
- Dairy-free version: Replace butter with vegan butter and heavy cream with coconut milk and omit cotija cheese garnish.
Calories: 481kcal Carbohydrates: 44g Protein: 16g Fat: 26g Saturated Fat: 12g Cholesterol: 66mg Sodium: 635mg Potassium: 847mg Fiber: 6g Sugar: 10g Vitamin A: 1463IU Vitamin C: 78mg Calcium: 141mg Iron: 2mg
CUISINE: American
KEYWORD: corn, summer chowder
COURSE: Main Course, Soup
Did you make this recipe? We want to see!
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I want to live in a place that has roasted poblanos! And where I can actually look forward to cold weather! Over here we are supposed to be coming into the “coolest” time of the year, but the heat is inescapable. What can I say…equatorial belt living!
Now this soup I can get behind hot or cold weather!
No worries! You can roast corn in a 350 degree oven (with the husks on) for about 20-30 minutes. For a bit of that char color and flavor I like to remove the husks and place them on a hot grill or grill pan for a minute or two on each side, before cutting the kernels off the husk and using!
Thanks!!
I wonder if I could omit the bacon and still have it taste good? My boyfriend is vegetarian and this is so close to being meat free!
Definitely!
This looks so darn good! Ummm, embarrassed to admit this, but how do you roast corn on the cob? Also, I’d love to make this for my IL’s, but they don’t drink. What can I sub for the tequila? I have all the stuff to make it, but need to get the bacon and cheese. Mmmmmm! I’m revvvved up and ready to roast! TIA!
You don’t have to worry about them not being drinkers. It’s not enough to get them drunk, it is more for flavour. I would think, I’ve used captain Morgan spiced rum in my spaghetti sauce and it cooks off the alcohol but tastes delish.
I with you on this heat wave! It puts me in a bad mood. And I’ve been wearing a ponytail every day for about a month now. Aargh. I didn’t move to San Diego for heat and humidity! However, I’m excited to try the chowder and cookie recipes! Yum! Thanks for sharing!
This corn chowder is awesome – I love all the different flavors you’ve infused into one dish and the color is amazing… I’m featuring this post in today’s Food Fetish Friday (with a link-back and attribution as always). Thank you so much for keeping me inspired with such delicious creations…
This soup is just amaaaazing! We had terrible weather in Joburg these last couple of days, and a bowl of this is like the best thing! Great blog!
Yes, I hear on the LA heat-anger. I also feel like days off aren’t really days off when it’s this hot because you can’t actually DO anything except sit in front of the fan and be angry.
I love corn chowder though! And the idea of roasting the corn first.
Oh, and if you’re looking for a new show to watch, check out Misfits, a UK series on Hulu (SO GOOD).
Is there a more lovely vegetable than esrs of corn? Love this recipe, but it’s not clear when the second half of the corn lernels sre added. Are they added in Step #3 or #4?
Damn, those are some beautiful photos! (especially the ones of the corns)
It’s hard to find a decent chowder in Australia – probably would be a lot easier to make them at home and now I can, thanks to this recipe :)
So, it was you who brought on the rain!
The recipe looks delicious, and I do love your blog —
O.M.G.D.Y.I.N.G.
Oh man, I definitely need some of this ASAP! Must cram as much of the late season corn into my mouth as humanly possible. :)
This looks incredible! It is so hot in NYC too. It’s awful! Thanks for sharing this recipe…if it ever cools down I want to give it a go!
Delicious! I want several bowls right now!
Holy BananaBaconBomb it has been SO HOT here in LA!!! I swear, my chapsticks melt on my nightstand, and my chocolate chips are just one big block in the cabinet!!! Ice cream for Wow, this soup looks great, I feel like corn season is always over before I know it, and Im always grasping to extend it. I think this soup would freeze (sans cheese) beautifully! Also, there’s a new food truck in town called Corn Heaven. Tried it?!
This chowder looks delicious! I’m super tired of the heat too. I’m really looking forward to fall bringing cooler weather and new tv shows.
i am in love with corn these days lol. so i wud definitely love to give it a shot ^_^
I love all the colors peeking through! I never thought I’d say it, but I’m ready for fall to come to Cali too :(
I’ve been looking for a delish and easy corn chowder (it’s a favourite in our household) and this looks like it’ll fit the bill. Very excited to give this a try.
Soup looks great and it is drizzling in LA at the moment! I’m not over summer though :-)
Gorgeous soup and love the yellow and bright and cheery color of it and those corn kernels…I want to sink my teeth in!
What a beautiful post! The pictures are gorgeous and I love a good chowder :) We have random weather in London so my take on it is, eat whatever whenever – and a soupy dish is the ultimate comfort food :)
We have finally cooled down today. Such a beautiful relief. Now I just hope fall sticks around for awhile! I {love} a good corn chowder, and I can tell that yours is just that. Yum!
I like the idea of cotija on this. My go-to corn chowder now sounds so boring compared this this one, with all the peppers!
This looks delish, and yeah man, it’s been hot in Detroit too. Can’t take it! My hair’s been fuzzy and it’s too hot to roast veggies. This isn’t a way to live. :)