• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Garnish with Lemon logo

menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Food
  • Drinks
  • How To's
  • FAQs
  • Our Story
  • Work With Us
  • Contact
  • Story Archives
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Soups + Salads » Creamy Potato Corn Chowder

    Published: Nov 11, 2022 by Anna · This post may contain affiliate links, which means we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.

    Creamy Potato Corn Chowder

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Thick, rich and super creamy, this stick-to-your ribs Potato Corn Chowder is a family favorite. Swimming with tender potato chunks, sweet corn, smoky bacon and topped with garlicky chives, a bowl of this velvety soup is the best way to warm up when it's cold outside.

    Black handled soup bowl filled with  potato corn chowder. this recipe

    When the temperatures drop, nothing beats a warm, comforting bowl of soup, and this creamy Potato Corn Chowder recipe is hearty, filling and guaranteed to please everyone!

    Why you'll love this recipe

    ✔︎ Every bite of this rich, creamy soup satisfies your comfort food cravings. Plus it makes excellent leftovers!

    ✔︎ The rich soup tastes like it took hours on the stove, but it's super easy to make. You can have it on the table in just 45 minutes.

    ✔︎ Soups actually improve in flavor as they age, so you can make this soup up to 3 days ahead of time, and it will still be absolutely delicious.

    Ingredients

    Like most of your favorite home-cooked meals, this recipe uses a handful of items you probably already have in your fridge and pantry.

    Ingredients for potato corn chowder including corn, potatoes, chicken broth and cream.

    A few ingredient notes:

    Bacon: I like to use center cut bacon as it is meatier than regular bacon, but feel free to use what you have on hand. If you use regular bacon, you may want to drain a bit of the extra fat leftover after cooking.

    Corn: Use fresh corn if it's in season. Defrosted frozen corn works great the rest of the year.

    Potatoes: I used Russet potatoes because of their high starch content. It helps create the creamy consistency when you add the potato puree back to the soup, but feel free to use any potatoes you have on hand.

    Cream: You can use half and half or even whole milk for this recipe, but you won't get the same rich flavor that you do from heavy cream.

    Instructions

    You can make this corn and potato chowder in just a few simple steps:

    Red dutch oven cooking bacon.

    Cook bacon in a dutch oven over medium heat until cooked through. Remove from pan with slotted spoon.

    Red dutch oven cooking carrots, onions and celery.

    Melt butter in pan and cook celery, onions and carrots for about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

    Red dutch oven with corn, potatoes, cream and chicken broth.

    Add corn, potatoes, broth and cream, stirring to remove the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.

    Red dutch oven with potato corn chowder.

    Bring to a low boil, reduce heat to medium low, cover and gently simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

    Blender jar filled with pureed potato corn chowder.

    Remove half of soup from pot and place in a blender. Pulse until smooth.

    Red dutch oven with potato corn chowder and garnished with chives, bacon and black pepper.

    Return pureed soup to the pot and stir in ⅔ of bacon and fresh chives. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.

    FAQs

    What makes a chowder a chowder?

    Soups and stews tend to have thinner broths where chowders are often thicker. A chowder is technically defined as a thick soup made with corn, potatoes, onions and milk or cream. It often contains chunky ingredients like a stew but it is also rich and creamy.

    How do you thicken corn chowder?

    Many recipes use a roux (a combination of butter and flour) to thicken chowder, but I created creaminess by pureeing half of the soup in a blender and stirring it back into the pot. The starchy corn and potatoes naturally thicken the chowder and make it creamy without adding any extra ingredients or steps. If you don't have a blender, you can scoop out about half of the potatoes and mash with a potato masher before returning to the pot.

    Can you freeze chowder?

    In general, potato and cream-based soups don't freeze well because their textures and consistencies change during the freezing process, so only make what you plan to use promptly. This soup will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days, and the flavor improves each day.

    Red dutch oven pot filled with potato corn chowder.

    Expert Tips for making Potato Corn Chowder

    ✘ Heavy cream gives this soup its rich flavor. You can substitute half and half or whole milk, but it will not have the same flavor or creaminess.

    ✘ Short on time? No need to defrost the corn overnight. Simply microwave it for a few minutes or pour it in frozen and heat for a few minutes longer.

    ✘ You can make this soup up to three days ahead of time. After the soup has cooled completely, store covered in the fridge. It does not freeze well.

    ✘ Leftover meats make excellent additions to this soup. Stir in leftover ham or chicken, toss a spinach salad and heat up a loaf of garlic bread for a tasty meal.

    More Easy Soup Recipes

    These are some of our favorite soups on chilly fall and winter nights!

    • Slow Cooker Curried Butternut Squash Soup
    • Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup with Ham
    • Turkey Pumpkin Chili
    • Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup
    
    
    Did you make this recipe? We'd love to hear your thoughts! 
    
    Please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Your feedback helps us and your fellow readers! 
    
    
    
    Black soup bowl filled with potato corn chowder with a spoon in it.
    Bowl of potato corn chowder garnished with bacon and chives.

    Potato Corn Chowder

    Garnish With Lemon
    This chowder is pure comfort food! Everyone loves this rich and creamy soup with tender potato chunks, sweet corn and smoky bacon.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 35 mins
    Total Time 45 mins
    Course Soup
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6
    Calories 310 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Blendtec Blender
    • Dutch Oven
    • Chef's Knife
    • Cutting Boards
    • Silicone Measuring Cups

    Ingredients
      

    • 6 slices center cut bacon, chopped
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • ½ cup chopped onion
    • ¾ cup chopped celery
    • ¾ cup chopped carrots
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 4 cups corn kernels (defrost if using frozen corn)
    • 1 pound Russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
    • 4 cups chicken broth
    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
    • salt and pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Cook bacon in a dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-low heat until cooked through. Remove from pan with slotted spoon and set aside to drain on a plate lined with a paper towel.
      6 slices center cut bacon,
    • Melt butter in dutch oven and stir in onion, celery and carrot. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
      1 tablespoon butter, ½ cup chopped onion, ¾ cup chopped celery, ¾ cup chopped carrots, 3 cloves garlic,
    • Add corn, potatoes, broth and cream, stirring to remove the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat to medium low, cover and gently simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
      4 cups corn kernels, 1 pound Russet potatoes,, 4 cups chicken broth, 1 cup heavy cream
    • Remove half of soup from pot and place in a blender. Pulse until smooth. Return to pot.
    • Stir in ⅔ of bacon and fresh chives. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with remaining bacon and more fresh chives, if desired.
      2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, salt and pepper

    Notes

    Substitutions:
    • Center cut bacon is meatier than regular bacon but feel free to use whatever you have on hand. 
    • Fresh or frozen corn can be used in this recipe. If using frozen corn, defrost it first, if possible. If you forget, you can use frozen corn but you'll need to tack on a few minutes of cooking time to the recipe. 
    • Russet potatoes are nice and starchy to help add creaminess to this chowder but you can use whatever potatoes you have on hand. 
    • Heavy cream gives the best flavor to this recipe but you can substitute half and half or whole milk. Just know your soup won't be quite as rich or creamy. 
    Don't have a blender to puree the soup? You can also scoop some of the potatoes out, mash them with a potato masher and stir back into the pot as specified in the directions. 
    Make this soup up to 3 days ahead of time. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days. 
    This soup does not freeze well as the potatoes and cream break down during the freezing/defrosting process. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 310kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 7gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 842mgPotassium: 638mgFiber: 4gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 3468IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 63mgIron: 1mg

    Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.

    Did you make this recipe?Tag us on Instagram or leave a comment!
    « Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
    Easy Poached Pears Recipe »

    About Anna

    Hi, I’m Anna, a former corporate communications nerd turned food fanatic. Turns out I like cooking for others A LOT more than explaining HR policies to them. C’mon over!

    Reader Interactions

    Rate the Recipe, Leave a Comment or Share a Tip! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    MEET LISA AND ANNA

    We're the creative juices behind Garnish with Lemon. In the past 8 years, millions of people have sipped & snacked on our recipes. Need easy, delicious party food and drinks for your next shindig? You’ve come to the right place.

    OUR STORY

    Popular Posts

    • Layered Greek Dip
    • Slow Cooker BBQ Meatballs
    • Tequila Old Fashioned
    • Easy Bacon Bites
    • Sous Vide Flank Steak
    • Mini Pancakes

    Seasonal Recipes

    • Slow Cooker Curried Butternut Squash Soup
    • Blood Orange Margaritas
    • How to Make a Better Veggie Tray
    • Lemon Cheesecake Bars
    • Mango Mojito
    • Italian Ranch Phyllo Cups

    Footer

    About

    • Privacy/Disclosure Policy
    • Accessibility Statement

    Newsletter

    • Sign up for emails

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Garnish with Lemon Copyright © 2023