Creamy Corn Chowder Delight (Printable version)
Velvety chowder with sweet corn, tender potatoes, and smoky bacon, perfect for cozy nights.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
02 - 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Meats (optional)
07 - 4 slices bacon, diced
→ Dairy
08 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
09 - 2 cups whole milk
10 - 1 cup heavy cream
→ Broth & Seasonings
11 - 3 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley
# How to Prepare:
01 - Cook diced bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Drain excess fat, leaving 1 tablespoon in the pot. If omitting bacon, substitute with an additional tablespoon of butter.
02 - Add butter to the pot. Sauté onion, celery, carrot, and garlic for 4 to 5 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in diced potatoes, corn, bay leaf, dried thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Pour in broth and bring to a boil.
04 - Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until potatoes are tender.
05 - Remove bay leaf. Using an immersion blender, puree about half of the soup for a creamy texture, leaving some chunks. Alternatively, transfer half the soup to a blender, puree, and return to the pot.
06 - Stir in whole milk and heavy cream. Simmer gently for 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning as required.
07 - Ladle chowder into bowls. Top with reserved bacon and chopped fresh chives or parsley.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- It tastes like comfort but only takes 50 minutes from stovetop to bowl.
- The trick of blending half the soup makes it creamy without being heavy or pretentious.
- You can skip the bacon entirely and it's still deeply satisfying, or lean into it for richness.
02 -
- Blending exactly half the soup is the secret that makes it creamy without turning it into baby food—trust this ratio, it works.
- Don't skip rendering the bacon slowly; rushed bacon is tough bacon, and the fat you cook it in is half the flavor foundation.
- Add the milk and cream at the very end after all your other flavors are built in, so they don't break from prolonged heat.
03 -
- Taste the soup at every stage and adjust seasoning as you go—salt brings all the flavors forward and makes everything taste like itself.
- If your immersion blender is giving you grief, a regular blender works just as well; just be careful with hot liquid and let some steam escape before blending.