Creamy, hearty Corn Chowder with BACON!! My two little effortless tips that take this up a notch is to use the bacon drippings to make the soup base, and toss the used corn cobs into the broth to infuse it with extra corn flavour. This soup is guaranteed to warm your soul and get your taste buds dancing!
Corn Chowder
I’m a sucker for creamy soups in any form. In fact, I’m yet to come across a creamy soup I don’t love. Hmmmm…..that statement sounds somewhat awfully familiar.
I’ve written that here before. Oh, that’s right. I say the same thing about cheese. Umm… and potatoes.
This website would be a very different place indeed if I also said the same thing about salads. 😈
There are corn chowders, then there are corn chowders. A couple of years ago, I shared a quick ‘n easy Corn Chowder using leftover Christmas ham and frozen corn. This one is a teeny step up from that in terms of effort, and it’s totally worth it because it’s extra corny and loaded with extra flavour.
Here’s my tip: Use fresh corn and use the corn cobs to make a simple extra-corny broth. OH – and cook the bacon first and use the bacon drippings to make the soup base (i.e. sautéing onion and garlic then making a roux that thickens the soup).
This method of infusing the soup broth with the corn cobs (also used in this Cold Corn Soup) is a tip I picked up from Kenji at Serious Eats, The Best Corn Chowder Recipe. Kenji says this, Kenji says that, Kenji’s tip for this, Kenji’s tested that… his name gets thrown around quite a bit in the RecipeTin family. While I’m pretty sure none of us has actually made any of his recipes exactly as written, we find his food-science approach to making the “best of the best” (like crunchy fried Chinese chicken that stays crunchy) or why it’s impossible to do this-or-that in a home kitchen (like truly charring noodles the South East Asian way) interesting reading, and are sometimes able to pick up tips that we can actually use in our normal day to day cooking.
Infusing the broth with the corn cobs is one such technique. 🙂
Now, I must confess something. Well, 2 things. The soup you see in the photos is cleaner than what you will see in the video. I usually make this with sprigs of thyme to infuse the broth. When I made the recipe video, I only had a few shrivelled up brown sprigs so I opted to use dried thyme instead rather than doing yet another run to the grocery store, so the soup broth is speckled with thyme leaves.
Having made that decision, I proceeded with the recipe video. Got the step where I was to toss in a bay leaf…. and realised I was out of bay leaves!!!
So… that bay leaf you see me plop into the soup is actually….. errr ….well, it’s a kaffir lime leaf. I fished it out as soon as I stopped recording!!!
These are not deal breakers though. Dried vs fresh thyme sprigs is just about aesthetics, and the bay leaf does add a subtle hint of extra flavour but it’s not the end of the world if you don’t have it.
Just don’t substitute with kaffir lime leaf!!! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Corn Chowder with Bacon
Ingredients
Corn (choose one)
- 4 ears of corn
- 4 cups / 750g / 1.5 lb frozen or canned corn , drained
Soup:
- 1 tsp butter (or oil)
- 250g / 8 oz bacon , chopped
- 30g / 2 tbsp butter (use 3 tbsp if bacon is lean)
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1 small onion , diced (or half large onion) (yellow, brown or white)
- 5 tbsp flour
- 2 cups chicken broth , low sodium
- 3 cups milk (I use low fat but full fat will work too)
- 600g / 1.2 lb potatoes , cut into 1 cm / 2/5″ cubes (about 2 large)
- 2 sprigs of thyme OR 1 tsp dried thyme
- 3/4 cup cream (Note 1)
- 3/4 cup shallots / scallions , green part finely sliced
- Salt and finely ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut the corn off the cob. This is how I do it: Place a small ramekin in a large bowl. Place corn on the ramekin then cut the corn off. See video. Keep naked cobs.
- Place 1 tsp butter in a large pot over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until golden. Use a slotted spoon to remove onto a paper towel lined plate. Leave fat in pot.
- Lower heat to medium high. Add 2 tbsp butter, once melted, add garlic and onion. Cook for 2 – 3 minutes until onion is translucent.
- Add flour and mix it in. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Add broth, milk, potatoes, thyme and bay leaf. Break naked cobs into 2 or 3 and add into the liquid. Put the lid on and simmer for 25 minutes (adjust heat so it’s simmering energetically but not bubbling like crazy or super gently).
- Remove lid, remove corn cobs. Add corn and cook for 5 minutes or until cooked to your taste.
- Stir through cream and 3/4 of the bacon and shallots. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and garnish with remaining bacon and shallots.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
More creamy soups
LIFE OF DOZER
Nowhere to be seen when I was cutting the corn, made an appearance when the bacon was cooking. (PS I shot this recipe pre Cindy Crawford beauty spot in the photo I shared last Friday a.k.a smudge of permanent hair colour on his face)
Loved this recipe! My two young kids gobbled it up too. My son who professes his hatred of corn, said it was delicious!
Just made this recipe.but i did add a can of creamed corn and corn kennels was delish.❤
Another excellent recipe by Nagi. This was a little easier than my really good corn and potato chowder I usually make, but equally as good. It’s almost winter where I am, so no corn on the cob and I skipped the simmering of the cobs step. Luckily we grow and freeze our own sweet corn and it’s loaded with flavor and “milk” from the cob. I did use an immersion blender just a little. We like a little “kick” but my grocery store was out of jalapenos so i used just a little of chipotle peppers in adobe sauce. Also threw in a little cheddar.
Made this tonight for supper. Hubby and I both enjoyed it. Added some finely chopped zucchini that needed to be eaten and fresh thyme from my garden. Love your recipes!
I made this last weekend – so amazing! We made it on Saturday but didn’t eat until Sunday – reheated slowly and it was wonderful! It was even better left over on Monday for lunch! Another hit from Nagi! Thanks for always having a great idea for us.
I made this last weekend – so amazing! We made it on Saturday but didn’t eat until Sunday – reheated slowly and it was wonderful! It was even better left over on Monday for lunch! Another hit from Nagi!
If I make the chowder the day before, should I wait to add the cream? Thank you!!
Hi Gina, no need to leave out the cream. Just reheat gently before serving 🙂 N x
Another recipe to delight the tummy’s at my house. I thought I might have leftovers for lunch tomorrow but my teen boys devoured it all! Thank you Nagi x
I LOVE this recipe. I just made this for the second time exactly as written except I multiplied all ingredients by 5 for a clam bake tomorrow. Hubby said delicious! Thanks for a wonderful recipe. It’s a keeper.
Nagi, it is gorgeous, as is usual with all your recipes! Thank you for another lovely recipe.
I love chowder and this is the best chowder recipe I have found. I veganized it using plant milk, vegan butter and vegan bacon. I garnished it with cilantro and smoked paprika which is delicious. I was short on thyme(a pinch of oregano was just as good) and time and this really hits the spot.
Hello, I am going to make this tomorrow. What kind of potatoes should I use? I was thinking gold potatoes.
Hi Jason – it would work find with any potato here but gold will be perfect! N x
Thanks, Nagi., I am actually making it now. Will be serving to my parents for dinner tonight. 🙂
My personal taste would recommend only 4 TBSP flour and 1/8 to 1/4 tsp thyme. Otherwise I find it too thick w/5 TB flour and overwhelming with the herb flavor of the recommended 1 tsp dried thyme (or fresh amount). Very good beyond that. Keep up to good work Nagi!!!
The sweet corn was at the ripest this weekend so I made a big pot of soup it was excellent
Thanks
Delicious! Our go-to corn chowder recipe. We added foraged mushrooms (black velvet boletes) for even more deliciousness.
I am now the worlds BEST wife after making this delicious soup for my husband ! He has always loved my homemade soups but this one tops the lot for sure. We had it for lunch (with your no knead bread rolls) and then for dinner. Just as delicious heated up the 2nd time. Thanks Nagi x And his to Dozer x
Hi Nagi
Just want to tell that I made your creamy Corn Chowder with Bacon … easy to make plus delicious… family enjoyed it
Perfect Ginger!! N x
I cooked this a few weeks ago and only tasted onion from the soup. This has happened a few times, I think the onions I buy are larger than the ones you use in your recipes 🙁
Today I only used 1/4 of a large yellow onion, and it’s perfect. Eating this with garlic bread is a must!!
Recooked your recipe, amazingly good delicious creamy like chowdeeer, but not overpowering thick… its light and savoury… oya, i added bits of chicken that i made from the chick stock too.
Um so glad you enjoyed it Eryka! N x
Amazing! I’ve made corn chowder before but never boiled the cobs. What a game changer! Creamy corn taste throughout with that slight salty bite from bacon. Thanks so much Nagi!
Made this a few times now and it is absolutely brilliant. I also like to throw in a small can of white crab meat into it and/or some fresh prawns.
Woah that sounds decadent, I must try! N x