This super-hearty, creamy corn chowder is bursting with flavor from sweet corn, smoky bacon, and a couple of secret ingredients.
I try to avoid cooking with dairy most of the time. It’s often a crutch in American cuisine (mediocre casserole? Just cover it with cheese!), and I think we could all find ways to use less of it. With that said, though, sometimes it really just can’t be replaced. Whenever I include dairy in a recipe, you know it’s there with good reason.
This sweet and savory, impossibly silky, rich and delicious corn chowder is one such recipe. I’ve made a few vegan corn chowders over the years, and while they’ve still been very tasty (I have my own recipe here), this one is a tier above the rest. I may, in fact, go so far as to say that it’s the best corn chowder I’ve ever eaten in my life. Maybe even one of the best soups, period. I do not take these declarations lightly, friends.
Its best feature is that it can be made year-round, and it’s just as good with frozen corn. I prefer not to use canned corn because I find it often has a weird metallic taste, but if it’s all you have, it will still be great in this soup.
This one differs from other corn chowder recipes thanks to a couple secret ingredients.
They’re small additions, but they take it over the edge from good to great. The first is a spoonful of honey, and while it may seem strange to sweeten an already-kinda-sweet soup, a small amount of sugar plays off and enhances the corn’s natural sweetness.
The second (and you gotta stay with me here) is a splash of apple cider vinegar. I add a pop of acidity to almost everything I cook, and a rich, creamy soup is no exception. It’s only a teaspoon, so you won’t taste vinegar; that little splash of brightness brings out all the flavors and really lets them shine. Don’t skip these little additions!
More comforting soups:
Pimiento Beer Cheese Soup
Greek Lemon Rice Soup (Avgolemono)
Classic Tomato Soup
IF YOU MAKE THIS CREAMY CORN CHOWDER, DON’T FORGET TO SNAP A PHOTO AND TAG ME IN IT ON INSTAGRAM @FEELINWHISKY! I LOVE SEEING WHAT YOU DO WITH MY RECIPES!
PrintCreamy Corn Chowder
This super-hearty, creamy corn chowder is bursting with flavor from sweet corn, smoky bacon, and a couple of secret ingredients.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 5 slices bacon
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, optional
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 pound yellow or red potatoes, diced
- 4 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
- 4 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- Kosher salt + freshly cracked black pepper
- Sliced green onions or chives, for topping
Instructions
- In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, fry the bacon until crispy, about 5–7 minutes. Remove to a plate lined with paper towel to drain excess fat. Pour off most of the bacon fat, reserving about a tablespoon in the bottom of the pot.
- Reduce heat to medium and add the butter to melt. Add the onion and a splash of water, using a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bacon bits off the bottom of the pot. Sauté for 5–7 minutes or until soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic, thyme, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Cook for about a minute, or until fragrant. Add the flour and stir through, cooking for 1–2 minutes, or until no raw flour bits remain. Stir in potatoes, corn, and chicken stock, and season with salt and pepper.
- Set heat to medium-high and cover partially with a lid to bring to a boil. Simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and can be easily pierced with a fork. Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender, partially blend the soup, leaving about half unblended. Alternatively, you can use a potato masher to mash the potatoes into the soup.
- Crumble in the bacon, add the honey, and stir in the half and half, then return to medium heat to warm through. Once the soup is warm (but not boiling), scoop out a ladleful into a bowl. Stir the apple cider vinegar into this portion, then, add it back into the pot. This will prevent the vinegar from curdling the half and half. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then ladle into bowls and serve topped with green onions.
Notes
- Weirded out by the vinegar and honey here? Just give it a try, I promise. They add a very necessary brightness, acidity, and complexity to balance out an otherwise very rich soup. Don’t skip them!
