Creamy Corn Chowder with Smoky Bacon & Potatoes
Our Corn Chowder with Bacon is a celebration of fresh summer corn! It's a rich, creamy soup recipe with crispy bacon, tender potatoes, fresh herbs, and a deeply flavored broth enhanced by adding the corn cobs to the soup as it simmers. It makes a great lunch or dinner on its own (though a side salad or crusty bread is always welcome), and is perfect for potlucks or picnics. Make-ahead and freezer-friendly.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 319kcal
Video
Equipment
Large soup pot or Dutch oven
Paper towel-lined bowl or plate
Blender or immersion blender, optional, for puréeing soup
Ingredients
- 8 ears fresh corn husks and silk removed, kernels cut from corn
- 6 slices bacon cut into lardons
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 large sweet Vidalia onion finely chopped (about 1½ cups)
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1½ lbs Yukon gold potatoes cut into ½-inch pieces (about 3-4 medium potatoes)
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme tied together with kitchen twine, or 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1½ tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Flaky sea salt for serving
- Fresh chives for serving
- Baguette optional, for serving
Instructions
- Cook the bacon. Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat, then add the bacon lardons. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel-lined bowl.
- Cook the onion. To the same pot, add 2 Tbsp butter and chopped onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, another 4-6 minutes. Add 2 cloves chopped garlic, then cook 1 minute more.
- Make the roux. Stir in ¼ cup of flour, then whisk until the flour has been fully absorbed into the fat, about 1 minute. Continue whisking, then pour in 4 cups of chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Add the remaining ingredients. To the pot, add corn kernels, cubed potatoes, fresh thyme, and a bay leaf. Season with 1½ tsp Kosher salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, and ¼ tsp cayenne (if using). Once simmering, cover the pot and cook for about 20-25 minutes. For a stronger corn flavor, add some of the corn cobs directly to the soup pot.
- Purée half the soup (optional!). Remove the thyme, bay leaf, and corn cobs, then carefully transfer half of the soup to a blender and process until very smooth. Return the puréed soup to the pot. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender to blend about half of the soup. If you want a chunkier soup, simply remove the herbs and corn cobs, then continue to the final step.
- Finish, then serve. Add 1 cup heavy cream and most of the crispy bacon to the pan (reserve the rest for serving), then stir well. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve corn chowder immediately with additional crispy bacon, thinly sliced chives, a pinch of flaky sea salt, and some freshly ground black pepper on top. We recommend baguette for dipping!
Notes
- Make ahead & storage: Cool soup completely, then refrigerate airtight for 3–4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring between intervals. Don’t boil.
- Freezing: Freeze cooled chowder up to 3 months; thaw overnight before reheating (texture may change slightly).
- Corn swaps: Frozen (no thawing needed) or drained canned corn work well.
Nutrition
Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 501mg | Potassium: 772mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 752IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg
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