Creamy Corn Potato Chowder (Printable)

Velvety corn and potato blend with aromatic vegetables, perfect for warming meals.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
07 - 3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels

→ Liquids & Dairy

08 - 4 cups vegetable broth
09 - 1 cup whole milk
10 - 1 cup heavy cream

→ Seasonings

11 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
12 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
14 - ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Garnishes

15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley
16 - Crumbled cooked bacon, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Melt butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften and onions turn translucent.
02 - Stir minced garlic into the vegetable mixture and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
03 - Add diced potatoes, corn kernels, thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Stir thoroughly to distribute seasonings evenly.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth and bring mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender.
05 - Using an immersion blender, purée approximately one-third of the soup directly in the pot until partially smooth. Alternatively, transfer 1 cup of soup to a countertop blender, purée until smooth, and return to pot. This technique creates a velvety base while preserving hearty chunks.
06 - Stir in whole milk and heavy cream. Simmer gently for 5 additional minutes to heat through and allow flavors to meld. Avoid boiling to prevent dairy separation.
07 - Taste chowder and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle hot into bowls and garnish with fresh chives, parsley, or crumbled bacon if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • This chowder strikes that perfect balance between creamy and chunky, with tender potatoes and sweet corn in every spoonful
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like it simmered all day, making it perfect for weeknight comfort
02 -
  • Pureeing only part of the soup is the secret to restaurant-quality texture—too much blending makes it baby food smooth, while too little leaves it thin and watery
  • Never let the cream boil vigorously or it will separate and become grainy, so keep the heat at the lowest gentle simmer once dairy is added
03 -
  • Use a box grater to shred a small amount of the corn kernels before adding them—this releases more starch and naturally thickens the soup
  • If the chowder seems too thin, mash a few potato pieces against the side of the pot instead of adding flour

Return