Corn Chowder
Published 9/12/2021 • Updated 7/18/2023
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Sweet corn season is here and we’re sharing a delicious corn chowder recipe made with fresh ears of corn, potatoes, a little ground pork, and yummy spices.
Best Sweet Corn Chowder
We’re near the end of sweet corn season and if you haven’t made a batch of Corn Chowder yet, we’ve got just the recipe for you!
As a midwesterner, everyone should have an epic corn chowder recipe in their back pocket. You see, we have cornfields left and right here in Minnesota.
So, here’s a corn chowder recipe that’s flavorful, creamy, and so flavorful!
This corn chowder is…
- Creamy and hearty
- Made with fresh corn
- Filling
- Freezer-friendly
Main Ingredients for Corn Chowder
- Yellow Sweet Corn: we recomend using the freshest of corn you can find. Make sure to shuck it and use a sharp knife to cut the kernels off the cob.
- Ground Pork: this recipe starts off by browning ground pork and that’s to get all the amazing flavor pork has to offer! Make sure to save the pork for topping.
- Baby Red Potatoes: baby red potatoes halp make this soup thick and creamy once part of it is blended. Feel free to swap for russet or Idaho. Just make sure to cut them into smaller chunks.
- Garlic: when in doubt, add more garlic!
- Onion: onion is an essential flavor add for the base of this chowder. We used yellow onion, but white works too.
- Chicken Broth: broth not only adds amazing flavor to this chowder, but it also helps thin things out a bit.
- Heavy Cream: this soup is finished off with some heavy cream for a good, creamy measure.
The secret to amazing corn chowder
I’m sure you’re wondering, what is the secret to corn chowder? 2 words –> FRESH CORN.
That’s right, make sure you use freshly shucked sweet corn instead of canned or frozen. The taste is so much better as is the texture.
Sweet corn season: Mid-July through September
3 Cooking Tips you HAVE to Follow
Fresh Corn
We know we mentioned this already, but we feel as though it’s worth mentioning again. Use fresh corn!
If you use white sweet ocrn, your corn chowder will not be yellow like traditional chowder. However, it will still taste delicious.
Use Ground Pork
Ground pork may seem like an odd thing to start within a chowder recipe but trust us. Ground pork adds so much flavor and a great saltiness to the base of the chowder.
Make Sure to Puree Potatoes and Liquid
You’ll see in step 9 of the recipe card that you are instructed to blend 4 cups of chowder in a high-speed blender. Make sure to get a decent amount of liquid and potatoes in your 4 cups. This is what’s going to help make it thick and creamy just like chowder should be.
Our Favorite
Blender
Looking to upgrade your blender? Check out our favorite Vitamix Blender. It’s our favorite high-speed blender perfect for making smoothies, soups, and nut butter.
Is this corn chowder gluten-free?
Yes! This chowder is naturally free of gluten.
How can I make this recipe vegetarian?
To make this recipe vegetarian:
- Instead of using pork drippings, use 2 tablespoons olive oil.
- Omit the heavy cream.
- Swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
How to Make this Recipe Spicy
Love spicy chowder? Feel free to double or triple the jalapeño or add a different spicy pepper such as serrano. You can also add in a tablespoon or two of hot sauce.
Storage
Let your corn chowder cool completely. Then, transfer it into an airtight container and seal it. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer Directions
If you plan to freeze this recipe, we suggest holding off on the heavy cream and adding this once it’s thawed and heated up again.
- Let soup cool completely.
- Transfer soup into an airtight container and seal.
- Remove as much air as possible.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- ¼ lb. ground pork*
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, if needed
- ½ large white onion, minced
- 1.5 tablespoons minced garlic
- 8 ears yellow corn, shucked and kernels cut off
- 1 large jalapeño, seeded and minced (add 1 teaspoon of the seeds for more heat)
- 1.5 lbs. baby red potatoes, quartered
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon salt, separated
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 large red pepper, diced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Optional Toppings
- Chives
- Cilantro
- Red onion, minced
- Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat a large pot stock pot or Dutch oven over medium/high heat. Add the ground pork. Break up the ground pork with a spatula and allow the pork to cook until browned, about 5-6 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, scoop the pork out of the pot and allow the pork drippings to remain in the pot. Set pork aside. It will be used as a topping for serving.
- There should be around 1-2 tablespoons of pork drippings in the pot. If the pork didn’t yield enough cooking liquid, add olive oil. Next, add the onion and ¼ teaspoon of salt to the pot and toss. Saute the onion for 3-4 minutes and then add the garlic and saute for an additional 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Next, prepare the corn by shucking it and discarding the casing. Use a sharp knife to cut the kernels off of each cob.
- Add the corn kernels, jalapeño, and red potatoes to the pot and toss until combined.
- Next, add the grated ginger, salt, cumin, and pepper to the pot and toss until all the vegetables are covered in the spices.
- Finally, add the red pepper and chicken broth to the pot, stir and bring to a boil.
- Turn heat to low and let the chowder simmer for 10-15 minutes minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- When the potatoes are fork-tender, carefully scoop 4 cups of the chowder into a high speed blender (be sure you get both liquid and potatoes as the potatoes are what help make this creamy and luscious). Blend until smooth and then add back to the pot.
- Stir the blended mixture in until the corn chowder is thick and creamy.
- Carefully drizzle the heavy cream into the corn chowder and mix until combined.
- Heat the chowder until it reaches the desired temperature.
- Serve in bowls and top with fresh herbs, the cooked ground pork, and other optional toppings.
Tips & Notes
- Ground pork is used for its incredible flavor and fat content. If you want to make this vegetarian, you can replace the ground pork with olive oil (but it won’t taste as good).
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This is a fantastic soup! Had to modify a bit.. didn’t have ground pork so I used bacon. And since we had severe heat this summer my corn didn’t grow so I used a bag of frozen corn.
Love you Ladies!!
Oh I bet the bacon was incredible!