Corn Chowder
Creamy corn chowder with potatoes and crispy bacon, thickened without flour.
- Preparation
- 20 min
- Cook/bake time
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 hr
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 678 kcal
- Servings
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cooking & baking
- 40 min
Creamy corn chowder with potatoes and crispy bacon, thickened without flour. The stripped corn cobs are cooked in the broth and release an amazing amount of sweetness and starch, which naturally thickens the soup. A satisfying stew from American coastal cuisine.
Why this works
The stripped cobs are not waste, but the actual thickening agent. They contain starch and sugar that are released during cooking. This is the same starch that makes the soup creamy without any roux. In addition, there is a milky sweet liquid left on the cob when the kernels are cut off. If you throw the cobs away, you remove both and have to artificially restore the thickness later.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Remove the corn
Stand the corn cobs upright in a large bowl and cut the kernels off from top to bottom with a sharp knife. Do not throw away the stripped cobs. Instead, scrape them with the back of the knife and save them, as they are the real flavor carrier of this soup.
- 2
Render the bacon
Render the diced bacon in a pot without additional fat over medium heat until crispy, then remove it with a slotted spoon. The rendered fat remains in the pot and serves as the base for the vegetables, as it contains a large part of the flavor.
- 3
Sweat the vegetables
Sauté the onion and celery in the bacon fat for six minutes until soft. Add the diced potatoes, thyme, and bay leaf, and toss everything briefly so that the fat is distributed and the potatoes slightly firm up on the outside.
- 4
Cook with the cobs
Pour in the chicken broth and add the scraped corn cobs to the pot. Let everything simmer for twenty minutes until the potatoes are soft. During this time, the cobs release their starch and sweetness, thickening the soup without any flour. Remove them afterwards.
- 5
Finish
Add the corn kernels and let them steep for just five minutes so they stay crisp. Purée about a quarter of the soup with an immersion blender for extra creaminess, and stir in the heavy cream without letting the soup boil again. Serve with the crispy bacon and chives.
Our best tips
- Be sure to cook the stripped corn cobs in the soup. They are the most important trick of this recipe.
- Only add the corn kernels at the end so they retain their bite and sweetness.
- Outside of corn season, 500 g of frozen corn will work, but you will miss the thickening power of the cobs.
Tasty variations
Vegetarian
Omit the bacon, use leeks sautéed in butter instead, and add smoked paprika.
With shrimp
Let 300 g of shrimp steep in the soup for the last three minutes, which makes the chowder more festive.
Nutrition facts
| Calories | 678 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 20 g |
| Carbohydrates | 81 g |
| – of which sugar | 14 g |
| Fat | 35 g |
| Fiber | 12 g |
Where the 678 kcal come from
per serving
Calculated from the ingredients – how we do it
We add up reference values for every ingredient and divide by the number of servings. These assumptions are baked in:
- Reference values per 100 g – for the raw ingredient, exactly as listed.
- Tinned goods count at drained weight, bone-in meat at purchase weight: you eat about 70 per cent of a chicken thigh and leave the rest.
- Water evaporates as you cook. The energy stays in the pot, the weight does not – so the figure is per serving, not per 100 g of finished dish.
- Anything listed without a quantity – “salt and pepper” – is not counted.
A guide value, not a lab measurement: no two onions weigh the same, and fat content varies from pack to pack.
Frequently asked questions
What is a chowder?
A thick, creamy stew from North American coastal cuisine, usually with potatoes, milk or cream, and bacon. Clam chowder is especially well known.
Can I use canned or frozen corn?
Yes, frozen corn is a better choice than canned corn. Without the cobs, you will need a bit more puréed soup or an extra potato for thickening.
Can I freeze it?
To a limited extent. The cream can curdle when thawed. It is better to freeze it without the cream and stir it in fresh.
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