I had big plans to post a really awesome, kick-off-the-brand-new-year-with-brand-new-healthy-recipes healthy recipe. Then…life kind of happened. I paid off my car. Then I proceeded to total said car the next day. (I posted about this on Instagram and had so many loving and concerned comments and I couldn’t respond to each of them, but THANK YOU so much! I’m fine–my injuries are minor (thank you, Honda!), and while they weren’t minor to my car, I get to pick up a new car today, so I have a lot to be thankful for. Lesson learned: when you want to turn left and someone stops to wave you through and you can’t see the outside lane, don’t go, even if the guy waving you through is holding up an entire block of traffic and rolls down his window to assure you the other lane is clear. It wasn’t.) Anyway, in addition to dealing with all that business, we had a “surprise” science fair project, a birthday, and a stomach bug to round it all out. So…you know…basically life.
This recipe for Creamy Corn Chowder is one of my all-time favorite recipes, and it just so happens that it’s also healthy and really fantastic comfort food. If you’ve never made it, do it. This week. I’m being bossy.
This recipe is near and dear to my heart because it’s the first recipe I ever made up from scratch. I started making it when my husband and I had just gotten married in 2001 and we were beyond-broke college students. It had everything we could afford–canned corn, milk, potatoes, onions, chicken bouillon and was quick, easy, nutritious, and filling. It has become one of my ultimate comfort foods–even this afternoon, as it was bubbling on the stove, I took a sniff and was taken straight back to a simpler time in my life!
The bacon is optional, making it potentially vegetarian. If you decide to leave the bacon out, I’d recommend adding about 1 tsp. of smoked paprika to get that yummy, smokey flavor in the soup.
If you’re using bacon, fry 6-8 ounces of it until crisp (or use this oven method, which is my all-time favorite way to make bacon!)
While the bacon is cooking, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over low heat in a soup pot. When melted, add flour to make a roux and whisk until it comes together in a little ball.
Add water and whisk until completely combined and there are no lumps.
Add milk and chicken base or bouillon and bring to a simmer. Add potatoes, onions, and garlic, and simmer (but don’t boil!), stirring very frequently, for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Add crumbled bacon and corn and heat through.
Add a few drops of hot sauce and then salt to taste. The reason why I don’t have an exact measurement is that while the soup REALLY needs salt, bacon also really differs in its saltiness, so it can be super easy to make this soup way too salty. Start with about 1/4 teaspoon, give it a few minutes, and then add more if you need it.
Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with extra bacon and/or cheese if you want.
Because, you know, if there’s anything a perfectly healthy bowl of soup needs, it’s bacon and cheese. I’m dead serious.
Creamy Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup water
- 2 1/2 cups 1% milk
- 2 teaspoons chicken base
- 6 ounces bacon
- 1 small onion minced
- 2 medium red potatoes cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn*
- salt and pepper to taste
- A few dashes of hot sauce like Tabasco
Instructions
- Fry bacon until crisp or make it in the oven using this method.
- In the meantime, melt butter over low heat in a soup pot. When melted, add flour to make a roux and whisk until it comes together in a little ball. Add water and whisk until completely combined and there are no lumps. Add milk and chicken base or bouillon and bring to a simmer. Add potatoes, onions, and garlic, and simmer (but don’t boil!), stirring very frequently, for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add crumbled bacon and corn and heat through. Add a few drops of hot sauce and then salt to taste. The reason why I don’t have an exact measurement is that while the soup really needs salt, bacon also really differs in its saltiness, so it can be super easy to make this soup way too salty. Start with about 1/4 teaspoon, give it a few minutes, and then add more if you need it.
- Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with extra bacon and/or cheese if you want. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Questions & Reviews
Bringing this baby back! I made this soup all the time while my husband was a resident and we had the smallest food budget ever. I’ve been needing comfort food and remembered this soup.
Its simmering right now, but I used homemade smoked turkey stock. Frozen farm market corn, and some nice thick Applewood bacon and I’m so excited! I’ve used ham and sausage in the past too. Oh and my Grandmas secret roll recipe (LOL, Rhodes Rolls!).
Bring the comfort back in 2020!!
This was so good! <3 <3 <3
Boyfriend HATES onions, will not touch them, will not eat any meal that an onion has touched. I minced the onions, they were microscopic, but he wouldn’t touch the chowder. Can I use onion powder, or dried onion flake things instead?
Give onion powder a try!! Not sure how much, lol. Or sell your boyfriend? (Just kidding. I don’t advocate human trafficking.)
In the ingredients list you have the 1.5 c frozen corn asterisked. I couldn’t find any follow up info. Did I miss it? What I really want to know is if I can just drain a can of corn and throw it in. 😉
That was the asterisk, hahaha! Yes, you can add a can of drained corn! 🙂
Corn chowder is one of my favorite winter comfort foods!
Made this soup for the first time last week and my family LOVED it! Making it again today for a church potluck. Love that your recipes are dependably yummy and easy to make. This soup is so perfect for a cold winter day.
This chowder is AMAZING! My boyfriend is a picky eater and he always ask me to make it. It’s a must try!
I made this for a ward party where it was obvious that way too many people had signed up to bring soup–I bet there were 25 crock pots! Mine was the only pot that was completely empty at the end. Thanks for the great recipe–I am officially a soup rockstar!
This is my favorite meal! When my husband and I were sick my mom offered to bring us dinner and I requested this because its the perfect feel good dinner! I made it tonight and added some thyme, clams, and used clam juice in place of water and billion. In my oh so humble opinion, its probably the best clam chowder I’ve ever made.
I fed the missionaries tonight and made this corn chowder. The Elders loved it and so did my family.
I made this soup tonight and it was delicious! I substituted almond flour for the all purpose flour to make it gluten free. My husband and kids even loved it, which never happens! Thanks for the recipe!
I’ve made this soup twice now and it is delish! I doubled the recipe and our family of 4 ate it for 2 days, lunch and dinner. I think I’ll do the single recipe as written next time! It’s warm and hearty without being too rich. Thanks!!
I made this last night and it was a huge hit for my family. There was barely enough for my husband and I with our 4 kids 7 and under. Definitely being added to my rotating meals list – although I think I’ll have to double the recipe next time.
You girls never let me down. Simple to make and delicious. Another great dinner…Thank you!
This is my first time making corn chowder and it’s delish!! Thanks!
Hi, I was just wondering if the Weight Watchers points value is with or without the bacon? I’ve probably made this recipe a dozen times in the last year. SO GOOD!
With the bacon…although I haven’t calculated it with points plus yet. Maybe someday… 🙂
Another excellent recipe! Thank you!
I browned my onions a bit first (I like them that way) and added a good bit more hot sauce (I think we have burned off our taste buds so we require more and more!). I highly recommend it with the bacon and cheese as the recipe suggests.
I made this tonight and it was good but I had a problem getting the roux to make a ball? I must have cooked the butter and flour for like 15 minutes. (you can tell I am sooo new to cooking!!) Not sure what went wrong. Any ideas?
The soup also was kind of brown for me (perhaps because I cooked the flour/butter too long). Hopefully your help will make this soup better for next time.
Just made this for supper , quick and easy! and its the BOMB!!!
Thanks for the recipe! I just made soup for the first time and used your recipe as my base. I used fresh corn and I left out the cheese and bacon – instead flavored with some cumin and ground ancho and chipotle pepper. It gave it a nice smokey zing and is going great with our mussels and chorizo dinner tonight!
Thanks again! The entire family loved it.
This was so delicious! It was even better the next day, so next time I might make it ahead of time. I also think I will double it! YUMMY! Thank you so much!
I made this recipe yesterday night.. Here in cold cold Québec city (up north in Canada), there was a snow storm. So this was the perfect comfort food to curl up to.
It was definately deliiish! Thanks for the recipe!
Being from Louisiana….we love to add some peeled shrimp to this for about 30 minutes at the end of the cooking….Corn and Shrimp Chowder….soo good!!!
Can’t wait to add this to our soup collection – hoping to try it next week!
MmmMmmmm… I am typing as I eat. This soup is so delicious. I traded the bacon for chicken and added more than a few drops of hot sauce but it is delicious. My husband works nights now so I’ve been making soups for dinner so he can take them the next day and warm them up. This is definitely going to be a hit for him tomorrow. I did read from some people that said the onion was a little strong. I just used a small onion and it tastes fine.
Holy rusted metal, Batman!!!! This chowder is gooooood!!!!!!!!!!!