Best Bacon Corn Chowder
This is a filling soup recipe with fresh summer corn, but you can make it with frozen corn (no need to thaw) or canned corn. Great chowder alone for lunch or paired with a salad for dinner. OUR REAL RECIPE GUARANTEE: REAL TESTED RECIPES FROM MY FAMILY
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 4-6 cups yellow corn kernels -about 8 fresh ears of corn, cut off cob*
- 6 slices bacon
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 large sweet onion -finely chopped (I like Vidalia onions for this)
- 2 cloves garlic -finely chopped
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 4 medium potatoes (like Yukon Gold) -cubed
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- sour cream -optional, for serving
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Set aside.
- Add butter and chopped onions and garlic to the soup pot. Cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes, taking care not to burn the garlic.
- To the pot, add flour and whisk to combine. Slowly add in broth, whisking the entire time. Bring mixture to a boil.
- To the broth mixture, add corn kernels, potatoes, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover soup pot with lid and simmer for additional 30 minutes, or until potatoes are soft when pierced. (*see how to use corn cobs in the soup below)
- [OPTIONAL STEP] After 30 minutes, carefully ladle half the soup into a blender or use an immersion blender to blend the soup. Then, pour the blended mixture back into the soup pot. (If you like chunky soup, you don't need to do this step.)
- Crumble the bacon into pieces and add 3/4 of it to the soup pot mixture. (Reserve the rest for toppings when serving.)
- Add the heavy cream. Stir until combined and warmed through. Salt and pepper, to taste.
- Spoon into soup bowls and top with sour cream (optional) and bacon crumbles.
- Cool completely before refrigerating. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
*If you're using corn cut off the cob, reserve the corn cobs and place them into the soup pot for the simmer. It makes the soup really flavorful. Remove them before serving and discard them.
I freeze the leftovers (if there are any!) and pull them out for a quick dinner or lunch recipe. You can store it in a freezer container for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating.