This delicious potato corn chowder combines sweet onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and a perfect blend of spices in a creamy and naturally sweet corn base. Read on for all my tips for making this the best chowder.
There is nothing better than a big pot of warm chowder, soup, chili, or stew. Not only does it warm our bodies, but it warms our hearts and souls.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Carrots: Peel them and let that beautiful orange color come through. After all, food should be aesthetically pleasing.
- Marjoram: It is a milder, sweeter, less intense relative of oregano. But you can substitute oregano if needed.
- Vegetable broth: You can substitute chicken broth.
- Corn kernels: I like to use fresh corn during the growing season and frozen corn in the off-season.
- Potatoes: Yukon Gold are my go-to potatoes for this soup, but you can also use red potatoes. Scrub them well before using.
- Heavy cream: You can substitute whipping cream.
How To Make Potato Corn Chowder
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
- Heat a little olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots. Sauté until the onions and celery are soft.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, marjoram, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Cook for a minute while stirring.
- Sprinkle in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes while stirring.
- Stir in the vegetable broth, corn, potatoes, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the carrots and potatoes are tender.
- Fish out the bay leaves. Stir in the heavy cream and season with salt the black pepper to taste.
Preparation Tip
- If corn is in season, take advantage of it. Fresh corn from the farmer’s market is usually more tender and sweet.
- The key to the best naturally sweet corn chowder is, after you remove the kernels from the corn cob, scrape the cob with the back of a knife and add the starchy juice to the pot. This process is called milking the cob.
- A small amount of cayenne pepper adds flavor, not heat.
- For a lighter version, eliminate the heavy cream. It will still be delicious and pretty darn creamy, but not as light in color.
Serving Suggestions for Potato Corn Chowder
- Sandwich: patty melt, French dip sandwich, and mini chicken pot pies
- Salad: chef salad, cucumber tomato salad, and broccoli bacon salad
- Biscuits: homemade biscuits, 7-up biscuits, and cheddar bay biscuits
Potato Corn Chowder
This delicious potato corn chowder combines sweet onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and a perfect blend of spices in a creamy and naturally sweet corn base.
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Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 291kcal
Ingredients
- 1½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ⅛-¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 3 cups corn kernels (3-4 large ears) fresh or frozen
- 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup heavy cream
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots. Saute until the onions and celery are soft.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, marjoram, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Cook for a minute while stirring.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook for a couple of minutes while stirring.
- Stir in the vegetable broth, corn, potatoes, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the carrots and potatoes are tender.
- Fish out the bay leaves. Stir in the heavy cream and season with salt the black pepper to taste.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
- Freeze the soup before adding the cream. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Add the cream when reheating.
Nutrition
Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 44mg | Potassium: 716mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 5678IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 2mg
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Manny D
I love this potato corner chowder. It’s one of my comfort foods. I hope I can cook it again soon.
Sonya
Sweet corn and tender potatoes are total comfort in a bowl. I like the little kick from the crushed red pepper, too. Saving this one to make again and again —it’s exactly the kind of meal that makes everything feel a bit warmer.
Sarah
Another delicious recipe which I have bookmarked so I can make it again and again! Thanks for the recipe, Beth!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Sarah!
Janey
Thank you for your recipe, it was very easy to follow and everyone enjoyed it.
Arieta
This was the perfect comfort dish for chilly days. I loved how you balanced the sweetness of the corn with the heartiness of the potatoes.
Mahy
Thank you for this amazing chowder! It replaces my go-to, and I couldn’t be happier!
Lee-Anne Weise
Delish perfect for a rainy day like today!
Karen
The corn chowder was delicious…Adding potato to it made it a bit thicker which I loved. So good. Thank you for the recipe.
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Karen!