I love the abundance of fresh corn that’s available during the summer, and nothing makes me happier than cooking with sweet, ripe kernels that I’ve cut off the cob!
Today, I want to share this amazingly good summer corn chowder recipe with you. It’s made with healthy, wholesome ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen.
If corn isn’t in season, this dish can be enjoyed at any time of year. Though the flavor won’t be as bright and fresh as those ears that you just brought home fresh from the farmers market (or grew in your own garden) might be, you can easily substitute frozen sweet corn kernels.
And while it does take a bit of time to bring together, the process is relatively simple, and the results are mouthwatering. To make a bigger batch, feel free to double up this recipe.
I’ll also teach you how to make a fragrant herb garlic bread with four simple ingredients that goes perfectly with the soup, a recipe that’s always on rotation in my household!
For a delicious vegan-friendly alternative to this recipe, the substitutions are simple and easy:
Substitute your preferred vegan fat (such as any vegetable oil, olive oil, coconut oil, or vegan margarine) for the butter in both the chowder and the garlic bread recipes. And use coconut milk, cashew cream, or soy creamer instead of heavy cream to add the final creamy touch to your dish.
All right, want a bowl of this delicious chowder now? Let’s head straight to the recipe!
The Recipe
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 2 Servings | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 45 minutes |
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Savory, creamy, and rich, this summer corn chowder is a hearty dish. Topped with corn and spring onions and served with garlic bread, it's the perfect meal.
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- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 5 cups water
- 3 ears fresh corn (or 2 1/4 cups fresh kernels)
- 1 1/4 pounds potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped spring onions, (green tops only)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1 French baguette, sliced into 1-inch-thick pieces
- Melt the butter for the chowder in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently until caramelized and soft, for approximately 8 minutes.
- Add the flour and minced garlic and cook for another minute before adding the water, whisking continuously as you pour it in so the flour does not form clumps.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then stir in the corn kernels and pieces of potato. Add the bay leaves and thyme, and stir well.
- Bring to a boil once again before turning heat down to low. Partially cover the pot and allow the ingredients to simmer until the potatoes are tender, approximately 30 minutes.
- While the chowder is simmering, make the garlic bread. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Combine the minced garlic, chopped parsley, and melted butter. Spread the mixture on top of the pieces of baguette, and place the bread in a single layer on a baking tray. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until bread is crusty and just toasted.
- Once the potatoes are tender, transfer half of the soup into an electric blender or food processor and process until you get a thick mixture.
- Return the processed mixture to the pot and stir to combine. Reheat briefly if necessary.
- Pour in the heavy cream and stir with a wooden spoon to combine well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Divide evenly into two bowls, then garnish with fresh corn kernels and chopped fresh spring onions. Serve alongside toasted slices of herb garlic bread.
Original recipe by Sarah Hagstrom, with revisions by Felicia Lim.
Nutritional Information*
Cooking by the Numbers…
Step 1 – Prepare the Mise en Place
Set out the ears of corn, butter, onion, garlic, potatoes, bay leaves, and spring onions.
Measure the all-purpose flour, water, dried thyme, and heavy cream.
Step 2 – Get the Vegetables Ready
Cut the kernels off the cobs, dice the onion, mince the garlic, and chop the green tops of the spring onions. You can reserve the bottom portions for another use.
Scrub the potatoes well if you will be keeping the skins on, and remove any eyes. I prefer to use Yukon gold, and I peel them before adding them to this dish. But it’s up to you! Chop into roughly ½-inch pieces.
Step 3 – Cook the Veggies
Place a large pot over medium heat and melt the butter.
Sauté the diced onions, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon until translucent and tender. This will take approximately 8 minutes.
Sift in the all-purpose flour and add the minced garlic, then cook for a minute before pouring in the water. Whisk continuously to ensure you don’t end up with clumps of flour.
Reserve 1/4 cup of the corn. Bring the mixture to a boil before stirring in the corn kernels and potatoes.
Add the bay leaves and dried thyme. Bring to a boil again, and then reduce heat to low and let the ingredients simmer for about 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Stir occasionally.
Step 4 – Bake the Bread and Prep Garnish
While your soup is simmering, preheat the oven to 300°F.
Mince the garlic, chop the parsley, and melt the butter. Combine in a small bowl and mix well.
If you already have a compound garlic and herb butter ready to go in the freezer, that will be perfect for this recipe.
Cut the baguette into 1-inch-thick slices. If you have some extra time to prepare, try your hand at making your own baguettes at home.
Spread the mixture over the baguette slices and arrange them in a single layer on a baking tray.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the bread is just toasted. You don’t want to burn the garlic!
For another flavorful garlic bread option, consider making this chili oil tomato garlic bread.
While the bread toasts, coat a large frying pan with oil and place over medium heat. Quickly saute the reserved fresh corn for just a few minutes, then set aside. You can also opt to top the soup with raw sweet corn instead, if you like.
Step 5 – Process and Combine
In the last five minutes of cooking while the bread is toasting, transfer half of the soup (both vegetables and liquid) from the pot to your electric blender or food processor. Process to get a thick but smooth mixture.
Be careful to avoid splattering the hot liquid, and keep the lid or cap insert in your processor or blender ajar to avoid building pressure from the steam.
You can also use an immersion blender, just be sure to process only half of the soup (rather than sticking it directly into the pot). This is a great option for blending hot ingredients!
Return the processed mixture back to the pot and mix well with a wooden spoon to combine. Briefly reheat as needed.
I like to have some chunky texture in my chowder, but if you prefer a smoother soup, simply process all of the ingredients.
Pour in the heavy cream and stir some more, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 6 – Serve and Garnish
Divide the corn chowder evenly between two bowls, and garnish each with the reserved sauteed corn and chopped spring onions.
Serve alongside warm slices of herb garlic bread.
A Filling, Wholesome, Seasonal Meal
I’m not sure about you, but there are days when I just want something easy to eat that’s filling and satisfying. That’s when today’s recipe for summer corn chowder comes in.
It’s simple to prepare, with a bright yellow color and pop of green from the spring onion garnish – an amazing starter, side dish, or full meal.
Don’t wait any longer. Make a big pot today!
If you love the sweet taste of sweet corn in the summer, you’ll love our round up of the best summertime sweet corn recipes!
Here’s a few of our favorites:
And for more of our favorite summertime soup recipes, check out our gazpacho round up.
What are our favorite ways to enjoy this veggie? How will you adapt this dish to make it your own? Share your suggestions and tips in the comments below! We love to hear from you.
Don’t forget to Pin It!
Photos by Felicia Lim, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally posted July 30th, 2015. Revised and updated May 13th, 2017.
*Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Felicia Lim
Felicia Lim is a Singaporean who moved to Argentina for love. Based in Buenos Aires, also known as “the Paris of South America,” she fills her days with freelance writing, recipe development, and food photography – three passions that give her endless joy. When she isn’t typing away at her computer, cooking in the kitchen, or shooting in her balcony-studio, you can probably find her curled up on the couch, lost in the pages of a good book.
I’ve been looking for a vegan/vegetarian version of a chowder for a while. I haven’t tried coconut milk as I usually use soy milk, so I will try it if the taste and consistency is like the regular version.
I like my chowder thick, so I would add more potatoes or flour to this recipe ,as I’m not sure how thick this would turn out. This is my preference though, so you can add croutons instead if you don’t like it too heavy.
I usually don’t have chowder at all. I love how simple this recipe looks since it only uses so many ingredients. This is great when you are on a budget or only have a few things in the kitchen.
Has anyone made a big batch and then freeze the rest for future meals? It sounds like a good idea to me when trying to prepare for meals ahead of time.
This looks tasty. Creamy soups are very filling. I like to eat them hot or cold too. Things like this I like to double or triple the recipe. This way I have something made for the rest of the week if I want. One or two days a week I like to put things together instead of cooking every night.
I adore creamy soups, especially those with the occasional bite of corn. Thankfully, I also have a high speed blender that would be perfect for this recipe. It’s been a while since I have had chowder soup, being that no one in my family has the expertise to make it. I’d be willing to try my hand at this, however. Thank you!
I’m not a vegan but I love all the great options that Foodal has for those who eat that way. I have a couple of a friends who are vegetarians and I know they’d love the ideas here; I’m always passing on my favorites that I come across to people that I think would be interested in it! I’ve never had chowder before because I’m not really much of a soup person aside from chicken noodle, but from what I understand it is a creamy soup generally done with seafood, right? I’d love to give the “traditional” way a try someday, but this idea to switch it out with vegetables for an option that everyone can eat is brilliant. 😀 Seems like it’d be a nice meal to fill yourself up with.
I love how rich and hearty this recipe sounds. It’s just perfect for the approaching Fall, and it’s great that we can use either fresh or frozen corn, since fresh isn’t always available. I enjoy making fresh soups and stews that include a variety of healthy vegetables, and this one has some of my family’s favorites, so I know it will go fast.
Looks delicious! Not only is it dirt cheap to make, it’s also a useful addition to my vegan repertoire. Vegan guests at my house tend to get lentil or onion soup as a starter so it’ll be nice to be able to offer something a little more luxurious next time around.
I like the addition of coconut milk and oil to give the soup a bit of a tropical taste to it. If I’m unable to find the oil would cream of coconut be a good alternative since it is a lot easier to find where I live than the actual oil itself? I like sweet potato but I would probably replace it with mushrooms since when I think of sweet potato, I normally think about using it more in desserts and stuff. On the plus side, I found another dish I can use for my diet, so thanks for the recipe!
I’d take out the bell pepper, but that’s my personal taste kicking in. Chowders are definitely my favorite type of soup, and that’s been true ever since I was a little kid. Although it’s not necessary for me, I do appreciate that it’s a vegan recipe, and I know a lot of friends and a couple family members that will want to try this one out!
I make a lot of homemade soup recipes in the colder months, however, I never make chowders. This recipe looks very interesting and I really like the ingredients, all of them sound good. Sweet potatoes are a favorite of mine and the coconut milk would add great taste to this recipe. I know once I show this recipe to my daughter she will say “Let’s make it!”
Oooh, dang it, I wish I’d seen this before I went grocery shopping today. I usually have 75% of the ingredients to make it, and with a storm approaching, it would be a perfect hearty meal. Well, if the chilly weather sticks around (and we still have electricity!) I’ll definitely have to try it out soon. Thanks for the recipe!
I make a lot of homemade soup recipes in the colder months, however, I never make chowders. This recipe looks very interesting and I really like the ingredients, all of them sound good. Sweet potatoes are a favorite of mine and the coconut milk would add great taste to this recipe. I know once I show this recipe to my daughter she will say “Let’s make it!”
I make soups often and this sounds delicious. Haven’t used coconut milk or oil in a while, so this is the perfect excuse to go buy some. I’m not vegetarian but is a great recipe for dinner with vegan friends.
This recipe looks delicious! I have been meaning to whip up a chowder soup since this is one of my comfort foods especially when it rains. I love how this recipe is also vegan, which would be really great for me since i’ve been trying to eat healthy for the past months. Honestly curious how the coconut milk will taste like with this chowder, as I have never used coconut milk whenever I whip up a cream based soup before. Can’t wait to try this!
Looking at the picture and reading through the recipe, I can’t helped but imagine how DELICIOUS this soup is. I think it’s corn season in our country now. I see a lot of corns being sold around and I think this recipe is the best way to make use of corn. I would love to try this, and will probably skip the blending part since my blender just got busted and I have not bought a replacement yet.
My family and I love corn chowder. We love to soak it up with some nice garlic bread! I’ve never thought about making my own until now. This recipe seems fairly easy and seems like it can fit any budget. Definitely going to give it a try!
I am a fan of any kind of soup that is not only tasty, but it’s cheap and easy to make. I also like the fact that I can use frozen corn. This recipe is very much appreciated and comes at a perfect time when we are going through a really harsh winter. All the soup recipes are being pulled out and it would be nice to try something new.
I’ve been vegan for about a year now, and it had never even occurred to me that I could attempt a chowder recipe! This site is truly an endless source of inspiration, and I must thank you for being so flexible and catering to the herbivores as well! I can’t wait to give this a go.
This looks great! We are currently suffering from the flu (I think anyways) and we are tired of eating chicken noodle. My fiance has requested corn chowder for tomorrow, but it has to be something I can throw in the crockpot, as I am also ill. This adds just enough twist that I think we all may enjoy it!
Quite possibly one of the worst corn chowders I’ve ever had. It had absolutely zero flavor and I used all fresh ingredients. I’ve processed half of the soup and added extra flour but it was so runny and disgusting!!! I was really looking forward to summer corn chowder, but clearly I chose the wrong recipe to use! Ewww!!!
Hi Chloe, I’m so sorry to hear that the recipe didn’t turn out well for you. It should have been around 1 1/4 pound of potatoes (so thanks for catching our mistake!). Also, as in all recipes, we always tell our readers the importance of seasoning to taste – everyone’s tastes are different, so some people will need to add more salt and pepper and others less – until you reach the taste that is best for you. Thanks for your feedback!
Can anything be substituted for the potatoes?
Sure, any type of root vegetable would make an excellent substitute. Try sweet potatoes, turnips, rutabaga, carrots, or a mix of your favorites.