Description
A creamy and comforting corn chowder made with fresh ingredients and topped with crispy bacon and scallions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small sweet onion, finely diced
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, diced
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 3 cups corn kernels (fresh from 5 ears of corn, canned and drained, or frozen thawed and drained)
- 1 tablespoon honey (if using canned or frozen corn)
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 scallions, diced small
Instructions
- Add the bacon to the bottom of a large heavy soup pot set over medium heat. Stir until the bacon is browned and crispy. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon.
- Drain or spoon off all but 3 tablespoons of the fat in the pot. Stir in the butter until melted.
- Add in the onion and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables just begin to become tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add in the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Sprinkle the flour into the vegetables to coat them evenly and make a paste. Cook a minute or two to get rid of the raw flour flavor.
- Pour in the chicken broth along with the potato, corn, honey, thyme, and bay leaves; bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender but not mushy, stirring occasionally, about 10-12 minutes.
- Discard the bay leaves from the soup.
- Add in the heavy cream.
- Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until the desired consistency is reached (alternatively, transfer about 3 cups of the soup in a food processor or blender and stir it back into the soup).
- Stir in the shredded cheese until melted.
- Stir in most of the cooked bacon, reserving some for garnish.
- Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with some cooked bacon and diced scallions.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon and use vegetable broth.
- Adjust the thickness of the chowder by blending more or less of the soup.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
Keywords: Corn Chowder, creamy corn soup