Summer heat may be unbearable, but it is so worth it to make a gigantic pot of corn chowder to portion out and freeze for the colder months. Sweet, with little crunchy corn kernels, but filling, this vegetarian chowder has it all. Get your stock pot out and your special olive oil ready for the finishing drizzle.
When I started law school, my dear friend, who was making a name for herself in the Bay Area as an excellent cook/chef, came to my apartment and made 5 different kinds of soup to stock my freezer. Corn chowder made the list and it is one of the only soups I’ll eat in the summer when eating soup feels wrong.
What is a Chowder?
Chowder is a type of soup (for example, stew is a type of soup too). It is a thicker, creamier soup, often dairy-based. Chowder has chunky vegetables and creamy potatoes. Chowder is often made with seafood-think clam chowder.
Is Corn Chowder Vegetarian, Gluten Free, or Vegan?
Corn chowder is either vegetarian or omnivore because it is generally made with butter, milk, and flour. I make my corn chowder vegetarian, but diced ham or bacon would be a great compliment for omnivore folks.
About My Corn Chowder Recipe
This classic corn chowder recipe has been a staple in my kitchen for nearly a decade. I originally clipped it from a magazine (Sunset, I think, but maybe Martha Stewart Food, or possibly Food and Wine) and have been returning to it ever since. It’s a simple, yet incredibly flavorful soup that’s perfect for those hot summer days when you don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen. I’ve made a few tweaks to the originalt recipe over the years.
Can You Make Corn Chowder With Frozen Corn Kernels?
Yes, and it will be good. It will not be as amazing as with fresh corn, but it will be yummy. Also, skip the final step of adding raw freshly shucked corn kernels as a topping if using frozen corn. The biggest reason it won’t be as tasty is because you won’t have the cobs to enhance the stock with delicious corny flavor.
Kitchen Tools and Supplies
To make this corn chowder recipe you’ll need a large stock pot, a ladle, a sharp knife, measuring cups, and measuring spoons.
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 cup diced celery
- 3 cups diced summer squash (any kind of summer squash works)
- 2 cups diced red potatoes or Yukon gold (use a creamy potato, not a russet)
- 2-4 ears of corn, for 1 1/4 cup corn kernels and reserved cobs and light green leaves
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 cups veggie stock or chicken stock (My go-to is Better than Bouillon)
- 1 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram or 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped marjoram
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup diced ham, optional
- 1 sliced scallion, green onion, or a few chives or garlic chives to garnish
- Handful of Micro cilantro, basil, micro onion to garnish, optional
Instructions
Enhance the Stock, Optional Step
To get the most delicious sweet corn flavor, start by enhancing your broth. In a large stock pot, add 4 cups of veggie or chicken stock. When I don’t have any homemade stock, I use this concentrated broth and simply add water.
Add the reserved corn cobs and the light green leaves you pulled off the corn. Don’t use the outside tough leaves. You can also add the corn hairs to the stock pot. Bring the pot to a simmer and allow to infuse for at least 20 minutes.
Start this step before you start chopping the rest of your veggies and it will be ready just when you need it. Feel free to drop any veggie parts discarded from the veggies you chopped such as onion ends, celery ends, scallion roots, potato ends, or squash ends into the simmering stock.
Flavor Building Saute and Roux
The next step is to saute the onion and celery in the olive oil and butter until softened and the onion is translucent. Add the marjoram and summer squash and brown. Use a soup pot that is large enough to hold 4 cups of liquid and all the veggies. Heavy-bottomed is best.
Next, combine the flour with the softened vegetables and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until the flour is fully coated and lightly browned. This will take about 1 minute.
Add the Liquids
Strain your broth (no need to strain if you did not enhance the broth with corn cobs and greens). Add a ladle full of broth to your flour/veggies mix and stir in. The mixture should thicken. Add another ladle full and stir. You should have a funky-looking clumpy mush. Now turn the heat to high and add in the rest of the broth, all of the milk, 1/2 cup of corn kernels, and all of the potatoes. When the soup starts vigorously simmering, reduce the heat to medium. It will thicken as it cooks.
Cook for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fully cooked through. If you aren’t sure if the potatoes are done, remove a cube. A fork should easily slide through the potato piece (it might even crumble apart). At this point, add another 1/2 cup of corn (and ham if using) and cook for another 5 minutes (you will still have another 1/4 cup of corn kernels).
Use the back of the ladle, or a potato masher to crush some of the potatoes against the bottom or sides to thicken up the chowder. Season with salt and pepper.
To Serve
Ladle desired amount of soup into a bowl (the recipe has 6 1.5-cup servings). Top with a couple of teaspoons of reserved corn kernels, and garnish with scallions and microgreens. Add an extra swirl of special olive oil on top.
Recipe Variations
Change the recipe up with one of these two variations. Add quinoa or add some heat, or both.
Make It a Hearty Meal With Quinoa
If you want a more filling soup. Add a 1/4 cup of cooked quinoa to each bowl of chowder. Quinoa is not a traditional corn chowder recipe. But its neutral flavor will not upset the chowder’s flavor profile or mouth feel.
Add Some Heat
Add a couple of minced hot chilis along with the onion and celery for a kick. I especially enjoy adding a milder chili, like a poblano with a spicier serrano chili. We also like to keep a jar or chili crisp in the pantry for drizzles on soups and grain bowls.
Sweet and Creamy Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 cup diced celery
- 3 cups diced summer squash any kind of summer squash works
- 2 cups diced red potatoes or yukon gold use a creamy potato, not a russet
- 2-4 ears of corn for 1 1/4 cup corn kernels and reserved cobs and light green leaves for 1 1/4 cup corn kernels and reserved cobs and light green leaves
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 cups veggie stock or chicken stock
- 1 ¼ teaspoons dried marjoram or 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped marjoram
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¾ cup diced ham optional
- 1 sliced scallion green onion, or a few chives or garlic chives to garnish optional but delicious
- Handful of Micro cilantro, basil, micro onion to garnish, optional optional but delicious
Instructions
Enhance the Stock
- In a large stock pot, add 4 cups of veggie or chicken stock. Add the reserved corn cobs and the light green leaves you pulled off the corn. Don’t use the outside tough leaves. You can also add the corn silk to the stock pot. Bring the pot to a simmer and allow to infuse for at least 20 minutes.4 cups veggie stock or chicken stock, 2-4 ears of corn for 1 1/4 cup corn kernels and reserved cobs and light green leaves
- Start this step before you start chopping the rest of your veggies and it will be ready just when you need it. Feel free to drop any veggie parts discarded from the veggies you chopped such as onion ends, celery ends, scallion roots, potato ends, or squash ends into the simmering stock.
Chowder
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and celery, cook until soft and onion is translucent. Add marjoram.2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1 Tablespoon butter, 1 cup diced onion, 1 cup diced celery, 1 ¼ teaspoons dried marjoram or 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped marjoram
- Add squash and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.3 cups diced summer squash any kind of summer squash works
- Sprinkle flour over the veggies and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.½ cup all purpose flour
- Strain the broth, and add a ladle to the mixture and stir in. Repeat. Add the remaining broth and milk. Simmer until the potatoes have soft and cooked through.2 cups diced red potatoes or yukon gold, 1 cup whole milk, 4 cups veggie stock or chicken stock
- Add next ½ cup of corn and ham (if using) and cook until 5 minutes. Season with pepper and salt.¾ cup diced ham, 2-4 ears of corn for 1 1/4 cup corn kernels and reserved cobs and light green leaves
- To serve, ladle into bowls, top with a few tables spoons of the final ¼ cup of corn, a handful of microgreens, and scallions. Finish with a swirl of fruity olive oil.¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 sliced scallion green onion, or a few chives or garlic chives to garnish, Handful of Micro cilantro, basil, micro onion to garnish, optional
