30 Minute Healthy Potato Corn Chowder is a simple vegetable chowder that comes together in 30 minutes with pantry staples. This creamy potato corn soup is full of flavor, yet made with wholesome, low-fat ingredients.
Potato Corn Chowder is delicious when served with a slice of Homemade Italian Bread and a side salad dressed with Ranch Dressing.
Potato Corn Chowder
There really is nothing better than a delicious soup on a cold winter’s night, especially when it is made with wholesome pantry ingredients and is on the table in less than 30 minutes.
This recipe for Potato Corn Chowder is the perfect way to slip into comfort–it is healthy, yet still tastes rich and creamy.
Plus this soup is made with ingredients that are not hard to find and extremely inexpensive.
How to Make Potato Corn Chowder
Start by sauteing shallots in a tiny bit of butter. Shallots lend a mild onion and garlic flavor to the soup that is not overpowering but still adds depth to the soup.
Add vegetable stock, red potatoes, fresh thyme, vinegar, and either canned corn or frozen corn, to pan and bring to simmer over medium heat.
Cover and let cook for 20 minutes.
In the meantime, whisk together flour and milk. Remove soup from heat and whisk in the milk mixture to soup. Return to heat and cook for an additional 5 minutes on medium high heat to let soup thicken.
Serve with crusty bread or a big spoon.
And be ready to experience pure comfort with this Healthy Corn Chowder.
Is it necessary to add vinegar to corn soup?
Adding vinegar to soup may seem a bit odd. But that bit of acidity adds balance to the soup, and you do not taste the bit of vinegar added. I love to add vinegar to quick cooking soups for balance and depth in flavor. It works perfectly in this Healthy Corn Chowder and in my 30 Minute Baked Potato Soup.
Is it necessary to add flour to milk before adding to Potato Corn Chowder?
The flour helps to thicken this Corn and Potato Chowder. By adding it to the milk, the milk helps to dissolve the flour, preventing lumps in your soup.
It is best to add the flour and milk towards the end of cooking so that the milk and flour will not scorch as the chowder cooks.
How can I make Potato Corn Chowder Gluten Free?
To make this easy vegetarian chowder gluten-free you have two options.
- Instead of flour, add 1 tablespoon cornstarch to milk.
- Omit thickening agents, and just add milk at end of cooking. This will create more of a potato corn soup than thick chowder, butit is just as tasty.
How can I make Potato Corn Chowder Dairy-Free?
If you need this Corn and Potato Chowder to be dairy-free, you need to make two substitutions.
- Instead of sauteing the shallots in butter, use olive oil.
- Instead of adding milk to the soup, use additional stock in place of the milk.
Can I make Potato Corn Chowder in the Slow Cooker?
Yes! To make Slow Cooker Corn Chowder, add all ingredients (except milk and flour) to slow cooker. Set on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Whisk together the flour and milk and add to slow cooker, turn to high, and cook an additional 30 minutes.
Notes on Easy Potato Corn Chowder:
- I prefer to use a stalk of fresh thyme in this Corn Chowder. However, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme may be substituted as well. I would just suggest sauteing the dried thyme with the shallots to help develop the flavor of dried herbs.
- I used my homemade vegetable stock in this Creamy Corn Chowder, but College Inn® Vegetable Broth is a great pantry option.
- It is not necessary to saute the shallots in butter, but it does help to develop flavor. If you want to eliminate a few calories or grams of fat, you can skip this step and add shallots directly to stock and omit the butter. Or if you have picky eaters omit the shallots completely.
- Feel free to use frozen corn in place of canned corn–both work great in this Corn Chowder.
- This Potato Corn Chowder will keep for 4-5 days in the fridge, but it does lose taste and quality of texture after being frozen.
- This soup doubles very easily–just double each ingredient and follow instructions as directed.
More Healthy Soup Recipes
- 4 Ingredient Tortellini Soup
- Easy Homemade Tomato Soup
- 30 Minute Baked Potato Soup
- Healthier Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Instant Pot Beef and Barley Soup
30 Minute Healthy Corn and Potato Chowder
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small shallot minced
- 4 cups Vegetable Broth
- 1 15.25 ounce Sweet Whole Kernel Corn or 2 cups frozen corn
- 2 cups red potatoes cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 sprig fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons flour
Instructions
- Over medium heat, melt butter and saute shallots for 3 minutes.
- Add corn, potatoes, stock, thyme, vinegar, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover. Cook for 20 minutes.
- Remove sprig of thyme.
- Whisk together the milk and flour.
- Remove soup from heat and whisk in milk mixture. Return to heat, turn heat to high, whisk, and cook for about 3-5 minutes or until creamy and bubbly.
I think this is basically a good recipe but it was frustrating having the chowder turn out a dark brown color. I know the vegetable stock I used was dark and that’s the reason but I didn’t expect it to be totally brown. It also didn’t have the creaminess that you look for in a chowder.
Well, I am glad you enjoyed the flavor and found it to be a good recipe. In the future, use less dark stock and that will create a lighter soup. You may want to let boil a bit longer at the end to get creamier in the future as well.
What kind of broth did you use? My chowder is brown. Also when you return it to high heat- do you bring it to a boil?
Hi Sophie! I use vegetable or chicken stock. Some vegetable broth is a bit brown in hue, so that may have been your issue. It may also have been that you did not wash your potatoes well before adding to your soup (they have quite a bit of dirt and can give any liquid a brown tinge if not scrubbed clean). And you want to cook the soup until just thickened and bubbly (or just beginning boiling) after you raise the heat. Hope that helps.
It has nothing to do with the potatoes I can assure you. They were pre-cooked baby potatoes. It was definitely the vegetable stock. The chowder was a dark brown color and very unappealing to look at. I just wonder how yours was so white? Is it the brand I used I wonder, should I use chicken stock next time instead? It tasted fine but was very unappealing to look at
Hi Sophie, it must have been your stock–there are a lot of brands that are darker in color. You can certainly use chicken stock which will not be as dark. I am sorry you found the color unappealing but I am glad you enjoyed the flavor.
Perfect!!! A nice belly warming meal that didn’t make me feel bad afterwards!!!
I am so glad you enjoyed–guilt free 😉
Great recipe!!! Thank you. I used buttermilk instead of the milk & vinegar because I needed to use it up. And only used 1 T of flour
I am so glad you enjoyed Betty!
Hi there recipe looks yummy. Do you think I could just mash some potatoes to thicken up this soup instead?
Absolutely Lou–or you could cook down a bit more to reduce the liquid as well. I hope you enjoy!
Good receipe if you want a version without bacon.
If you dont have shallots, red onion and fresh garlic work fine.
Had to use more flour to thicken as it seemed too thin for a creamy chowder but it all worked out in the end.
Only gave 4 servings. Very tastey and neutral soup that can have alot of things splashed in on reheat to make it unlimited meal possibilites.
Recepie forgets to have you add shallots/onions in, put them in with initial boil.
I am so glad you enjoyed this soup! And you are right, you can add anything you want to “splash it up.” I did double check the ingredients, and it says to saute the shallots in butter in the first step. Sorry it was not more clear! All the best.
Lovely for getting back to healthier eating after the holidays. I added a can of creamed corn along with the kernels and doubled the milk/flour mixture and it was quite creamy.
I am so glad you enjoyed!
Just made the soup and it is delicious! I subbed coconut milk for regular milk and it worked perfectly. It does have just the faintest undertone of coconut, but most people who cook dairy free are used to it by now!
Thank you so much Maureen for sharing! I love knowing (and I know others will as well) how this worked being dairy free.
You had me at 30 minutes! Hooray for easy dinner recipes and leftovers the next day!
Gotta love those 30 minute meals!
Corn chowder is one of my favorite soups! I love your healthy spin on it!
Thanks so much Madi! It really does taste just as decadent
This looks so easy and exactly what we need for mid January…and game day too! Thanks for sharing this recipe! 🙂
You bet Traci! I hope you enjoy–it is perfect for a cold winter day~
Love how easily and quickly this comes together. Perfect for a winter day!
I love EASY for busy nights!
This is my kind of soup, I can’t wait to make it. I love corn chowder but usually wait for corn season to make it, this sounds like the perfect off season alternative. Love your vinegar tip, too!
It is a great way to enjoy corn chowder in the colder months when corn is not in season.
Great minds think alike — I just made a corn chowder not too long ago — mine took a little longer though. I’ll keep this version in mind for a fast-fix to my comfort food cravings.
OH I have will have to check out your recipe Lisa 🙂
Yum! I love how easily this comes together! So perfect for the cold rainy day we are having.
We are having another nasty day here as well Tara–good thing we can both whip this up quickly.