This easy recipe for Potato Corn Chowder features tender potatoes and sweet corn in a rich and creamy flavorful broth.
There really is nothing better than a bowl of warming soup on a cold winter's night, especially a soup that is both hearty and easy to make.
Just like my recipes for Baked Potato Soup and Tortellini Soup, this recipe for Potato Corn Chowder comes together in one pot in under 30 minutes, resulting in an easy soup recipe that is filled with flavor and simple enough to prepare any night of the week.
Made with tender potatoes and sweet corn enveloped in a thick, creamy broth, this Potato Corn Chowder delivers a comforting, hearty soup, with minimal ingredients and minimal effort.
Paired with homemade biscuits and a side salad, this Potato Corn Chowder makes the ultimate comforting, 30-minute family dinner.
Notes on Ingredients & Substitutions
- Potatoes: I recommend using red or gold potatoes for this potato chowder. They don't need to be peeled and don't give off as much starch as russet potatoes. That said, if you only have russet potatoes on hand, simply peel them before preparing this chowder. And no matter what type of potatoes you use, be sure to dice them into evenly sized cubes so they cook uniformly.
- Corn: Use either fresh or frozen corn kernels. If using fresh corn, cut the kernels off the cob before adding them to the soup. If using frozen corn, there is no need to defrost it before adding it to the soup.
- Shallots: I recommend using shallots rather than garlic and onions in this chowder, as shallots lend a mild onion and garlic flavor to the soup that does not overpower the delicate flavors of the soup.
- Stock/Broth: You can use either low-sodium store-bought or homemade chicken stock or vegetable broth or chicken broth. Keep in mind that in order for this chowder to remain vegetarian-friendly, use vegetable broth.
- Vinegar: One of my secrets to a really good chowder or soup that uses potatoes is to add a tiny bit of white vinegar (no substitutions). The vinegar helps to preserve the texture of the potatoes and brighten the flavors without overwhelming the delicate potatoes.
- Thyme: I love adding fresh thyme leaves to this soup for a nice earthy flavor. Feel free to replace the fresh thyme leaves with dried thyme leaves. Do not use ground thyme as the flavor is not the same.
- Milk/Cream: For a rich, decadent soup use cream or half and half. For a slightly lighter soup with luscious results, use whole milk. You can use 2% or skim milk for this chowder, but the soup will not be thick and rich, as a chowder should be. That said, it will still be delicious.
- Flour: To thicken this chowder, a flour slurry is used. But if you would like this potato corn chowder to be gluten-free, replace the flour with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.
- Toppings: While not necessary, I love topping this chowder with shredded sharp cheddar cheese and minced chives.
How to Make Potato Corn Chowder
- In a large soup pan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Once the butter has melted, add in the minced shallot and thyme leaves and saute for a couple of minutes, just to allow the shallot to soften and the thyme to toast and release its natural oils and flavors.
- Once the shallots are softened, add a bit of the broth to the pan, and use the spoon or spatula to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. That will add additional flavor to your soup!
- Pour in the remaining broth, along with the vinegar, salt, pepper, cubed potatoes, and corn, and stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a rolling simmer over medium heat. Once bubbles form along the edges of the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 15-20 minutes. You want the potatoes to be fork-tender, but not falling apart.
- Once the potatoes are tender, prepare the slurry by whisking together the milk/cream with the flour until the flour has dissolved. In a small bowl, combine the milk and flour until the flour has dissolved.
- Turn the heat to low, and slowly whisk the flour and cream mixture into the soup. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the soup has thickened into a more chowder-like consistency. This should only take 3-5 minutes.
- Once thickened, turn off the heat and serve the chowder immediately.
Serving Suggestions
While made with simple ingredients, this potato corn chowder is so flavorful, I can eat it right out of the pot. That said, you can take this chowder over the top by topping it with shredded white cheddar cheese and minced chives. And if you aren't vegetarian, topping this soup with a bit of baked bacon or stirring in some leftover baked ham before serving, is never a bad idea.
Pair this chowder with Dutch Oven Bread, Homemade Biscuits, or Whole Wheat Rolls for dipping, and round out your meal with a simple side salad dressed with homemade ranch dressing.
Slow Cooker Potato Corn Chowder
To make this Potato Corn Chowder in your crockpot, saute the shallots and thyme in the oil butter in a small saucepan. Once softened, add them to the base of your crockpot along with the broth, potatoes, corn, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Whisk together the flour and milk and add to slow cooker, turn to high, and cook an additional 30 minutes.
Storing & Reheating Potato Chowder
It is best to serve this chowder immediately, as it will thicken as it sits. However, if you do happen to have leftovers, allow the soup to cool slightly and then store it in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. It is normal for the cream and broth to separate some after storage. To remedy this, gently reheat over low heat in a small saucepan, whisking often. You will also want to add additional broth or milk to thin as needed.
More Favorite Soup Recipes
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Homemade Chicken Soup
- Vegetable Beef Soup
- Lasagna Soup
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Instant Pot Beef and Barley Soup
If you give this recipe for Potato Corn Chowder a try, please be sure to leave a comment and review below.
Potato Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small shallot minced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves not ground thyme
- 4 cups low- sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
- 3 cups red potatoes cut into2-inch chunks
- 1 cup whole milk or cream
- 2 tablespoons flour
- chives, cheese, etc for serving
Instructions
- In a large, heavy-bottomed soup pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add in the minced shallot and thyme and saute for 2-3 minutes, just to allow the shallot to soften.
- Add the broth to the pan, scraping the bottom of the pot to remove any browned bits. Stir in the vinegar, salt, pepper, potatoes, and corn. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
- In a small bowl, combine the milk and flour until the flour has dissolved. Turn the heat to low and gradually whisk the flour mixture into the soup mixture, a little at a time. Simmer for 3-5 minutes over low heat until thickened slightly.
- Once the soup has thickened turn off the heat and serve the soup with minced chives and shredded cheese if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Lisa Deason
Thank you for the additional notes and information. One question I have is why do you recommend not using ground thyme?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Lisa. I find it overpowers the delicate flavors of the soup.
Awbrey
Good taste and easy to follow recipe!
I like this except your serving size and nutrition facts are misleading. I don't know where your measurements for the calorie count came from, but for 4 servings, it came out to nearly 300 calories when I calculated it, even with almond milk and olive oil. I wish it was 98 calories, but unfortunately that is not the case. Thank you fro the recipe though!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Awbrey! I am so glad you enjoyed! I am glad you caught the nutrition facts--looks like it was using 1 potato and 1 kernel of corn! Sorry about that. I just recalculated using 2% milk the correct potatoes and corn measurements.
Sophie
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.
Kristen Chidsey
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.
Sophie
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?
Kristen Chidsey
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.
Sophie
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
Kristen Chidsey
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.
M
Perfect!!! A nice belly warming meal that didn't make me feel bad afterwards!!!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed--guilt free 😉
Betsy
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
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed Betty!
Lou
Hi there recipe looks yummy. Do you think I could just mash some potatoes to thicken up this soup instead?
Kristen Chidsey
Absolutely Lou--or you could cook down a bit more to reduce the liquid as well. I hope you enjoy!
Tom S
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.
Kristen Chidsey
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.
Melanie
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.
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed!
Maureen
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!
Kristen Chidsey
Thank you so much Maureen for sharing! I love knowing (and I know others will as well) how this worked being dairy free.
Jenn
You had me at 30 minutes! Hooray for easy dinner recipes and leftovers the next day!
Kristen Chidsey
Gotta love those 30 minute meals!
Madi
Corn chowder is one of my favorite soups! I love your healthy spin on it!
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks so much Madi! It really does taste just as decadent
Traci
This looks so easy and exactly what we need for mid January…and game day too! Thanks for sharing this recipe! 🙂
Kristen Chidsey
You bet Traci! I hope you enjoy--it is perfect for a cold winter day~
Kelly
Love how easily and quickly this comes together. Perfect for a winter day!
Kristen Chidsey
I love EASY for busy nights!
sue | theviewfromgreatisland
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!
Kristen Chidsey
It is a great way to enjoy corn chowder in the colder months when corn is not in season.
Lisa
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.
Kristen Chidsey
OH I have will have to check out your recipe Lisa 🙂
Tara
Yum! I love how easily this comes together! So perfect for the cold rainy day we are having.
Kristen Chidsey
We are having another nasty day here as well Tara--good thing we can both whip this up quickly.