Easy Homemade Sweet Corn Chowder
A steaming bowl of chowder that screams comfort, warmth, and happy memories. This sweet corn chowder is unbelievably simple, hearty, and flavorful, perfect for busy weeknights or when you need a little hug in a mug.
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- Knife For prepping corn and vegetables
- Bundt pan or stand mixer Optional, for easier corn prep
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 6 ears fresh sweet corn Kernels sliced off the cob
- 2 tablespoons butter or vegan butter
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 3 stalks celery chopped
- 1 red bell pepper stemmed, seeded, and diced
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 5 cups water
- 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes chopped
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme
- 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- First things first, we need to get those delicious kernels off the cob. Carefully run your knife down each ear of corn to slice off the kernels. You can also use a bundt pan or a stand mixer to make this even easier!
- Grab your favorite large pot or Dutch oven and melt your butter (or vegan butter) over medium heat. Once it's shimmering, toss in your chopped onion, celery, and diced red bell pepper. Let them soften up, stirring occasionally, for about 5-7 minutes.
- Now, add your chopped garlic and stir it around for just one minute more. You want to cook it until it's fragrant, but be careful not to let it burn – nobody likes bitter garlic!
- Time to bring everything together! Add your freshly cut corn kernels, water, chopped potatoes, Old Bay Seasoning, sea salt, dried thyme, smoked paprika, and that all-important bay leaf to the pot. Give it all a good stir to combine.
- Bring the whole mixture to a rolling boil. Once it's bubbling, reduce the heat to low, pop a lid on the pot, and let it simmer away for 15-20 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Before you ladle this glorious chowder into bowls, remember to fish out that bay leaf! It's done its job, and we don't want any surprises.
Notes
For a creamier chowder, stir in ½ cup of heavy cream, half-and-half, or coconut milk during the last 5 minutes of simmering. A handful of shredded cheddar cheese melted into the chowder right before serving is also delicious. For a smoky, salty crunch, top with crumbled crispy bacon. If you love a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes along with the other spices. You can also add other veggies like diced carrots or peas during the last 10 minutes of simmering.