Potato Corn Chowder
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Thanks to the cheddar cheese and bacon, this veggie-loaded Potato Corn Chowder (aka Autumn Chowder) tastes so rich. This soup is easy to assemble and the leftovers can be easily frozen. A one pot comfort food that you’ll be making all winter long!
About This Recipe
I will be making this Potato Chowder (known around my house as Autumn Chowder) every fall from here on out.
My friend Jeannette has been singing the praises of this soup for quite some time, but I didn’t believe her until I tried it for myself. This chowder is full of vegetables, yet has a creamy, richness thanks to a bit of crispy bacon, milk, and freshly shredded cheddar. My husband and two of the three kids gave it a thumbs up. At least the picky eater enjoyed the potatoes in it. 🙂
Note: Be sure to check out all our best Fall Potluck Dishes.
How to Make Potato Corn Chowder
This chowder requires a few simple steps that are well worth it in the end. Let’s begin our tasty journey with bacon.
Fry Up Some Bacon!
I mean, if any recipe starts with bacon, I’m in. We recommend using uncured bacon but no matter the type, dice it up and throw it in a large hot pot to render the fat.
Saute the Aromatics
After the bacon is done and crispy, set it aside, drain off most of the grease. Now toss in some diced onion and garlic. Your kitchen will be smelling pretty phenomenal at this point.
Simmer the Soup Base
After those cook for a bit, you’ll add in some chicken broth, your cooked bacon, diced carrots, and potatoes. That will simmer for about 20 minutes or until veggies are tender.
Time for Some Cheese & More Goodness
OK, so your veggies have cooked. Time to add in some more goodness.
Milk, corn, and cheese for example! This cheese is actually tossed with a little flour before tossing it in. This helps thicken the soup and keep the cheese from melting into one big blob.
Make sure to stir the cheese in very slowly so it melts evenly into the soup.
Serve
Stir it all up and either eat it now or you can pop it in the fridge to have later!
What to Serve with Potato Corn Chowder
Serve this soup warm with oyster crackers and chopped chives toppings. While this is a one dish wonder on its own, you can also serve with a side dish or dessert like:
Do I Have to Peel the Potatoes for This Soup?
Nope! Because we’re using Yukon gold potatoes in this recipe, there is no need to peel them. Their peel is so thin and tender, you won’t even notice they are there. What a huge time saver!
Can I Freeze Chowder?
Absolutely! Having a stash of frozen soup is one of our favorite types of freezer meals.
If you want to turn this Potato Corn Chowder into a freezer meal, simply let it cool completely and freeze it either in small freezer-friendly containers or a large one. We think these are the 5 best freezer containers.
Small portions allow for individual meals down the road. Much like our freezer meal recipes for 1-2 people, this one works great to pull out for lunches or to pass on to anyone who may need a meal.
If you freeze in a large airtight container, you have a whole meal ready to use on a busy night. We recommend a freezer storage bag and freezing it flat to save freezer space.
Then, when you’re ready to eat it, thaw the soup in the fridge completely and warm over low heat on the stove, in the slow cooker, or in the microwave. You may need to add a little extra broth if it’s too thick.
More Comforting Soup Recipes
Try our other easy and comforting soups, stews, and chilis. Here are a few of our most popular ones.
We hope this delicious Potato Corn Chowder (aka Autumn Chowder) warms you through and provides some comfort this week!
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Potato Corn Chowder
Comfort in a bowl. A great dinner idea for the entire family. Freezer friendly too!
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb bacon, chopped (I use uncured)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Salt and pepper
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups (about 1 pound) diced Yukon gold potatoes
- 2 cups sliced or diced carrots
- 2 cups milk (I used 2%)
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour (sub: all purpose flour)
- Optional toppings: oyster crackers, minced chives, chopped parsley
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
Make It Now:
- In a large stock pot, cook bacon over medium-high heat, until just crispy (not overly crispy), about 4-5 minutes. Remove bacon and set aside on a plate that’s covered with paper towels to absorb grease. If you want, wipe out some of the grease from the pot.
- Add the onions to the same pot and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper while they cook. Stir in the garlic and saute for 30-60 seconds more.
- Stir in the chicken broth, cooked bacon, potatoes, carrots, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cover with a lid and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Stir in the milk and corn and heat until simmering. Meanwhile, toss shredded cheese with flour in a bowl.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Slowly stir in the cheese to the soup, stirring constantly in a figure eight pattern until cheese is melted and the soup thickens up.
- Taste and season with more salt and pepper, as desired. (Note: If your soup is too thick, you can add more milk or stock to thin it out and then warm through. Be sure to adjust seasoning accordingly.)
- Serve warm. Top with minced chives, chopped parsley, and/or oyster crackers.
Freeze for Later: Follow Steps 1-6. Let the soup cool completely. Place in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container or in individual serving containers (here are our favorite freezer containers). Try to remove as much air as possible and seal it well before placing in the freezer.
Prepare From Frozen: To reheat, thaw 24-48 hours in the fridge (preferred method) or by using the defrost setting on the microwave. Then, warm chowder over low or medium-low heat on the stove, gently stirring occasionally. Or you can warm in the microwave or slow cooker on LOW. Stir in more milk or broth if it’s too thick.
Notes/Tips
- Be sure to check out all our best Fall Potluck Dishes.
Made just as written.
Superb!
So glad you enjoyed this Heidi! Thanks for leaving a review.
Does it matter what kind of potatoes you use? I have “yellow flesh” potatoes I need to use. Will that still freeze okay?
Hi Rachelle! Any potato will work for this recipe. The yellow flesh variety doesn’t need to be peeled (which we really like) but a Russet or similar baking potato does need to be peeled first.
This is such a good recipe. It’s good the day you make it, it’s good the next day, it’s good if you freeze it and pull it out months later and eat it. This time I did half sweet potatoes because you had mentioned that as a sub for another soup recipe and it was just *chef’s kiss*!
Ha! Love hearing we’ve got a “chef’s kiss” recipe! 🙂 Thanks Shannon.
Great recipe when you need some simple comfort food. Easy clean up, simple ingredients that I had on hand. Delicious!
So great when you just have ingredients on hand for something. Thank you for leaving a review Jeanne!
Soooooo yummy!
I made this recipe as part of a bunch of freezer meals for my father-in-law. I’m gluten free and wanted to be able to taste as I prepared it, so I just added some mashed potatoes at the end to thicken (I microwaved a couple extra potatoes with some water u til soft, drained the extra liquid and smashed). Being at his home limited me slightly on my ingredient options so there were some slight adjustments but all in all ended up being such a good recipe, I think I’ll make another batch for dinner tomorrow! I filled the large side of a 2-compartment ziplock food prep container with soup and froze overnight. The next morning, I filled the smaller side with oyster crackers and put them back in the freezer. I am so grateful for this easy to prepare and delicious to eat recipe. Thanks for making me the hero!
Thank you again for taking the time to leave your review of our recipes and also how you froze them individually. If you are on Facebook and have not joined our Freezer Foodies group, you should consider it. We’d love to see photos of your freezer meals and I know there are others in that group that would love hearing about how you freeze our meals individually. We’re so glad you are a part of the Thriving Home community!
The recipe sounds really good and easy.
I’ve never made a home made chowder, but this looks like a good basic recipe.
Yep, it’s a classic around our houses and our readers’ homes. I hope you enjoy it!
Great, simple, delicious recipe!!
Any thoughts on adapting to an instant pot?
So glad you enjoyed it! You can definitely make this in the IP. Saute bacon, saute onions/garlic, and add in the rest of the ingredients except the milk and cheese/flour. Cook at high pressure for 7 minutes with natural release of pressure. Stir in the milk and cheese/flour mixture.
Making it for Fall equinox tomorrow. I hope it’s ok to make a day ahead. It’s smells amazing and tastes so good.
You can absolutely make it ahead! Enjoy!
Nom nom nom! I added celery and green onions because we had extra to use up and left out the cheese to put on the top because we have a no-cheeser in our house. So far, so good! It smells delicious! Can’t wait to serve it to the fam!