Autumn Chowder (aka Potato Corn Chowder)
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A one-pot comfort food that you’ll be making throughout the cold months! Thanks to the cheddar cheese and bacon, this veggie-loaded Autumn Chowder (aka Potato Corn Chowder) tastes so rich. This soup is easy to assemble and the leftovers can be easily frozen.
About This Recipe
I’ve been making this Autumn Chowder (aka Potato Corn Chowder) every fall for over a decade. It’s THAT good. This chowder is full of hearty vegetables and has a creamy, richness thanks to a bit of crispy bacon, milk, and freshly shredded cheddar. It’s everything you want in a bowl on a cool fall evening.
Note: Be sure to check out all our best Fall Potluck Dishes.
Ingredients
I especially love that the ingredients are wholesome and easy to find.
You may also want to buy some oyster crackers and fresh chives (or parsley) as toppings for the soup.
Cooking Tip: Mise En Place
Cooking–especially a soup like this one that requires a lot of chopping ahead of time–is more enjoyable and efficient when you’re prepared. So be sure to get organized ahead of time–also known as mise en place by the French.
- Read through the recipe.
- Set out your equipment and ingredients.
- Prep any ingredients ahead that are required–like chopping veggies and bacon.
How to Make Potato Corn Chowder
This fall 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 and Saute The Aromatics
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.
After the bacon is done and crispy, set it aside and 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.
Add More Ingredients
Stir in the milk and corn and heat until simmering.
Meanwhile, toss shredded cheese with flour in a bowl. 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 the 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 one of these…
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.
Recipe FAQs
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!
This is an interesting and easy technique to thicken the soup that we don’t normally use, but it definitely works. I learned this from my friend, Jeannette, who originally taught me the recipe. So trust the process. 🙂
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!
Autumn Chowder (aka Potato Corn Chowder)
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!
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 partially 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.
- Love the flavor of bacon and cheddar? Try these recipes:
Photos and video by Whitney Reist of Sweet Cayenne.
Delicious! I had been looking for a healthier version of a friend’s seafood chowder that my husband loves. I love that this recipe doesn’t use any “cream of” soups. To turn it into a seafood version, we added a can of minced clams and some imitation crab at the end, but of course not necessary. So tasty, and much healthier than other versions. Don’t skip the flour/cheese step – it definitely makes a difference!
Thanks so much for taking the time to detail your changes in making this into a seafood chowder. Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for leaving a review Kate!
Excellent chowder! Everyone loved it and I’ll be making this often
Many thanks for sharing this recipe
So glad you enjoyed it Diane. Thanks for leaving a review!
Best Autumn Corn Chowder by far! Thanks for the recipe, much appreciated.
You’re so welcome Pamela, we’re glad you loved it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.
Hi! Thoughts on adding ham to this soup, in place of bacon?
Yes, I think that sounds good! You will lose the bacon fat at the beginning so I’d replace that with a combo of butter and oil.
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!