You had me at bacon. The ultimate comfort food, this hearty Bacon & Corn Chowder with a creamy potato base will make you deliciously happy from the inside out!
Soup. Stew. Bisque. Whatever you want to call this savory Bacon and Corn Chowder – it’s the absolute best soup recipe ever! Loaded with everybody’s favorite ingredients like potatoes, butter, chicken broth and onions – not to mention bacon and corn – this meal is destined to become a family favorite!
So Much Flavor!
This soup should be called Bacon Corn Potato Chicken Onion Pepper Chowder! The recipe pulls in all these fantastic flavors, throws in some milk, olive oil, and seasonings, and OH MY GOODNESS. It’s perfect – and not just for winter. This chowder is so stupid good you’ll crave it all year long!
Other Recipes to Serve with Bacon & Corn Chowder
Nothing completes a hearty soup dinner like homemade bread!
- This Beer Bread will make your mouth happy!
- Wouldn’t serving this soup in a big ol’ Homemade Bread Bowl be fun?
Ingredients
Chowder Base: The base of this soup uses chicken stock, olive oil, whole milk, unsalted butter, and all-purpose flour.
Veggies: A yellow onion and a cup of red and orange bell peppers are added to the potatoes and corn as the flavorful ingredients for this chowder.
Seasoning: Just a little salt & pepper are all this chowder needs to round out the flavor.
Garnish: Top this chowder with crispy, crumbled bacon. YUM!
How to Make Bacon and Corn Chowder
STEP ONE: Using a large Dutch oven over medium heat, pour in the olive oil. Add the chopped onion and bell peppers when hot and cook until soft.
STEP TWO: Add in the chicken stock, corn, and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 10 to 20 minutes.
STEP THREE: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, then whisk in the flour until creamy. Slowly add the milk, continuously stirring to avoid lumps. Simmer until thick and add to the soup in the Dutch oven.
STEP FOUR: Remove 4 cups of the soup to a blender and puree, then add back to the soup pot. This adds to the creaminess of the chowder. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
STEP FIVE: Ladle into serving bowls, top with bacon crumbles. Say, “MMMMMM!”
Tips for Success
- For even more bacon flavor, cook the bacon first and replace some of the butter in the recipe with bacon drippings.
- If your kids are picky about chunky veggies, just make a completely creamy version: Use an immersion blender to puree the entire soup pot in the Dutch oven.
Can I Freeze Bacon Corn Chowder?
Yes! Almost any potato-based soup will freeze well for 5 or 6 months. Make sure to cool the chowder to room temperature, then place the soup in a freezer-safe container or baggie, leaving no air pockets to avoid freezer burn. When ready to use it, let it thaw before transferring back into a pot for reheating.
What’s the Difference between Soup, Chowder, and Stew?
These names are often used interchangeably, but they are technically different. Generally, soup has a thin, watery broth, usually made with chicken, beef, or vegetable stock. Chowder is a soup where milk is added to the stock to make a creamy base. Stew refers to a hearty soup or chowder that has big, chunky ingredients.
Other Lucious Chowder Recipes
- Clam Chowder
- Crock Pot Turkey Chowder
- Corned Beef and Cabbage Chowder
- Low Carb Cheesy Bacon Cauliflower Chowder
- Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Skinny Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
*This post was originally posted on 10/29/2013.
Equipment
- Immersion Blender or Blender
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion peeled and chopped
- 1 cup red and orange bell pepper chopped
- 6 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
- 2 cups potato peeled and diced
- 64 ounces chicken stock (see note)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- Salt & pepper to taste
- ½ cup bacon cooked and crumbled
- Fresh chives chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Place a 7-quart Dutch oven over medium heat and pour in the olive oil. Once the oil it hot, add the onion and bell peppers and cook until softened, about 5-8 minutes.
- Stir in the corn, potatoes, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
- Cook for 10 to 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
- While the potatoes cook, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth and cook for 1 minute to make a roux.
- Slowly pour the milk into the roux while whisking so there are no lumps. Simmer the bechamel until thickened.
- Add the bechamel sauce to the soup and stir until combined.
- Transfer 4 cups of soup to a bowl (or to a blender) and puree with an immersion blender. Pour the blended soup back into the pot. (see note)
- Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Add the bacon crumbles to the soup and stir. Serve warm with chives sprinkled on top for garnish, if desired.
Notes
- If you buy low-sodium chicken stock, you will definitely need to season with salt to taste. If you buy regular chicken stock, check the soup before adding more salt.
- I usually cook the bacon while the potatoes are simmering and the bechamel is cooking. This helps cut down on the overall pre-prep time.
- Pureeing some of the soup and pouring it back into the pot helps to thicken the soup base. This is optional if you like a thinner soup. You could also puree the soup with the immersion blender right in the pot until it’s thickened to your liking. Just know that there will be fewer chunks of veggies to enjoy.
Pamela Wolf says
We love soup and will definitely being trying this as it gets cooler here in Phoenix.
Aubrey says
You guys will LOVE it Pam! Can’t wait for the Wolf pack review. 🙂