I don’t know about you, but nothing beats a big bowl of homemade soup—especially when it’s creamy, hearty, and made with simple, budget-friendly ingredients. Whenever I make this easy Potato Corn Chowder recipe, I know I’m in for a bowl of pure comfort. It’s rich, flavorful, and packed with sweet corn and tender potatoes, making it the perfect meal for a chilly evening—or, honestly, any time I want something cozy and satisfying without a lot of fuss!
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Easy Potato Corn Chowder Recipe
When I was at University in Boston, MA, I was a regular at this amazing restaurant on Newbury Street called “The OtherSide Cafe.” They had THE BEST soups, grilled sandwiches, and a range of craft beers, but their potato corn chowder was my absolute favorite. I’ve never been able to recreate it perfectly, but this recipe for creamy, savory, warming potato corn chowder is pretty dang close! And let me tell you, I pinched pennies back in my university days. Had I known this soup was so easy and cheap to make, I would have made it all the time! It’s the perfect vegetarian alternative to my ham and potato soup and is easy to make vegan and dairy-free, too!
A Note on Adding Dairy to Hot Soups
Let’s talk about adding dairy to hot soup…because nothing ruins a creamy chowder faster than curdled milk! The key is all about temperature control. If you pour cold milk straight into a hot pot, you’re almost guaranteed to end up with an unpleasant, grainy texture. Instead, I use room-temperature milk. Another precautionary, but optional, step is to temper the milk before adding it to the soup. To do this, whisk a small amount of warm broth into the milk and slowly add it to the soup, stirring constantly.
I also recommend reducing the heat before stirring in the milk and babysitting it to prevent the soup from reaching a boil after the dairy has been introduced. And if you want the creamiest texture, opt for whole milk (as I use in this recipe, but half & half or cream also works), as the higher fat content makes dairy more stable in hot liquids.
Potato Corn Chowder Recipe
Servings 8 servings (1.5 cups per serving)Ingredients
- 4 tsp vegetable bouillon* ($0.36)
- 8 cups water, hot ($0.00)
- 1 yellow onion, diced (about 1.5 cups) ($0.90)
- 3 Tbsp garlic, minced ($0.17)
- 2 cups celery, diced (about 6 ribs of celery) ($0.64)
- 1 tsp dried thyme ($0.59)
- ¼ tsp chili flakes ($0.06)
- 1 tsp salt ($0.01)
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.05)
- 2 Tbsp salted butter ($0.26)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.19)
- ½ Tbsp apple cider vinegar ($0.01)
- 1.5 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, diced small (4 medium/small potatoes)** ($0.94)
- 12 oz. frozen corn, rinsed ($0.98)
- 1 cup whole milk, room temperature*** ($0.18)
- 2 Tbsp flour ($0.04)
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced ($0.08)
Instructions
- Gather fresh ingredients and prepare vegetable broth using the vegetable bouillon and water.
- To a large soup pot over medium-high heat, add onion, garlic, celery, dried thyme, chili flakes, salt, black pepper, butter, and olive oil on medium heat. Cook until vegetables have started to soften, about 8 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Add apple cider vinegar, the diced potatoes and rinsed frozen corn. Cook with the garlicky veggies for about 10 minutes until the potatoes are about half cooked, still with a little bit of bite to them.
- Add vegetable broth and room temperature milk, scraping up any bits of veggies from the bottom of the pot. Stir to combine.
- Simmer (do not boil)**** over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until potatoes are fully cooked, about 20 minutes.
- Remove 2 cups of broth and whisk in the flour until smooth. Add back to the pot and stir to combine. Once the soup has simmered and thickened to your liking, test the vegetables. When the potatoes are done, the soup is done!
- Mix in the minced fresh parsley or sprinkle it on top as garnish, and serve!
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Equipment
- Large Soup Pot
Notes
Nutrition
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Gather all your fresh ingredients: Prepare the vegetable broth by mixing 4 tsp vegetable bouillon with 8 cups hot water.
Sauté the vegetables: Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat and add 1 diced yellow onion, 3 Tbsp minced garlic, 2 cups diced celery, 1 tsp dried thyme, ¼ tsp chili flakes, 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, 2 Tbsp salted butter, and 1 Tbsp olive oil. Sauté the vegetables in the oil until they start to soften, about 8 minutes.
Cook all together: Reduce the heat to medium-low and add ½ Tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1.5 lbs potatoes (diced small), and 12 oz. rinsed frozen corn. Combine with the garlicky veggies and cook until the potatoes are about half cooked (still have a little bit of bite to them). This will take about 10 minutes.
Add broth and milk: Pour in your prepared vegetable broth and 1 cup room temperature whole milk (make sure your milk is room temperature, not cold!). Scrape up any bits of stuck-on veggies from the bottom of the pot and stir to combine.
Simmer your potato corn chowder (don’t let it come to a boil as this could cause the milk to curdle) over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are fully cooked, about 20 minutes. The smaller you diced your potatoes, the quicker it’ll cook.
Whisk in flour: Remove 2 cups of broth from your soup pot. Whisk in 2 Tbsp of all-purpose flour until smooth with no lumps. Add this slurry mixture back to the pot and stir to combine.
Simmer soup: Simmer the soup until it reaches your desired thickness. Test the vegetables; once the potatoes are fully cooked, the soup is ready to serve! Mix in 1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley, or use it to garnish each bowl as desired. Serve, and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
When I serve this potato corn chowder, I always finish it with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and a pinch of chili flakes. But I love a little crunch on top, too. Ranch oyster crackers are the perfect topping because they’re super easy to make and completely addictive! Or, you could crisp up some bacon in the air fryer (or your favorite veggie alternative) and crumble it over the top for a crispy, smoky finish. However, no cozy bowl of chowder is complete without some warm, crusty bread on the side. If I don’t have a fresh loaf, I’ll grab a cheap store-bought one, but nothing beats homemade. If you want to try your hand at it, our easy no-knead bread recipe is perfect for dunking!
How to Store
Once cooled, store any leftover potato and corn chowder in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also freeze it in individual freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Just keep in mind that potatoes can become mushy when frozen, so the texture may change when reheated. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and gently simmer on the stovetop to reheat.
This is very similar to my corn chowder recipe. I don’t really care for bacon in this soup, as is a frequent ingredient, but one Jess has not included–I think it overpowers the sweet flavor of corn. I do add chopped green chilis, either canned or diced fresh poblano, and sometimes diced red bell pepper for more color as well as its sweet flavor. At times, I add cooked chicken. This recipe uses milk instead of cream–I use milk, too, mostly because I prefer the lighter taste. Like the best soup recipes, this is not only delicious as written, but a terrific platform for variations.