Creamy Summer Corn Chowder (Printable)
Creamy corn and zucchini chowder brimming with fresh summer vegetables and herbs in every spoonful.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 3 cups fresh corn kernels (about 4 ears, or frozen corn)
02 - 2 medium zucchini, diced
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 celery stalk, diced
07 - 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
→ Liquids and Fats
08 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
09 - 1 cup whole milk or unsweetened plant-based milk
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
→ Herbs and Seasonings
11 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
12 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped (for garnish)
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (for garnish)
→ Optional Garnish
17 - ¼ cup shredded Parmesan or vegan cheese (for garnish)
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and the onions turn translucent.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly golden.
03 - Add the corn kernels, diced zucchini, and chopped potatoes to the pot. Season with salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and dried thyme. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the seasonings to coat the vegetables evenly.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
05 - Using an immersion blender, blend a portion of the chowder directly in the pot until partially smooth, leaving some vegetables intact for a hearty, chunky texture. Alternatively, transfer about 2 cups of the chowder to a standard blender, puree until smooth, and return it to the pot.
06 - Stir in the milk and heat gently over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes until warmed through. Do not boil.
07 - Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with fresh chives, parsley, and shredded Parmesan or vegan cheese if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It tastes like concentrated summer in a bowl, sweet corn and tender vegetables swimming in a creamy broth that somehow still feels light.
- You barely need a recipe once you make it twice, because the method is forgiving and the ingredients bend to whatever is overflowing in your crisper drawer.
02 -
- Do not skip the partial blending step because that is what transforms a watery vegetable soup into a chowder with real body and comfort.
- Keep the heat gentle after adding milk because a rolling boil will make the texture grainy and dull the sweet corn flavor.
03 -
- Run your knife down the back of each corn cob after cutting off the kernels to scrape out the milky starch, it adds natural thickening power and extra corn flavor to the broth.
- A pinch of smoked paprika stirred into each bowl just before serving gives a final aromatic punch that makes people lean in closer.