Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics and Fat
- 45 g unsalted butter
- 150 g yellow onion, finely diced
- 100 g celery, finely diced
- 10 g garlic, minced
Chowder Base
- 30 g all-purpose flour
- 940 ml vegetable broth, warm
- 400 g russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1cm cubes
- 500 g sweet corn kernels, fresh or thawed if frozen
Finishing Ingredients
- 120 ml heavy cream, room temperature
- 2 g fresh thyme, leaves picked and roughly chopped
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 435 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 56 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 13 g
- Sodium
- 1252 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 13 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 58 mg
- Potassium
- 980 mg
- Calcium
- 74 mg
- Iron
- 2.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 84 mg
- Phosphorus
- 224 mg
- Zinc
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 251 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 20 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 12 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.36 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.22 mg
- Niacin
- 3.8 mg
- Folate
- 87 mcg
- Water
- 483 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare all vegetables by dicing the onion, celery, and potatoes. Mince the garlic and carefully strip the corn kernels from the cobs if using fresh corn.
Melt the unsalted butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and celery, cooking until translucent and softened, stirring occasionally.
Stir the minced garlic and fresh thyme leaves into the softened vegetables. Cook until highly aromatic.
Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the vegetable mixture. Stir constantly to form a paste and cook out the raw flour taste.
Gradually pour in the warm vegetable broth while whisking continuously to ensure no flour lumps remain.
Add the diced russet potatoes and sweet corn kernels to the pot. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer at roughly 95°C/203°F, cover partially, and cook until the potatoes are completely tender when pierced with a fork.
Using an immersion blender, briefly puree about one-third of the soup directly in the pot. This naturally thickens the broth while leaving plenty of whole kernels and potato chunks for texture.
Reduce the heat to low. Gently stir in the room temperature heavy cream, taking care that the soup does not reach a boil to prevent the dairy from curdling.
Taste the chowder and season generously with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Ladle the hot soup into warmed bowls. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- If using fresh corn on the cob, save the stripped cobs and simmer them in the vegetable broth for 30 minutes prior to starting. This extracts a profound, sweet corn essence that elevates the final dish.
- Russet potatoes are crucial here. Their high starch content means they break down slightly around the edges as they cook, naturally contributing to a thicker, silkier chowder base.
- A splash of white wine vinegar or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice stirred in right before serving can miraculously brighten the rich, heavy flavors of the cream and starches.
- To introduce a smoky element without adding bacon, stir in half a teaspoon of smoked paprika or a tiny drop of liquid smoke during the aromatic saute phase.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. Reheat gently to prevent the cream from separating.
Reheating: Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, stirring frequently, until just warmed through. Do not boil.
Troubleshooting
Chowder is too thin and watery
Cause: Potatoes did not release enough starch or insufficient pureeing.
Fix: Mash some of the remaining potato chunks against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon, or simmer uncovered for 5 more minutes before adding the cream.
Prevention: Use high-starch russet potatoes and ensure a full third of the soup is pureed.
The cream curdled or separated into small white flecks
Cause: The soup was brought to a boil after the cream was added, or cold cream hit hot soup too quickly.
Fix: Cannot be completely fixed, but pureeing the soup slightly with an immersion blender can help emulsify the fats back into the broth.
Prevention: Ensure cream is at room temperature and heat is turned to low before incorporating. Never boil after adding dairy.
Cultural Context
Corn chowder is a cornerstone of North American comfort food, evolving from the seafood chowders of early New England settlers. When seafood was scarce or expensive, particularly in inland communities or harsh winters, abundant native sweet corn served as the perfect heart-warming substitute in this traditional dairy-based broth.
