Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 400 g fresh sweet corn, kernels cut from the cob
- 300 g yellow potato, peeled and diced into 1cm cubes
- 150 g roasted green chiles, peeled, seeded, and chopped
- 150 g yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic, minced
Base and Dairy
- 900 ml vegetable broth
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 120 ml heavy cream, room temperature
Seasoning and Garnish
- 3 g ground cumin
- 6 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 10 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 353 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 44 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 12 g
- Sodium
- 1298 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 11 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 50 mg
- Potassium
- 815 mg
- Calcium
- 69 mg
- Iron
- 2.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 59 mg
- Phosphorus
- 185 mg
- Zinc
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 288 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 114 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 8 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.27 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.20 mg
- Niacin
- 2.5 mg
- Folate
- 59 mcg
- Water
- 383 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare all vegetables by cutting the fresh sweet corn kernels from the cobs, dicing the yellow potatoes, finely dicing the yellow onion, and mincing the garlic.
Melt the unsalted butter in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion and saute until softened and translucent.
Stir the minced garlic and ground cumin into the pot with the onions. Cook briefly until highly aromatic.
Pour in the vegetable broth and add the diced yellow potatoes. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer (approximately 100°C/212°F). Cover partially and cook until the potatoes are completely tender.
Add the fresh sweet corn kernels and chopped roasted green chiles to the pot. Continue to simmer to cook the corn and meld the flavors.
Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the heavy cream, kosher salt, and black pepper. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh cilantro before serving.
Chef's Notes
- For a smokier depth, char the fresh corn directly over a gas burner or grill before cutting the kernels off the cob.
- If fresh Hatch or Anaheim green chiles are not in season, high-quality canned chopped green chiles are a fantastic pantry substitute that maintains the correct flavor profile.
- The starch content of Yukon Gold or russet potatoes acts as a natural thickener. If you prefer a very thick chowder, puree one cup of the soup in a blender and stir it back into the pot before adding the cream.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze without the heavy cream if possible to prevent the dairy from separating upon thawing.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat until warm. Do not boil vigorously to prevent the cream from splitting.
Troubleshooting
Soup lacks body and feels too watery
Cause: Potatoes did not release enough starch into the broth
Fix: Use a wooden spoon to mash some of the potato cubes against the side of the pot, or use an immersion blender to pulse a small portion of the soup to thicken it naturally.
Prevention: Ensure potatoes are cooked until fully tender and easily mashed
Cream curdled when added to the soup
Cause: Cream was added while the soup was boiling aggressively
Fix: Cannot be completely fixed, but pureeing the soup can help emulsify the separated fats.
Prevention: Always remove the pot from active heat before stirring in dairy
Cultural Context
Green chiles and corn are foundational ingredients in Native American and Southwestern cuisines, forming the backbone of countless stews, tamales, and side dishes. This soup celebrates the agricultural bounty of late summer in the American Southwest, specifically highlighting the famed annual harvest of Hatch green chiles in New Mexico.
