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White bowl with spoon scooping up chowder with fresh corn, bacon, potatoes and carrots.

Summer Corn Chowder

Yield: 8 to 8 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 5 strips bacon, regular or thick-cut, chopped
  • ½ cup diced onion, about 1/2 medium onion
  • ½ cup diced celery, about 1 large rib of celery
  • ½ cup diced carrots, about 2 small carrots
  • ½ cup red bell pepper, about 1 medium pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups chicken broth or stock
  • 3 cups half-and-half (see note)
  • 2 to 3 cups peeled and diced Yukon gold or russet potatoes, about 3 large potatoes
  • 4 cups fresh corn kernels, about 6 medium cobs (see note)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon dried dill
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Instructions 

  • In a large pot set over medium heat, add the bacon and cook until crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving 2 tablespoons bacon grease in the pot.
  • To the pot, add the onions, bell pepper, celery and carrots. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the onions are mostly translucent. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 15 to 30 seconds.
  • Add the butter and stir until melted. Add the flour and stir until the vegetables are evenly coated. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  • Gradually add the broth slowly while stirring or whisking constantly.
  • Add the half-and-half, potatoes, corn, salt, pepper, paprika and dill. Bring the soup to a low boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
  • Stir in the red wine vinegar and reserved bacon. Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
  • The soup will thicken slightly as it cools. Serve warm or let cool, refrigerate, and reheat when needed. This soup tastes even better the next day.

Notes

Half-and-Half: if you don't have half-and-half on hand, use half milk and half cream. Or you can try using all milk, although the soup will likely be less thick and creamy. 
Corn: fresh summer sweet corn is other-worldly delicious in this soup (please promise me you'll try it). However, if you are making this when fresh corn is not in season, frozen corn kernels can be subbed for the fresh corn kernels.