Corn chowder – thick corn soup Recipe
Corn chowder is a thick, creamy corn soup popular in the United States, especially in the colder months. It’s as filling as a stew, but has a delicate, slightly sweet flavor of corn and potatoes. You can think of it as a cross between a vegetable soup and a cream soup, just with a distinct corn accent.
Corn chowder is the essence of American comfort food – a thick, warming soup often served in seaside diners in New England and at home when it’s wet and cold outside. It combines the sweetness of corn and potatoes with a creamy texture thickened with a roux, so it feels more like a bowl of stew than a light soup. It’s versatile enough to serve both as a weeknight dinner after work and at a casual get-together with friends.
Chef's tips
Make sure the vegetables at the beginning only soften and turn translucent, but don’t brown – this way the soup keeps its light color and delicate flavor. When adding the broth, pour it in gradually while whisking vigorously so the flour disperses nicely and no lumps form. Don’t let the milk boil; if the soup starts bubbling too hard toward the end, simply take the pot off the heat for a minute and then finish reheating it gently.
How to serve
Corn chowder is excellent served with a crunchy baguette, homemade sourdough bread, or simple garlic-butter croutons – perfect for a lazy Saturday lunch. To drink, a lightly chilled pale beer or a glass of off-dry white wine works very well. On chilly evenings, I like to put the whole pot of soup on the table during a game night or TV marathon – everyone can help themselves to seconds according to their appetite.
Ingredients
- corn - 400 g
- potatoes - 350 g
- onion - 1 piece
- celery stalk - 2 stalks
- carrot - 1 piece
- garlic - 2 cloves
- vegetable broth - 800 ml
- milk - 250 ml
- butter - 30 g
- wheat flour - 1.5 tablespoons
- thyme - 0.5 teaspoons
- salt - 0.75 teaspoons
- black pepper - 0.5 teaspoons
Preparation
- Peel and finely chop the onion. Wash the celery and carrot and cut into small dice. Peel the potatoes and cut into cubes about 1 cm in size. Peel and finely chop the garlic.
- In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrot. Sauté for 5–7 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables soften and the onion turns slightly translucent but does not brown.
- Add the garlic and cook for about 1 more minute, until it becomes very fragrant.
- Sprinkle in the flour and mix thoroughly with the vegetables. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the flour absorbs the fat and toasts lightly.
- Gradually pour in the broth, stirring all the time so no lumps form. Add the potatoes, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
- Add the corn (if you’re using frozen corn, you don’t need to thaw it first). Cook for another 5 minutes, until the kernels are hot and soft.
- Pour in the milk, stir, and heat for another 3–5 minutes, without letting it come to a boil so the milk doesn’t curdle.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Insert an immersion blender into the soup and blend briefly, just a few pulses, so that some of the vegetables and corn break down but you can still see pieces – the soup should be thick and creamy, but not completely smooth.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Serve the soup hot, optionally sprinkled with fresh chives or grated cheese.
Storage
Zupę przechowuj w lodówce w szczelnym pojemniku. Przy podgrzewaniu rób to na małym ogniu, często mieszając, aby się nie przypaliła. Możesz ją zamrozić, ale po rozmrożeniu może lekko się rozwarstwić – wystarczy ją dobrze wymieszać.
