corn chowder with bacon
Recipes
Fish & Seafood
Corn Chowder with Bacon
Pureeing some of the corn-and-potato mixture in a blender gives this soup rich creaminess without much cream. Red bell pepper imparts a beautiful golden hue to the chowder (and is a great source of vitamin C). For a final touch, a little bacon crumbled over this easy corn chowder recipe goes a long way.
Ingredients
- 3 slices center-cut bacon
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups fresh corn kernels (3-4 ears)
- 3 tablespoons water, divided
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 8 ounces yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme, plus leaves for garnish
- ¼ cup half-and-half
- ½ tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
Directions
- Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until crisp, 8 to 9 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving 1 Tbsp. drippings in the pan. Crumble the bacon and set aside.
- Add bell pepper, onion, and garlic to the pan; cook, stirring often, until browned and tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the bell pepper mixture to a medium bowl; set aside. Add corn, 2 Tbsp. water, and salt to the pan; cook, stirring often, until the corn is golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 Tbsp. water, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits.
- Return the bell pepper mixture to the pan. Stir in flour; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in 1/4 cup broth and wine; cook, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen browned bits, for 1 minute. Stir in potatoes, the remaining 1 3/4 cups broth, and thyme. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, 15 to 18 minutes.
- Remove and discard the thyme sprigs. Transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender. Remove center piece of lid (to let steam escape), secure the lid on the blender, and cover with a kitchen towel. Puree until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Return the blended soup to the pan. Stir in half-and-half and butter. Divide between 4 bowls; sprinkle with pepper and garnish with the crumbled bacon and thyme leaves, if desired.
