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Creamy, Cheesy Corn & Potato Chowder – a simple, budget-friendly, hearty soup with loads of character and flavor.
Some potato soup recipes can be a little bland and mushy, but not this soup. Each spoonful is filled with tender chunks of buttery potatoes, sweet yellow corn, crisp-tender carrots, celery and plenty of onion. This potato chowder is very creamy, but is made with just milk, and no cream. Mashing some of the cooked potatoes helps thicken the chowder and creates the wonderful creamy texture we love. A little shredded cheese seals the deal giving this potato soup a velvety texture and beautiful pale color.
I have fond memories of my mother making inexpensive potato soup on many occasions. Her soup was good and warming, and filled our bellies on some cold winter nights. I don’t think she had a written recipe so I had to start from scratch when creating my own many years ago. Over the years I added corn to the mix, along with a little cheese. The end result is a fantastic chowder sure to satisfy the entire family!
Potato Chowder is a quick and easy soup that can be on the table in about an hour.
Everybody needs quick and easy recipes especially on busy weeknights. Small diced potatoes cook quickly in chicken or vegetable broth and are then partially mashed to thicken the soup. Diced vegetables are sautéed in butter until tender, and corn is stirred in at the end so it retains a crisp-tender crunch.
After all the vegetables are cooked, the milk is added and the potato chowder is thickened slightly with arrowroot or cornstarch. Once thickened and bubbly, the pot is removed from the heat and 1 cup of shredded cheese is stirred in until melted. Check the seasonings and be sure to add plenty of fresh ground black pepper. That’s it! Serve each bowl garnished with more cheese, if desired, or a little chopped bacon to add a smoky, salty bite.
Add this easy potato chowder recipe to your budget-friendly list of easy meals for the cold winter months.
If you check your pantry and fridge, I bet you’ll find that you have most of the ingredients already on hand. You can use fresh, frozen or canned corn for this chowder. Also, you can make it a vegetarian meal by substituting vegetable broth for the chicken broth.
What is the best kind of cheese to use in this potato chowder?
I recommend using fresh shredded cheese for this chowder instead of pre-shredded, packaged cheese. You’ll want to buy a good melting cheese like Gruyère or a better cheddar cheese. I’ve also used hot pepper cheese and buffalo cheddar in this chowder, and it turned out deliciously spicy! Experiment and change it up by using your favorite cheese.
Can you freeze Cheesy Corn & Potato Chowder?
If you plan to make this soup ahead and freeze for later, I recommend undercooking the potatoes by a few minutes. Also, you can wait and add the cheese when the chowder is reheated at a later date, if desired.
Leftover potato chowder also freeze very well. Thaw the frozen chowder overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently until steaming, but not boiling. This potato chowder will keep for several days when sealed in an airtight container and refrigerated. Add milk or additional broth if needed to thin, if desired.
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Creamy Cheesy Corn & Potato Chowder
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 6 - 8
Course: Main, Meatless Main, Soup
Hearty and delicious - a great recipe!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 small carrots, diced
- 1 large stalk celery, diced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 6 Yukon or butter potatoes, peeled and chopped (about 1 ½ pounds)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 2 ¼ cups whole milk, divided
- 1 (15-ounce) can yellow corn, drained (or 2 cups fresh or frozen)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, chopped plus more for garnish
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot
- 1 cup shredded cheese, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven melt the butter over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onions and saute for 3-5 minutes or until slightly tender. Add the broth, potatoes and thyme. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, and not mushy. Using a potato masher, spatula or large spoon, mash about ⅓ of the potatoes to thicken. Reduce the heat and stir in 2 cups of the milk, corn, salt, parsley, cayenne and black pepper.
- In a small bowl whisk the remaining 1/4 cup milk with the cornstarch until blended. Slowly drizzle the cornstarch mixture into the soup. Heat slowly until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat and slowly add 1 cup of grated cheese, until melted. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately.
- Garnish each serving with additional shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, parsley, chives and/or chopped bacon, if desired.
Recipe Notes
Use fresh grated cheese for this soup. Cheddar, Buffalo Cheddar or Gruyère all work well.
Freeze leftovers in an airtight container. Reheat gently over low to medium-low heat. Do not boil.
Nutrition
Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 291mg | Potassium: 1047mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 5481IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 150mg | Iron: 2mg
Here are a few more of our favorite chowder and soup recipes you might also enjoy:
Cheeseburger Soup Recipe
Buffalo Chicken Chowder
Salmon Chowder
Originally published March, 2012, updated January 2020
Beth Green
I'm very thankful that you take the time to blog and share recipes and a little bit of yourself along the way. You've inspired me to try some new recipes in my kitchen, which is no small task! I had gotten into a rut with fixing the same things because it was 'safe' but I've actually branched out a bit, Tricia…and you're one of the blogs I've gleaned good recipes
Angie's Recipes
A comforting and delicious chowder!
Shiloh Barkley
This looks really delicious!
Em (Wine and Butter)
Aww – I think we have very similar taste in food – this looks sooooo good! I have so many of your recipes bookmarked now!!
Cheryl
When do you add the corn? It isn’t in your instructions.
Tricia Buice
Sorry about that Cheryl – I’ve corrected the recipe. Add the corn with the milk after the potatoes are cooked. Thanks for catching that!
Mary
I adore your blog, don't you know that you are writing for ME? This recipe looks awesome.
Tanna at The Brick Street Bungalow
This Potato Soup/Chowder looks divine!! Blessings ~ Tanna