Basic Corn Chowder

By Mark Bittman

Updated July 1, 2024

  • Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(5,339)
Comments
Read comments

This is chowder at its simplest: corn, onion, potatoes and milk, with a couple of chopped tomatoes and a handful of parsley to add flavor and color. Starting with bacon and finishing with cream makes a richer version of the dish. But you could easily expand its borders by adding curry powder and ginger, sour cream and cilantro. Or when the potato is replaced by rice and the cream with coconut milk, Southeast Asian seasonings can be added to make a chowder that has little in common with the original, save for its intense corn flavor.

Featured in: THE MINIMALIST; Don't Toss Out the Cobs

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

    or to print this recipe.

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 4 to 6 ears of corn

  • 1 tablespoon butter or neutral oil, like canola or grapeseed

  • 1 medium onion, chopped

  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped (optional)

  • 1 cup whole or low-fat milk

  • ½ cup chopped parsley (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

65 grams carbs; 3 milligrams cholesterol; 320 calories; 3 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 6 grams fat; 8 grams fiber; 988 milligrams sodium; 11 grams protein; 13 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Shuck corn, and use a paring knife to strip kernels into a bowl. Put cobs in a pot with 4 cups water; bring to a boil, cover and simmer while you continue.

  2. Step 2

    Put butter or oil in a saucepan, and turn heat to medium-high. When butter melts or oil is hot, add onion and potatoes, along with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, about 5 minutes; add tomatoes and cook, stirring, for another minute or two.

  3. Step 3

    After corncobs have cooked at least 10 minutes, strain liquid into onion-potato mixture; bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. When potatoes are tender, add corn kernels and milk, and heat through. Taste, and adjust seasonings. Garnish with the parsley, and serve.

Tip

  • Curried corn chowder: In Step 2, use oil, and add 1 tablespoon each curry powder and peeled and minced ginger to the onions. In Step 3, use sour cream in place of milk; garnish with cilantro in place of parsley.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

5 out of 5
5,339 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Gordeaux

Surprisingly good. Made Corn Chowder with Lump Crabmeat. Used 6 ears of corn because it's corn chowder. Used butter because corn. Didn't peel the spuds. Didn't seed the tomatoes. Used the parsley. Checking the salt and pepper before serving is key. Added a can of lump crabmeat and it was extraordinary.

Elaine

saute some chopped celery along with the onion. Add a few sprigs of parsley and thyme to simmer in the broth. Add some chopped parsley, thyme, and celery leaves at the end.

If you use 6 ears of corn, you'll have to increase the amount of liquid.

Great recipe.

ACB

Skip the dairy like this:
After you remove the corn cobs from the water, let them cool a bit and then, before you discard them, use the back side of a knife to scrape off the germ and the milky juice. Add this yummy corn essence to the soup along with with the kernels. Add chopped parsley at the end.

Welch

Added 6 slices cooked bacon. Used two cans (15 oz.) of corn + more chicken broth. Sliced green onions for topping. Definitely needs salt & pepper throughout the cooking process.

MHBH

I made with bacon, no tomatoes, partial blending before adding corn from 4 ears, which is plenty, at least with June corn in California. Froze well. Really good restyled leftovers with shell on shrimp sauteed with green chilies and tomatoes sauteed in a bit of butter.

Jenny

Delicious and surprising light for a chowder. Definitely use 6 cobs. I added thyme and bay leaf while cooking and parsley and chives on top. As another commenter mentioned, I also added a cup white wine to the water for the cobs- not sure how much a difference this made. It came out brothier then I imagined however it was delicious to dip my bread into so I didn't mind. Would be easy to make a nondairy version of this too!

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.