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Healthy Corn Chowder

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September 24, 2026
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healthy corn chowder

This lightened-up, healthy corn chowder is the perfect way to use up that summer sweet corn! Made with just a splash of cream and lightly blended for creaminess.

healthy corn chowder topped with bacon and green onions

Hi friend

I’ve got a new soup recipe for you today – perfect for the end of summer! It gets it’s sweetness from the sweet corn, creaminess from a small amount of cream, some milk and a quick blend and a little kick from some cayenne pepper.

What Makes This Corn Chowder Healthier

Many corn chowders are made with a base of heavy cream which helps add flavor but can also make the chowder overwhelmingly rich in combination with the sweet corn. This version uses broth as the base, adds in some milk and a small amount of cream for flavor. In addition, we blend up some of the chowder itself and the ingredients like potatoes and sweet corn help add creaminess without the use of excessive cream.

Ingredients You’ll Need

To make this corn chowder you just need a few simple ingredients:

  • Sweet corn – 4-5 ears and you’ll use both the kernals and the cobs
  • Potatoes – I like yukon gold
  • Onion and carrot – to help form the base
  • Spices – Old Bay to give it a classic chowder flavoring, cayenne pepper for spice, salt and pepper
  • Bacon – helps infuse flavor and can also be used as a garnish
  • Green onions – to garnish
  • Broth – vegetable broth or chicken broth work well
  • Milk – I use 2% but you could use skim
  • Heavy cream – just 1/3 of a cup

Can I use frozen or canned corn?

For this recipe, fresh sweet corn is best since you use the cobs to add flavor to the broth. However, if fresh corn is out of season, you can sub frozen or canned corn.

healthy corn chowder light cream

How To Make Healthy Corn Chowder

To make your chowder:

  • Cut the corn kernals off the cob.
  • Put the cobs in a stock pot with broth, milk and cream. Bring to a boil and then simmer to infuse corn flavor.
  • In another pot, saute bacon. Remove
  • Saute carrots and onions.
  • Add corn, potatoes and seasonings.
  • Remove the corn cobs and add the broth mixture.
  • Boil, then simmer until the potatoes are tender.
  • Blend part of the soup with an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender) to thicken.
  • Top with bacon and green onions.

Why Chowder Turns Out Too Thin (and How To Fix It)

When removing most of the heavy cream as compared to a traditional corn chowder recipe, your soup will naturally be a bit thinner. To thicken it up:

  • Blend with an immersion blender or remove 1-2 cups and blend in a blender, then return to the pot.
  • Add a cornstarch slurry of 1 Tbsp cornstarch + 1 Tbsp cold water – stir to combine and pour into soup
  • You can also try adding a couple Tablespoons of instant mased potatoes into the broth and stirring to allow them to help the broth thicken.
  • Mix in 1/2 to 1 can of Great Northern Beans which will also help thicken the broth when blended.

Can You Make Corn Chowder Ahead of Time

Cream and milk-based soups can be tricky to freeze so it would not be my first choice of soups to freeze. If I were going to make this ahead of time, I would cook as directed with just broth until the potatoes were tender but I would not blend. Cool and freeze. When ready to eat, reheat on the stove. Add milk and cream and blend to desired consistency.

What To Serve With Corn Chowder

Chowders are great with crackers like oyster crackers or saltines. You could also serve with warm, crusty bread for dipping. Pair it with a salad for a light summer meal. Or to make it a more complete meal, add in some leftver chicken or chicken sausage.

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Healthy Corn Chowder

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This lightened-up, healthy corn chowder is the perfect way to use up that summer sweet corn! Made with just a splash of cream and lightly blended for creaminess.

Ingredients

  • 4–5 ears of fresh corn *
  • 4 cups broth – chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup milk (I use 2%)
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 3– 4 slices of bacon, diced
  • 3/4 cup onion, diced
  • 1 cup carrots, diced
  • 1 pound yukon gold potatoes, diced
  • 1/4 cup green onion, thinly sliced (for topping)
  • 2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne (less if you prefer less spice)
  • 1/2 – 1 tsp salt (to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper (freshly ground)

Instructions

  1. Cut corn kernals off cobbs and set aside.
  2. In a large stockpot, combine corn cobbs, broth, milk and cream. 
  3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes. 
  4. Meanwhile, in dutch oven, or other large pot, saute bacon until crispy. 
  5. Remove from pot and set aside. Feel free to remove a bit of the excess grease if there’s a lot.
  6. Add onion and carrot and saute over medium heat for 7-8 minutes.
  7. Add potatoes, corn and spices and saute 2-3 minutes.
  8. Remove cobbs from broth mixture and add broth to the pot with the veggies.
  9. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and let simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. 
  10. Use an immersion blender to blend some of the soup to help thicken. (Or remove 1-2 cups, blend in a blender and return to pot).
  11. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve warm, topped with diced bacon and green onions.

Notes

*If fresh corn isn’t available, use 3 – 3.5 cups frozen (or canned) corn and skip simmering the cobbs in broth.

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Healthy Corn Chowder FAQs

Is corn chowder healthy?

Yes this version is a healthy corn chowder that can make a great meal option. Pair it with a salad for some extra veggies or mix in some leftover chicken or chicken sausage to bulk it up and add some extra protein. To keep it vegetarian, you could mix in a can of white beans like I do in this Leftover Turkey and White Bean Soup.

Can you freeze corn chowder?

This isn’t the best soup to freeze. Cream and milk and even potatoes can change texture when freezing. I would recommend making it without the milk and cream initially and adding them back in when you reheat the soup.

What’s the difference between corn chowder and creamed corn soup?

There are some corn chowder recipes that use creamed style corn. If that’s what you have on hand and you’re looking to use it up, try this recipe for Grandma’s Corn Chowder or this Creamy Corn Chowder recipe. Some creamed corn soup recipes may not use potatoes and some may not use Old Bay which helps make this recipe distinctly a chowder.

Can you make corn chowder without cream?

You can reduce the amount of cream like I have here, and replace with milk for a healthier option but I think eliminating it all together changes the soup. If you’re looking for a dairy-free corn chowder recipe, try this Creamy Vegan Chowder that uses coconut milk. Alternative milks like coconut milk will change the flavor profile.

Why is my corn chowder watery?

Using less cream can make the broth more watery. Try blending some of the soup to help thicken it. You can also try adding a cornstarch slurry or mixing in a few Tablespoons of instant mashed potato flakes. You can also mix in some Great Northern Beans and blend them to help thicken the broth.

This lightened-up, healthy corn chowder is the perfect way to use up that summer sweet corn! Made with just a splash of cream and lightly blended for creaminess.

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Enjoy!

–Lindsay–


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