Creamy Corn Chowder (Printable)

A velvety corn chowder with potatoes and smoked paprika, ideal for warming meals.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 cups Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
07 - 4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (about 5 ears fresh)

→ Liquids

08 - 4 cups vegetable broth
09 - 1 cup whole milk
10 - 1 cup heavy cream

→ Seasonings

11 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (plus more for garnish)
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
14 - 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (adjust to taste)

→ Garnishes (optional)

15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
16 - Extra smoked paprika

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add diced onion, celery, and carrots; cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
02 - Incorporate minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in diced potatoes and corn kernels. Add smoked paprika, dried thyme, ground black pepper, and kosher salt. Mix thoroughly.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes, until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
05 - Use an immersion blender to blend about one-third of the chowder directly in the pot, or transfer 2 cups to a blender, puree, then return to the pot. This will create a creamy texture while retaining chunks of vegetables.
06 - Stir in whole milk and heavy cream. Simmer gently for an additional 7 to 8 minutes without boiling. Adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - Ladle chowder into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh chives and a light sprinkle of smoked paprika. Serve hot.

# Tips from dashanddishes:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, so you can have something warm on the table on a random Tuesday night without any fuss.
  • The smoked paprika gives you a depth that feels more interesting than plain chowder, but it never overpowers the sweet corn.
  • You can make it heartier or lighter depending on your mood, and it freezes beautifully for weeks.
02 -
  • Don't blend more than a third of the soup or it'll turn into baby food—you want texture and little surprises in each spoonful.
  • Add the cream at the very end and keep the heat gentle; I learned this the hard way when I rushed and the cream broke into little flecks instead of staying silky.
  • Taste before serving because salt amounts vary wildly depending on your broth, and there's nothing worse than a bland soup.
03 -
  • Use an immersion blender and do it gently—you want to create body, not pulverize everything into submission.
  • If your corn isn't sweet enough (sometimes frozen corn isn't), a pinch of sugar will balance the earthiness and wake everything up.

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