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This Creamy Corn, Zucchini, and Bacon Chowder is one of the best late summer corn chowders. It’s easy to make and totally delicious! Just grab a few ears of sweet corn, garden fresh zucchini, garlic, butter, herbs, and sweet creamy gouda cheese. In less than an hour you can have the perfect, summery, yet cozy bowl of zucchini corn chowder. Tuesday night dinner just got so much better! Add a side salad for the perfect meal!
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We’re entering into the late summer days. And in looking at the calendar, I’m realizing that somehow, August 1st is already this Sunday! With all the travel and work that July brought, the month really flew by. And as sad as I am to say good bye to July for yet another year, I’m looking forward to all the August produce that’s coming.
August is typically the month when summer produce is at its best. The tomatoes are ripening, the corn is perfectly golden and sweet. And by this time, all the garden zucchini and herbs are growing like crazy!
And if you don’t have a garden, the stores are stocked full of all the same delicious produce. This sounds dorky to say, but it’s an exciting time!
I had the idea for the chowder before heading off to Alaska. But I decided to wait to share the recipe until this week, since we’re a bit closer to prime time corn season now.
I didn’t always love a bowl of corn chowder. But once I started making it I quickly learned why everyone loves this creamy delicious summer soup. It’s full of veggies, hearty and warming, but so summery at the same time.
I love making a really good creamy corn chowder on those stormy summer nights when you’re craving a cozier dinner, but still want it to be summery. This is the perfect soup!
This corn chowder is simple
Like most corn chowder recipes, mine is pretty simple to throw together. But I did add a few special touches that make it even more creamy and delicious.
Start with the bacon, which I think is the key to all really great corn chowders. Something about the flavor combination of corn and bacon is just so wonderful and delicious.
Crisp up the bacon, then you’ll want to add the onion and zucchini. I like to cook the zucchini together with a touch of butter to help make it even creamier. Since the soup is already so creamy, when adding the zucchini there’s no need for any thickening agent like flour.
Once you have the zucchini nice and soft, almost everything else goes into the pot to simmer along with the potatoes and corn. When the potatoes and corn are tender, puree about half of the soup using a food processor or immersion blender to make it creamy, keeping the other half of the soup on the chunky side.
I love the mix in textures!
Now finish it up!
Once the soup is combined, mix in a splash of cream, a touch of honey, and some gouda and cheddar cheese.
I know the honey may seem odd, but this is one of those times you really have to trust me. The sweetness of the corn and gouda cheese play off the red pepper flakes to balance the sweetness and create the perfect rich, creamy, and flavorful corn chowder.
It’s unique, but I’m telling you guys, it’s so delicious! Very savory, a little spicy, and extra cheesy.
As I mentioned above, this is really great served with a big summer salad. Right now my peach salad is my favorite, but any nice green salad with crusty bread would be great!
If you’ve got some extra ears of corn lying around, make this chowder. I promise, you and whomever you are serving, are going to love this. It’s a great dinner to serve from now through the early weeks of fall!
Looking for other corn recipes? Here are some favorites:
Honey Garlic Shrimp, Corn, and Avocado Bacon Salad
Garlic Herb Corn Carbonara with Burrata
Skillet Creamy Cajun Chicken Lazone with Herby Corn
Lastly, if you make this Creamy Corn, Zucchini, and Bacon Chowder, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Creamy Corn, Zucchini, and Bacon Chowder
Ingredients
- 5 strips thick cut bacon, chopped
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1-2 medium zucchini or yellow squash, chopped, (about 2 cups chopped)
- 5 cups yellow corn kernels , (from about 4 ears corn)
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- red pepper flakes, to your taste
- 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and chopped, (about 2 cups chopped)
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup whole milk or heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 cup shredded gouda cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
Instructions
- 1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon and reserve for topping. If there is an excess amount of bacon grease, remove all but 1 tablespoon of grease.2. To the pot, add the butter, onion, and zucchini and cook another 5 minutes or until fragrant. Add the corn, garlic, thyme, paprika, and a big pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook another 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and broth. Cover, and bring the soup to a boil, simmer 10-15 minutes, until the potato is soft.3. Transfer 1/2 of the chowder to a blender and blend until mostly smooth. Return to the pot. Stir in the cream, honey, and both cheeses, and cook 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the chowder thickens slightly. Stir in the chives and remove from the heat.4. Ladle the chowder into bowls and top with bacon, additional cheese, and any fresh herbs you love most. I use basil, thyme and oregano. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
My husband and I both really enjoyed this recipe! Thanks…
Hi there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe! So glad to hear it was enjoyed ? xTieghan
Amazingly great recipe! Our new fav corn chowder. I am an advanced cook and feel compelled to mention; for the soup to look and have the texture of your photo (gorgeous?). One must add one ear of corn cut off cob at very end…just long enough to heat corn through….otherwise it is more melty…still yummy but love that right off the kernel texture!
Hi there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂 xTieghan
This soup is delicious. Just made for a second time. Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks so much! So glad you enjoyed this recipe 🙂 xTieghan
I’ve made this 5 times now, mostly in 3x batches for sharing with the neighbors. (We’ve got two zucchini and summer squash plants in my little yard that have been over achievers this summer.) It is so good that my kids have been begging for me to make it again and again. I’m a non-dairy lady, so I replace the milk with coconut milk. You can’t even tell it’s been swapped. It has frozen well too! Thanks so much!
I finally made this tonight. I used zucchini and and a little extra potato and broth to finish up what I had. I used frozen corn as well. I had smoked Gouda from Trader Joe’s. I followed everything else exactly and it was delicious! The salty bacon on top is great and I love the chunks of zucchini, potato, and corn as it’s half blended. Yum!
Hey Brooke,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thank you so much for making it! xTieghan
It was a hit in our household! I made it as written and served with lime crema and candied turmeric jalapeños that we had made. Delicious!
Hi Meghan,
Awesome!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
This recipe was insanely delicious! I made a couple of tweaks and it was still great. I subbed almond milk for regular milk & non dairy cheese for the two cheeses. Will be making again. & it was very easy to make! Quick & in one pot.
Hey Alena,
Happy Sunday! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xTieghan
Hi! I am also looking to make a vegan version of this for friends! May I ask which non-dairy cheeses you used? I’m worried I’ll pick one that doesn’t melt well!
Made this tonight. Was wonderful and unique flavor! ..skipped the bacon. Served wuthering sourdough bread. Going into rotation for the chilly winter months ahead.
Hey Cheryl,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
I have had my eye on this recipe since it was posted and finally made it tonight. Holy deliciousness!!! What a beautiful combination of fresh flavors in a late summer chowder. I made this recipe exactly as written and found it easy to put together and pretty fast.
This is REALLY good and will be on my frequent rotation. I loved everything about it!
Hey Christine,
Awesome! So good to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xx
How does this freeze up? Considering making a large quantity while I have such an abundance of fresh corn.
Hey Jill,
This will be totally fine to freeze! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Freezing with dairy is okay?? If yes, I am stoked!
Made this tonight with nutpods in place of the milk and only a handful of a 3-cheese blend with cheddar, jack and mozzarella … was delicious even with less diary!
Hey Madeline,
Happy Labor Day!?? Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This recipe sounds amazing! I am vegetarian. Will it still work without the bacon? Thanks!
Hey Tarin,
You bet totally fine to skip the bacon. I hope the recipe turns out amazing for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Delicious recipe! It’s so thick, creamy and flavorful, and the crunchy bacon on top is great. I like the hint of heat from the crushed red pepper. I used frozen corn instead of fresh, and all cheddar cheese as I didn’t have any Gouda.
Hey Heather,
Fantastic! Love to hear that the recipe was enjoyed, thanks bunch for making it. Have the best weekend:) xTieghan
This was so good! I prepped everything on my day off and made it after work on a cold, rainy day. Super easy to throw together on a week night when you do it that way. I was afraid the organic whole milk would make it too “milky” since we don’t drink cow’s milk in our house and avoid dairy-based soups but it was just perfect. I will try to make it with oat milk or cashew milk in the future. I served it in Panera’s sourdough bread bowls that I found at the grocery store. Can’t wait to make this all fall and winter long. A note about the corn: I found I needed 6 ears to get the 5 cups of corn but I didn’t have enough so I ended up with just 4 cups of corn and that seemed plenty for me.
Hey Caroline,
Fantastic! Love to hear that the recipe was enjoyed, thanks bunch for making it. Have the best weekend:) xTieghan
I made this last night and use hot honey instead of plain old honey and it added a nice kick! Also got to use up the last of the garden zucchini. This recipe was easy and so good! Thanks!!!
Hey Lindsay,
Awesome! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! xTieghan
This was excellent when the ingredients are in season. The directions were straightforward and easy to follow. However it is time consuming because of the amount of prep work required. When I make it again I will keep that in mind.
Hey Barbara,
Awesome! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and appreciate you giving it a go! Have a wonderful week:) xTieghan