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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 corn chowder. Tuesday night dinner just got so much better! Add a side salad for the perfect meal!
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 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 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 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
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 721 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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!
Would this soup work without potatoes? Trying to make a keto version!
Hi Laurie,
Sure, that would be okay to do! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
I’m so excited to try this recipe tonight with my family! What protein would you recommend adding to this soup? Would shrimp work?
Hey Katie,
Sure, shrimp would work, you could also do chicken! Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
I am making this chowder tonight for dinner. Do I have to blend half of it in the blender or can I leave it “unblended”? Thanks
Hey Linda,
You can totally leave it unblended, it will just be chunkier. Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Made this today and love it! Super easy to make. The only things I changed were blending about 3/4 of the soup instead of 1/2 just because I personally like a smoother corn chowder and I added salt and pepper to taste at the end. I used regular paprika instead of smoked too because that’s what I had on hand.
Oh and I skipped the bacon!
Hey Christina,
Happy Sunday! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
Hi, could you freeze the leftovers? If so, what do you recommend would be the best way to do this?
Hi Jillian,
Yes, you could freeze the leftovers in an airtight container. I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Would this work in a slow cooker? And if so, how?
Hey Marisol,
Sure, I would cook on low for 6 hours. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give the recipe a try! xTieghan
Does the corn need be be fresh, or can frozen be used here?
I just made this tonight for the first time. I used whole corn kernels from a can. I used 3 cans that were 341mL (or 12oz) each. This soup was delicious!
Frozen will do just fine 🙂 xTieghan
This soup is SO delicious! Fresh thyme is key. Don’t know how I managed to remember to buy fresh thyme and not zucchini…but, oh well! I had carrots on hand so I used those! I’ve made this chowder 2 weekends in a row now. So yummy as it gets cooler outside. Great to take to work and hear up for lunch! Thanks Tieghen!
Hey Julie! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 xTieghan
Would this work if I made it ahead of time?
Hi there! Yes, this can definitely be made ahead of time 🙂 xTieghan
This was so yummy and a perfect soup for fall weather! 🙂
Hey there! Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try, I’m so happy you enjoyed it! xTieghan
This might sound like an odd question, but what type of wine might pair well here?
Hi there! Maybe some Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio? xTieghan
This was SO good & comforting—I will definitely will be making it again soon for the rainy season. The only tweak I made was keeping the skin on the potatoes, but other than that I followed everything exactly and loved it! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Hi there! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! xTieghan
This was so amazing! Easy ingredients and a great flavor depth. Perfect for fall weather. I used my immersion blender then added leftover rotisserie chicken. Boom, awesome.
Thanks for another great recipe, Tieghan! I made a few substitutions but it was yummy~fake bacon (tempeh) for real, and coconut milk for the whole milk/heavy cream, but wow! Summer corn is so incredibly delicious and your recipe made it stand out!
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! 🙂 xTieghan
Excellent! First recipe I’ve made from your site. Pretty easy and very flavorful. I used only cheddar as Gouda is pretty pricey. There was excess bacon fat so I used less butter. Turned out wonderfully; husband was impressed despite minimal meat. Bacon topping is essential. Thank you for creating and sharing this.