Zucchini Corn Chowder is a creamy and delicious soup filled with garden-fresh corn, zucchini, and crispy bacon. It’s a creamy and comforting soup with a delightful combination of flavors. I also have Corn Chowder and Corn Soup you will love!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Bacon: Dice the bacon before frying it up nice and crispy for a savory flavor to the soup.
Potatoes: Russet potatoes are washed, peeled, and diced into ½-inch cubes. They help thicken the soup and provide a hearty texture. Yukon gold potatoes would also be delicious.
Chicken Broth: If you don’t have broth on hand, you could substitute chicken stock.
Corn: When corn is in season, use fresh ears of sweet corn, cutting the kernels from the cobs. However, you could also use 2 cans of corn kernels, drained.
Zucchini: With the abundance of zucchini that I have, the more recipes to use it the better! You will need only one zucchini, diced for this chowder.
Heavy Cream: The heavy cream, or heavy whipping cream, gives the chowder a creamy consistency. You could substitute half and half.
Optional Garnish: I like to add some freshly chopped parsley to my bowl of chowder. And, for a little kick, add some jalapeno peppers and cayenne pepper to the mix!
Can I Make This Chowder Without Zucchini?
Some people just are not fans of zucchini, and that is okay! You can make this without the zucchini, you will basically just need to ramp up some of the other veggies. The corn and the potatoes will need some more weight to balance out the loss of the zucchini. I would suggest adding a full pound of potatoes, and maybe an additional cup of corn. Also, most corn chowder recipes call for cheese, and there is nothing wrong with that! Try adding a cup of cheddar to fill out that soup.
Variations To Zucchini Corn Chowder
The best thing about this summer chowder is how versatile this soup is. The main staples in this zucchini corn chowder recipe are zucchini, corn, and potatoes, but you could easily add peppers, carrots, celery, parsnips, or anything else in the cabinet. Another option is adding some special additions to spice it up. I like to throw some jalapenos on top and a double dash of cayenne pepper. Do this with caution, especially if you are opposed to spicy dishes.
How to Store Zucchini Corn Chowder
Any leftover chowder should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last up to a week. I like to make extra just to have it on hand for easy lunches or a light dinner. I do NOT recommend freezing this recipe.
More Soups
Zucchini Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 strips bacon, diced
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound russet potatoes, washed, peeled, diced into ½-inch cubes
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 medium zucchini, diced into ½-inch cubes, (about 1 ½ cups)
- 4 ears sweet corn, husk + silk removed, kernels cut from cob (2 ¾ cups or 2 cans corn kernels, drained)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Garnish
- fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon jalapeno, seeded, minced
- cayenne pepper, optional
Instructions
- In a large heavy-duty bottom stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt butter.
- Add diced bacon and cook until bacon renders its fat and begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add onion and garlic. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes, stirring a couple of times.
- Add potatoes and broth.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Decrease the heat to medium and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
- Add zucchini, corn, heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Simmer for additional 8-12 minutes, or until all of the vegetables are completely tender.
- Remove half of the chowder, pouring it into a separate bowl. Using an immersion blender, puree the remaining chowder until smooth. Stir the other half of the chowder back into the pot.
- Salt and pepper to taste. Serve garnished with freshly chopped parsley, jalapeno, and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper, optional.
Video
Did you make this recipe?
You can tag me at @iamhomesteader.
TOOLS USED IN MAKING Zucchini Corn Chowder
Every kitchen simply must have a good skillet! I love my Staub Skillet. They come with a lifetime warranty so they are worth the price tag in my opinion. Also, they are so easy to clean and care for.
This is the first time I’ve ever left a comment on Pinterest but this soup is amazing! Our whole family loved it! I added chicken to have more protein but wow! Excellent
So glad you enjoyed it! It’s definitely a favorite around here too. 🙂
I’m so impressed with this soup! I added parsnips and a poblano pepper along with cayenne and then mexican street corn seasoning. Wow! So yummy!!
Made this last night as I pulled items out of the garden. FABULOUS! Will be making this again! Love the hit of warmth from the spice at the end. Great to have as these last summer days cool down.
Can I use coconut milk instead of cream. Looks yummy.
I think you could, but I have not tested it exactly.
Totally a long time listener, first time caller situation here. I love your IG skits. But I’m a rouge in the kitchen and rarely follow recipes so I had not tried any of your recipes. Twice in as many weeks, I’ve had too much zucchini and googled possible recipes. First, I made your zucchini banana muffins (except it was a cake with a crumble topping, because I’m a rouge). It was so delicious. So, so good. Then I saw this and had local-grown corn, potatoes and bacon. This was such a great soup for the summer. Hearty but not too heavy for warm/hot weather. I made zesty and cheesy polenta croutons with green onions and shredded cheese for the toppings. I think you made me fall in love with soup in the summer!
How many servings in this recipe?
This soup is so good, it’s on regular rotation in my house during the summer. It’s delicious, and my children like it as well!
Our garden bounty has forced me to try new recipes using corn and zucchini. I made this chowder and served it to my finicky father-in-law. He LOVED it! Tomorrow I’ll make a gigantic batch To freeze so he can enjoy it all through the fall and winter. BTW, the rest of my family loved it as well! Will make this chowder for years to come!
Just a warning that zucchini doesn’t freeze all that well, and the recipe’s author states she does NOT recommend freezing this soup (read above). She does add that she can keep it in the refrigerator for up to one week.
I followed the directions as written and must say it is delicious! Will definitely be making this again! ❤️
this soup was as delicious as it looked in the photos. being a new england girl, i had to add celery as i would in any chowder. it did not disappoint. thank you.
I also leave out the bacon and use chopped ham in it,freezes very well,love this soup.
Donna..does it really hide the zucchini or can you still tell it is there? Debating on whether or not to give it a try.
Thanks.
So, if I wanted to do a crockpot version, would be your typical 6-8 hrs on low or 4 on high?
Totally love this recipe. However I shredded the zucchini to “hide” the zucchini. And definitely added celery.
Made this today. It was a fair amount of prep work but well worth it. I added the jalapeño while it was still simmering instead of after and used half and half instead of cream . Yummo!
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
This looks so good! What a great way to use up some zucchini!
I just made this today….not only is it super easy to make but it is very delicious as well!!
Delicious! I used ham instead of bacon and added carrots, buttermilk squash, and zucchini instead of potatoes. I also added Asiago cheese.
I can’t find an amount for heavy cream, which is mentioned in the directions but not in the list of ingredients. The soup looks wonderful.
1 cup half and half or heavy whipping cream
The Zucchini Corn Chowder looked so delicious in preparing that I just had to gather up the recipe and give it a try. My wife and I just love a good hot cup of soup on the cold winter days. I will definitely be giving this recipe a good try! Any soup that looks this good can’t possibly be bad..makes my mouth water just watching the video as it is being prepared..yum yum can’t wait to give it a try. Thank you.
This soup looks so delicious, I am a soup lover corn chowder cream of brocolli any kind and I’m down.