I evicted a longtime resident of my To Cook list this week with this corn chowder. I have no argument with traditional corn chowder — it has cream, bacon, and potatoes and thus would be impossible not to love as soup or salad — but I adore to the point of boring everyone around me with my gushing, Mexican-style corn either elote-style (on the the cob rolled in butter, mayo, lime juice and coated with salty crumbled cotija cheese and chile powder or a chile-lime seasoning blend) or esquites-style (all of the above, but in a cup). This corn chowder attempts to celebrate the best of both.
I started with a classic corn chowder using whole and blended fresh kernels, onion, garlic, milk, and cream but added some jalapeño and chili powder for flavor and used cooked black and small red beans instead of potatoes for bulk. Then, right before you eat it, because I am fully of the conviction that finishes are what make a soup, you make a rich street corn-like dressing with mayo, sour cream, cheese, and lime and dollop it right into the center of the soup. Squeeze more lime all over, shake on some chili powder and finish it with fresh cilantro and, if you’re not sure you’ve gilded the lily enough (or, perhaps, have children still viewing this meal skeptically), bake some corn tortilla wedges into chips.
Repeat as long as the corn as corn is in season, or if you’re us, exactly one more evening because tomorrow (!) we are heading to Spain (!) for vacation and no, we haven’t packed or even taken our suitcases out of the closet, I’m sorry if you previously mistook us for high-functioning adults. More soon from the other side, including some Spanish favorites, a new favorite cocktail, two new Food Network episodes, and then when we return, more news about this new little cookbook coming out this fall and some book tour dates.
Corn Chowder with Chile, Lime and Cotija
- 8 medium/large ears corn, husks and silks removed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 large onion, preferably Spanish, chopped fine
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1 to 2 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon mild chili powder or 1 teaspoon of a hotter one
- 3 tablespoons (25 grams) all-purpose flour
- 4 cups (945 ml) vegetable or chicken stock or broth
- 2 15-ounce cans small red or black beans, drained and rinsed (or one of each) (3 1/2 cups)
- 1 cup (235 ml) whole milk
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper or cayenne to taste
- 1/2 to 1 cup (120 to 235 ml) heavy cream
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup (60 grams) sour cream or Mexican crema
- 1/2 cup (110 grams) finely crumbled Cotija, feta or ricotta salata cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 lime, divided
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- Chili powder or a chili-lime seasoning such as Tajín
- Baked tortilla chips (optional)
Soup
Finish
In a large (5 quarts is ideal) heavy pot, heat olive oil and butter over medium. Add onion and cook until tender and beginning to brown at the edges, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeño and chili powder and cook together for 2 minutes more. Add flour and stir into onion-garlic mixture until it disappears. Stirring constantly, gradually add stock. Add beans, corn, and 1 cup milk and bring to a simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 13 minutes, until corn is tender. Add salt (I used about 1 tablespoon Diamond kosher salt total here) and freshly ground black pepper or cayenne to taste. Add cream to taste (we found 1/2 cup sufficient, but it will be less creamy than traditional) and cook for 3 minutes more.
To finish: Combine mayonnaise, sour cream or crema, cheese, and juice of half a lime in a bowl; stir to combine. Cut second half of lime into wedges.
Ladle soup into bowls and dollop in center with 1 tablespoon (or more to taste) of mayo-cheese mixture. Squeeze lime juice over to taste, sprinkle with chili powder and chopped cilantro and serve, baked tortilla chips on the side if you wish.
I am looking forward to your take on what you eat in Barcelona! Magical place…I know you will love it. We spent the December holidays there last year and wish we could live there! Hope you love it as much as we do.
This looks delicious. Living in San Antonio, TX, street corn is e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e, but this soup looks so good for when it actually gets cold here (aka, December)!!!
THIS looks amazing! Too bad the hubby doesn’t like corn.
Looks wonderful…I’ll probably add more veg when I try it…maybe a succotash flavor by adding some sautéed zucchini and chopped tomato. I’ve been thinking about trying a new corn chowder recently, but I was headed more toward italy rather than Mexico. Looking forward to trying this out..
I like your idea of adding more vegi’s.
Oh my god woman this soup is my spirit animal! I look forward to making a pot and savoring while I watch the Game of Thrones Finale. A+ summer goals.
This looks amazing!! Sadly I am lactose intolerant. How would it be without the milk? Or anything I can sub with?
I’m lactose intolerant too – Lactaid milk is a good substitute, but I’d bet an unsweetened non-dairy milk like almond or rice could work too (coconut might be really interesting?hmm). Skip the heavy cream and mix greek yogurt with the mayo for the topping (if you can tolerate it – or use a non-dairy yogurt)
Lifeway brand plain Kefir is a great substitute for cream, milk, or buttermilk, and is lactose free. It has a little extra tang though.
I was thinking this could easily be made vegan, I’d try some canned coconut milk to make it thicker and whatever other non-dairy non-sweetened milk you prefer.
Just my opinion, of course. But I immediately thought coconut flavor would be great with the corn and spices.
I made a vegan corn chowder recently that used potatoes, so I was looking at this one for the bean swap, and I might try it. To make the chowder creamy I added a cup of soaked cashews. I blended 2 cups of hot soup with the cashews (drain the water first) and also added some nutritional yeast. My non-veg in-laws loved it and asked me to make again with visiting them. I think I will try the beans instead of potatoes next time (although I will keep the added veggies – carrot and red pepper).
I make corn chowder all the time and use Silk brand coconut milk. It’s perfect.
…comes in a regular box milk carton in the fridge with all the other milks.
I’m lactose intolerant but still ok with other forms of dairy, so I usually use evaporated milk. The preserving process transforms the lactose, so it doesn’t bother me in cooked foods.
This looks so good but I have one suggestion: rather than scraping the corn “milk” off the empty cobs, you could just put them in the soup for the 10-13 minute simmer, to extract even more flavor from them, and then fish them out before serving. Can’t wait to try this!
^this!
If you do it in an instant pot, cooking it at pressure fully milks the cobs (you throw them right in w the corn and then remove once cooked). This is how Kenji Lopez-Alt makes corn soup and it is transcendent
Do you take the corn off the cob before putting into the IP? Or just cob with corn attached and go? Thanks!!!
Can I use frozen corn?
I know someone who does this with his naked cobs to intensify the corn flavor. Sometimes he even grills the naked cobs before they go into the pot. It makes a nice charred flavor.
I am sitting here eating Mexican Corn Salad from Annie’s Eats, and I see THIS! YUM! Can’t wait to try it! Have a great trip!
I too am heading to Spain for a vacation tomorrow, Deb! I a man a big fan of your blog and recipes, so perhaps we’ll run into each other in Barcelona!
I cannot wait for the book tour dates!
Eee! Thanks.
Any chance this would work with frozen corn? I know, I know — but I’d love to make this the instant I get home in a couple of hours, and that means using the corn I have instead of going to the store to buy outrageously expensive ears.
I’d definitely think so (and it’s why I added the estimate in cups, although I realize I forgot to check it against what I had).
Did this and it was fabulous — I had some in my freezer that needed using up. No shame in that! :)
I literally just made this with canned corn (accidentally bought way too much!). And it worked perfectly. I used 4 15oz cans. I didn’t really measure the amount, just eyeballed until it looked good.
Works great with 6 cups of frozen corn. Fresh is probably better but this is still a great fall soup with frozen.
Truly delicious. I can’t get over the creaminess of the soup, the sweet bites of corn, the rang of the cream and cheese. So tasty. Next time, I would add the whipping cream instead of milk before bringing the soup to boil, to prevent curdling. I used chipotle powder for the chili powder, and finished the soup with some chipotle purée as well for some smoky heat.
Deb- this looks INCREDIBLE! Any suggestions for making it gluten free? I assume the flour is to thicken the soup. Could it be omitted? Or a substitute? Thanks!
Probably can be omitted. It thickens a little but so, perhaps, does extra corn or just less liquid.
I’ve used potato flour as a thickener when my guests are gluten free.
MASA for the win!
Yes, masa!
I use rice flour to thicken soups and it works great as a gluten-free substitute.
Well this answers the question of what I’m going to do with the leftover cotija and impulse-purchase corn cobs in my fridge.
This looks amazing! I need it in my life!
Is there any way to sub out the mayo? I can’t stand the taste of it but everything else about this sounds amazing!
Use additional sour cream instead.
Have you tried roasting the corn? I know it would change the color of the soup, but just wondering for flavor
I am sure it would be delicious. In other recipes, I have charred it over a flame or grill before cutting the kernels off. See here.
I live in Valencia! If you’re coming iba way, my “bumps and babies” group will take you all out to the best food places (and wine palaces, and parks, and beaches, etc).
Which bit of Spain are you coming to?
Ooh! This looks so good! Thank you for a delicious recipe before you head off to Espana! Enjoy your trip – I can’t wait to hear about all the details :)
I really hope Denver is on your list of book tour cities… That would be incredible!
It might be! I know it was last time but in the spring; hopefully sooner this time around… more soon!
Wow! I love corn chowder. I am thrown by the beans and would prefer potatoes. When would you add potatoes? Same time you would add beans in the recipe as written above?
Use 2 cups cubed potatoes and add it when you’d add the beans.
I’m glad for this answer, I’m breastfeeding and have found out the hard way (yayyy, all night has and screaming!) that my little man doesn’t tolerate beans too well.
Would love to hear how the potatoes instead of black beans worked out.
What type of potatoes do you recommend?
Yum! Corn chowder has been on my mind for a few days now.. do you think I could freeze/refrigerate half of it for another week?
Now I know why I’ve been thinking about soup for the last week, even if the temps here are still 100+. I couldn’t think what sounded good, but now I know and will make it this week. Have a great trip, Bon Voyage!
I cannot have dairy. Do you think coconut milk would work?
Absolutely.
This is delicious! It was gobbled up by the whole family. Thanks, Deb!
Book tour, yay! Please please come to LA! :D
Very tasty recipe…..will try it
This corn chowder looks fantastic! I’m going to try the recipe and share my result with you! :)
Will frozen corn work? A little more economical and less labor intensive. Looks delicious!
Yes.
This looks great! Question – can the entire mayo/sour cream/cheese mixture be added to the entire pot at the end or is it necessary to add it to individual bowls?
You probably can but the flavor will be more muddled/lost. I realized I’d have to add a lot of it to the pot to flavor all of it but that a small dollop goes a long way to accenting a whole bowl.
This looks delicious Deb! Enjoy your vacation!
Thank you so much for this! my husband is a corn lover and now is really loving mexican street corn… Can’t wait to give this a try!
It is good to have little helping hands. It makes the pot sweeter. :)
I made this tonight and it was very good! I omitted jalapeños since my little were eating it. I also added some sweet peppers that I had on hand and some chili lime and smoked paprika seasonings from Trader Joe’s I had. I would worry that without some extra seasonings it would be a bit bland. It was delicious! My husband who doesn’t like soup, especially corn in his soup, had seconds.
This was delicious! I followed the recipe as written, which I rarely do. We all loved it, even my 10 year old picky one. I used one jalapeño but scraped out the membrane and seeds. Also, McCormick seasoning makes a citrus chili garlic season blend which I used to sprinkle over top of individual bowls, plus the sour cream cotiga mix.
Great chowder — the elotes flavor profile is spot on. I made it with the full cup of cream because YOLO. No regrets!
I too love elote! I also love Tosi-Lotes, which is elote in walking taco fashion. Imagine a personal sized bag of lime tortillas chips, cut open on the side and elote with all the fixin’s on top of those tortillas. So good!
I think I would die and go to heaven. Also, I hadn’t heard the phrase “walking taco” before and I thank you for introducing me.
Walking tacos are *huge* in my area during the summer — you can get them at any event which has carnival food/food trucks — though here they’re made with an individual bag of Frito’s corn chips, a scoop of chili con carne, and a sprinkling of shredded cheddar, served with a spoon.
This looks delicious and I look forward to making it. How is it if I make it a day or two in advance? Does it hold up well?
It holds up great; just only add the finishing mixture when you serve it.
Warning — you might want to cut back on the jalapeno! I made the recipe exactly as written and we could barely eat the soup. I added more sour cream to my bowl and it helped, but the soup was still very spicey. Typically my husband has a pretty good tolerance for heat, but he didn’t eat his either. The flavor was very good once it was toned down, but I would use half a jalapeno at most.
Your jalapenos must have been exceedingly spicy! I only used one because the tiny piece I ate to test the heat level made my mouth burn and my nose run, and I still thought the soup could have used a tad more heat.
I once read that when choosing a jalapeno, choose one with a rounded end… it’ll be less spicy than the ones with very pointy ends. And I have found that to be true. Also be sure not to accidentally choose a serrano pepper – they look like smaller versions of jalapenos and are often sold right next to them. They are pointy and much hotter than jalapenos. Sorry about your soup though!
Sooooo yummy! Made this earlier in the day so after we returned from wading in tide pools late in the evening, we had delicious soup to warm us up. My picky 8 year old will try anything with beans, and so she was so glad she tried this… now on the family favorite list. Thank you.
I love that elote is having a moment now, all the way over here on the East Coast. I first discovered it 10 years ago while living in California and a Mexican friend invited me to a family bbq. I was shocked. Mayo, hot sauce, lime juice & cheese? On corn?!?!? I fell instantly in love.
Perfect post for late August when the jalapenos are going crazy. It’s simmering now and we’re about to sit down. Fabulous recipe and especially love the kick from jalapenos and chili powder (I used chipotle.)
This soup is so forgiving, I changed a couple of things with delicious results: I substituted fish for the beans, since we had some leftover cooked filets in the fridge — just flaked them with a fork and added at the very end. Added the zest of the lime to the soup, and used grilled corn instead of fresh for a smokier flavor. And instead of cotija I used cheddar, which is not at all authentic, but delicious.
I see this is in the freezer friendly category and am looking for tips/review of how well it freezes. I assume the topping should be made freshly the night it is served but I am curious if people have had good results with freezing it.
What is a Spanish onion?
A regular yellow onion — not a sweet onion.
I made this yesterday and have mixed feelings. The flavor is delicious, no question. I think where mine wasn’t ideal was the texture. Maybe my corn was less tender than yours? The partly pureed corn gave it an odd consistency, a bit grainy and chunky but not at all smooth. While we had it for dinner as it was, I ended up pureeing the remainder, straining it, and adding fresh whole kernels back in(yeah, we had a ton of corn around :P) I think when I make this again, I’ll skip the pureeing part all together.
Made this soup for a dinner with my parents, siblings & the littles. I also served chopped onion and toasted pepitas for garnishes. Everyone loved it, but we laughed when we realized that it tasted like a soup version of a dish my mom has made for ages and ages called Corn Tamale Loaf. Thanks, Deb, for your hard work on this blog; I use your recipes a lot and find them very trustworthy.
Deb : I made this down chowder tonight for dinner. It was absolutely delicious. I changed the beans for potatoes but that was my only changeout. My daughter and I thought this was the best ever!!!
This was the best ever!!! I made this tonight with a couple of minor changes I used potatoes instead of beans and I used hatch chilis. But still delicious. The three of us ate it up!
Will lime cause yogurt to curdle? I was thinking of using that instead of sour cream for the topping.
It might, unfortunately.
One of the very best soups I’ve had. My husband loved it too. Thanks.
Fabulous! This will be a regular at my house. I added a tsp of cumin and also used some green onions and finely shredded cabbage with the cilantro.
I made this today and absolutely loved it. I only eat corn in the summer when it is in season, and I am always looking for new ways to use it (although your burst tomato galette with corn and zucchini is my absolute favorite). I think the soup would be great garnished with the radish-zucchini slaw in your charred corn tacos recipe, either as a lighter alternative or in addition to the mayo-cream-cotija mixture. I think I’ll try that with some of the leftovers.
Ooh this was delish! My husband and I had the actual Elote corn 2 years ago while in Sedona (have signed cookbook from Chef Jeff Smedsted).
Wish I could post a picture…
Thoughts on garbanzo beans? Will it change the flavor? Hominy would probably be delicious
This is spot on delicious. I used 1 tsp of salt at the end, 2 Serrano peppers instead of jalapeños, 1/2 cup cream, and only finished it with cilantro (it didn’t need anything else). De-kerneling the corn, getting the milk off the Cobb, and chopping up half of the kernels is, as a warning, a huge pain in the butt. However, assuming the only time you’ll make this is late summer, totally worth the effort.
This was so yummy, Deb! Subbed beans with potatoes and as some others did used the T Joe’s chili lime seasoning on top. Came together so quick.
I just read this recipe. I’ve never been a fan of Corn Chowder, just doesn’t do for me. Too bland. But this, THIS one, Yes – for sure I will make it soon. It is corn season here. I just made Blue Corn Muffins using toasted blue corn meal and folded fresh cut off the cobb corn. I’m on a corn kick. Thx for the inspiration. You’re very inspiring ya know.
I only had 4 ears of corn, so I halved the recipe. Worked out great and it was really delicious!! Mine looked a little thicker than what you have in the pics, but we liked the heartiness of it. I used 1 entire jalapeño with seeds removed, and even with only doing 1/2 the recipe, it was fine.
This was a great soup. I like the beans instead of potatoes for summertime. Must do the topping. That was great. Forgot the cilantro But we have leftovers! Won’t forget tomorrow!
Made this today. Used immersion blender for the corn before I added the beans to soup. Easy and yummy.
OH! Thanks for commenting with that – I have an immersion blender and never think to pull it out for stuff like this. My dinner just got a little easier!
Hi Deb,
This soup looks wonderful. I’m a huge fan of Mexican corn and my husband is a huge fan of soup and of corn. I’ll be making it as soon as Los Angeles cools off.
Am I correct in intuiting that you’ve moved over to team cilantro? If so, welcome.
Yours,
Ellen
I am never going to be a huge fan but I’ve been nudging myself there for 10+ years, mostly because so much of the food I like contains it. I’ve found that when minced with garlic and lime, or, say, fish sauce and ginger, it’s pretty palatable. A fistful on top of a taco, however, will always be my least favorite part of said taco.
Love the way this tastes, but mine looked HIDEOUS. Kind of vague grey-beige color. Where did I go wrong? forget the beans (I used black) ? Did I brown the onions too much? I hid the color under a mountain of cilantro, but would like to fix for next time. ideas?
Used all red beans, and a very bright red chili powder (San Antonio blend bought in bulk at the grocery store), and vegetable stock make mine a beautiful bright orange color.
Mine also looks gray!! Everyone who has tried it admits they love it but that it looks so unappealing…. probably the black beans but I love them!
Made this tonight for family dinner night. It was a huge hit. I was lucky enough to have some freshly roasted green chilies which I used instead of jalapeños. Incredible! Perfect end of summer soup.
I love this soup! It had so much flavor. I left out the jalapeno for the sake of my 2-year-old, but there was a nice hint of heat from the chili powder. I added 2 teaspoons of kosher salt toward the end, and that was certainly plenty for us.
This is incredible! Will be making again (and again). Thanks!
Is there a secret to cutting corn off the cob without it flying all over? I tried doing it slowly and still I find the kernels all over the counter or on the floor!
Do it in a wide bowl or on a rimmed baking sheet, rather than a cutting board.
Get a large mixing bowl and set it right side up on the counter. Invert a tiny bowl in the center of the mixing bowl. Hold the corn cobs vertically with the butts resting on the little bowl, hold the top of the cob, and slice downwards. The big bowl collects the corn and keeps it from going everywhere!
If you have an angle food cake pan, use that. Balance the cob on the center tube and cut down. The kernels will fall into the pan.
I’ve had less mess by cutting the corn with the cob laying on its side vs up and down.
This was amazing! Also great cold
What would you use in lieu of flour to make this gf?
Maybe torn up bits of corn tortillas? Corn starch?
I sometimes use cornmeal in order to thicken my chili. I would try that here!
You could probably also use something like chickpea flour for thickening in this case.
Just made this with fresh summer corn. Love the sweet and spiciness (that can be modified for your taste). Might add some new red potatoes next time. Thanks for the recipe :)
Wow! This was the best corn chowder I’ve ever had. It was the perfect use for all of the corn that I have in the fridge. Thanks for the recipe!
I made this in Melbourne, Australia 4 days ago and I’ve just finished my last bowl of it now. It’s delicious, more so now that when it was freshly made. It definitely benefuts from coriander, a squeeze of lime and cheese on the top – I used Danish feta which nicely melted into the soup. Yum.
I had always stayed away from anything chowder or corn-soup-y, but this looked too good to pass up! It did not fail me, thanks for the awesome (and to-be-repeated next summer) recipe!!
This sounds wonderful. I am going to keep the recipe for when it gets a little cooler. I was lucky enough to be at my favorite vegetable and fruit store when they were having a $1 for as many ears of corn you can fit in the bag. I got 2 bags full to the max and got close to 7 dozen. Terrific corn and now I have lots in the freezer. Love fresh produce. Have lots of broccoli and cauliflower and tomatoes to get out of my garden but corn did not grow well.
SO GOOD! This is the recipe that I’d been waiting for all my life and didn’t even realize it. I halved the recipe since I live alone and I just wanted to see how much it’d yield. I would have added another jalapeno (I love spiciness!), but it still turned out great. This did take a while to make, taking into consideration the prep and then mixing all the elements in and simmering, but it was worth it.
I can’t wait to make this again in the fall when it’s not, like, 100 degrees outside. I’ll make a FULL recipe and freeze it so I can just keep enjoying it!
I love this recipe! My sister made it last night so I tried it tonight. She suggested I add a little cumin, so that’s what I did! Also I added the Cobb to the simmering stock! Ahhh! It was absolutely delicious. I’m telling you, try adding the cleaned of kernels cob! It’s amazing!!
As soon as I saw this I had to make it, and OH MY GLOB it’s amazing. I didn’t have jalapenos so I threw in diced fire roasted poblanos instead. SO GOOD. Thank you and I hope you have a wonderful time in Spain!!
As I was serving this, my (picky, reluctant veg-eater) son asked, “Will this taste like the one at that place?” Despite the vagueness, I knew he was referring to the corn soup (appetizer? side dish?) at the Elote restaurant in Sedona, which my family considers the highest treatment of corn possible. I downplayed, tried to reduce expectations. His review, “It does! Why don’t we have this more often?” We all loved it.
Åny tips to rescue if you put too much flour in? The whoopsie of all whoopsies
Maybe just a little more broth if it seems too thick (but I bet it won’t).
Made this for dinner last night as Elotes is one of our favorite Mexican dishes. Added some diced blackened chicken (rubbed with a local chili blend) and some diced potatoes. This was fantastic. Especially with the final spritz of lime and sprinkle of cilantro.
Really good!
This corn chowder looks super delicious. Thank you for sharing the recipe with us, I’m definitely going to try it!
Like Casey Long, my soup was delicious but also was a gross beige gray color. After giving it some thought, I’m pretty sure I bought Jersey WHITE corn. I’m thinking this is where the issue lies. You need to make sure your corn is yellow – the more yellow the better.
Yes – I just made this with white corn and it was delicious but a pretty unappetizing color. Definitely go for yellow corn. I also didn’t include the beans and it was delicious without!
I made this last night. Everyone loved it! Here’s how I modified (for laziness): I only used two ears of corn and frozen corn for the rest. I sauteed one diced jalapeno (de-seeded) with the onion to mellow out the flavor a bit.
I used a full lime in the cotija sauce and discovered the soup benefited from more lime juice, so we squeezed more on top at the end.
In any case, it was a winner! My daughters loved it. Easy, delicious, and we’ll make it again.
SO, SO GOOD. I used a couple cute potatoes (boiled separately, cubed and added at the end) instead of beans. Cream/mayo/lime/cheese finish is a must and makes the bowl taste exactly like elote.
Oh, forgot to say that I charred the ears on the stovetop first (like in the zucchini tacos). :)
Hearty and delicious! Everyone loved this!
Made this tonight mostly as written. Used a homemade frozen chili paste (serious eats recipe) instead of powder, and only half a jalapeño, though it could have used at least 1 and maybe the full 2 the recipe called for. Didn’t add the beans until the end and used an immersion blender to puree the corn/onion/milk mixture to save myself the hassle of cleaning the food processor. Also used yogurt instead of sour cream for the finish. Delicious!!
Just harvested some fresh corn from my garden – and this recipe is looking pretty amazing!
Texture tips: If anyone is like me and abhors the texture of onions, grating the onion with a box grater works well. It allows for the flavor of the onion to come through, but the shreds are so fine that they nearly melt into the soup and disappear. Although I usually have texture issues with chowder (yep, lots of texture issues), this one was just fine (if you’re worried about the texture: I added the cup of milk to the food processer with 1/2 of the corn to make it smoother). This soup was FANTASTIC and definitely worth the effort!
This soup was amazing and the flavors took us right back to our wonderful trip to Mexico City earlier this year. I don’t know why anyone would stray from your recipes when you’ve obviously put so much effort into perfecting them. Thanks so much for sharing this one!
SO, SO good!! Incredibly rich and creamy with only 1/2 cup of cream (and 1 cup 1% milk instead of whole… just what we had). Such a keeper! While it certainly won’t be the same… do you think we could keep making this in the fall and winter with frozen corn? Because it’s too delicious to limit to fresh corn season.
This was a huge hit at my house! DO NOT skip out on the finish (mayo + sour cream + cotija + lime), it MAKES the dish!! Sadly, I had white corn, so it was pretty in a different way. Dynamite!
This sounds absolutely delicious! How do you think it would hold up without the whole milk and cream? Or just with the milk?
It will be fine, just less creamy.
I made this yesterday following the directions. It was delicious. Definitely a nice change from traditional corn chowder. I used cayenne rather than pepper when it came to seasoning. The cotija adds a nice texture when it sinks into the soup and warms up.
Made this last night and it was fantastic. We used a really rich, homemade chix stock and as per Debs note re cream, it probably did not need any heavy cream. Both flavours were great, before the heavy cream the individual flavours were brighter, with the cream it melded them all together like a traditional chowder – either way it rocked!
Deb, I have no idea why this horrible thought came to me today. But like a bad dream involving a friend, I feel like I have to speak it aloud to be sure it never comes true.
I was again reading the painfully tone-deaf Cooking newsletter from the New York Times today and my heart seized with panic as I thought – I bet these fools would love to get their claws on Deb. Think about it! Gabrielle Hamilton is just the most recent example of an independent superstar falling into their trap. Their communications are so bad, their recipes so inaccurate, and their website so clunky, that it just makes sense they’d want to acquire the Deb brand and steal all of your trade secrets! I sound nuts, but that’s nothing new, so.
This is turning into a rant, but just let me get this out – NY Times Cooking is the worst. Their recipes a) just plain aren’t that good and b) hardly ever turn out as written. Plus, they’re way out of bounds for the average weeknight cook, often involving obscure ingredients or multi-hour steps. And most of all, this Yankee finds the NY/New England affect that pollutes all of their communications not just snooty, but tired and put-on.
Since I’m on a roll, let me quote from today’s newsletter, since it’s readily available and fairly representative: “Take a walk after dinner and think about what it’d be like to have known Anne Sexton, hung out with her in a college rathskeller, read this poem there, smoked a few cigarettes with her, while talking about the work. Imagination nation!”
What on god’s green earth is this man talking about? Are we still talking about dinner? Do I have to know who Anne Sexton is to cook this recipe that has a French name but I am pretty sure is just chicken? Dear lord, take me back to the smitten kitchen.
Ok, that’s it from me. I’m sorry to vandalize the comments on this lovely recipe. Just please, Deb, don’t ever go write for those amateurs.
Looks beautiful! I’m going to try this tonight! Oh, wait, it’s been 108 degrees this week. 🔥🔥🔥My car meter showed 126 in the hottest part of the day! I’ll wait a bit, and then I’m on this! 😝🌟☝🏻
Did you cook the corn first? If so, what was your preferred method?
I don’t; it’s not needed here.
Wow, that looks amazing – will definitely attempt this recipe on the weekend!
We don’t eat so much corn chowder in the UK, but when I read your description of a basic one at the beginning I really wanted to make it before I tried the lime one. It’s chilly here, and I loved the sound of the bacon. Is there anywhere I could go to on the internet to find the best recipe? Knowing you, Deb, it’s in one of your rare books.
Sorry — you are now on holiday, but I’ll look for an answer later. Barcelona. Lived there for a while. Tapas bars the best. Hope you are having a wonderful time.
Cook’s Illustrated and Sunset magazines have some great sounding simple recipes.
This was fabulous and such a great use of corn from my farm share. I had about 10 ears that I wanted to do something new with. I was excited to try this recipe especially because it has the beans (as a vegetarian I’m constantly struggling to get enough protein). I used a green bell pepper instead of a Jalapeño because I had a few on hand. I used 1 can of black spicy beans from Whole Foods and a regular can of black beans. The soup really wasn’t spicy at all as a result, but it still had amazing flavor so it’s okay. I only used 1/2 tbsp Morton’s kosher salt and I’m glad I did. If I had used the full tbsp it would have been way too salty. I did salt the onions a little at the beginning and DID NOT use low sodium vegetable broth (Whole Foods brand), so all of that could contribute to the salt level.
Different brands of kosher salt have different amt of “salty” so it’s important to know what brand a recipe is using (or really taste as you go along) or both.
I love the way this tastes, but mine looked grey-beige in color so it was not as appealing as your photograph. I followed the recipe exactly. My corn may have been whiter than yours and that might have kept it from looking yellow. What did I do wrong?
Same here. Some sweet corn is super white combined with the chicken broth it didn’t have that super yellow corn look. Still tasted great.
Sorry, I thought it was clear that mine was not yellow. It was orange-y from the corn + chili powder and more. For a clearer color, you can omit the chili powder in the soup but of course you’ll miss the flavor too.
I just made and mine was also beige. For me, I’m almost certain that it was the result of not draining and rinsing the black beans. (Nicer appearance was not worth losing the flavor, especially since it’s just for me!)
I made a corn risotto from serious eats that added a touch of tumeric to deal with this issue, taking advantage of it’s bright color not for flavor.
Wow!! Such a wonderful recipe, this one sounds ah-mazing!!! ….Thanks for the recipe.
We enjoyed this so much! I followed the recipe except for using 1/2 of a jalapeno instead of a whole one and I cut back on the salt. The flavor was amazing and leftovers were fought for at lunch the next day. I’ll agree with other commentators that my soup was more beige than Deb’s, but didn’t appear to suffer for it.
This was truly delicious.
These photos are beautiful! And making me hungry :) I haven’t tried Cotija – I will have to have a look for some. Enjoying your blog!
depending on where you live it might be harder to come by. if so just google substitutes. there is a large salvadorean population in my neighborhood so i found something similar.
Muy husband made this! ! We both loved it. Absolutely delicious.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I made a “light” version of this used reduced fat ingredients. Also used frozen whole kernel white corn. It is fantastic! I wanted to lick the bowl! And, I could just use the “finish” as a dip for the tortilla chips I love it so much! I think I have a new chowder & “finish dip”! :)
Does anyone have any tips for how to get kernels off the cob without them flying everywhere? I use a large chef’s knife and every time I feel like half the ear ends of on the floor…
Try it horizontal instead of standing the cob on the end.
I put the corn in a wide mixing bowl. I use a serrated knife to cut the corn off the cobs. Any corn that misbehaves ends up in the mixing bowl.
Also, I use a (sharp) paring knife, and cut fairly slowly.
This recipe is life-changing! My partner and I have made it twice already since you first posted. It comes together so easily and quickly, tastes fantastic, and is still good to eat even after a week. Admittedly, it don’t look like much, but every time we eat it, we both acknowledge just how remarkably good it is. This really does best basically any other corn chowder. We didn’t have any chili powder, so we used acho powder, which is spicier but has the same character, but we made no other modifications. So dang good! Thank you!
This makes such a delicious soup! Thanks for making me into an amazing cook!
Question about crema:
My store sells Mexican table crema and Mexican sour crema. What is this recipe calling for? I have googled the difference between the two and am now even more confused!
Probably the sour crema would be better here.
This is really, really good. Like, “make it again within the same week” good. I roasted some poblanos and used those instead of the jalepeno and it was smoky and fabulous.
Delicious!!! Like other commenters I subbed the black beans for potatoes – keeps a litter feel and doesn’t muddle the color/taste as black beans might. Really love it, recipe makes a ton.
My husband and 8 year old loved this as did I. (Left out the jalapeño for the little one.) Loved having enough for leftovers this week as well as putting some extra away in the freezer for later in the fall. We had white corn from our neighbor’s garden so our chowder came out beigy as some other folks mentioned might happen. But we didn’t mind. Also, am thinking I should have puréed the corn more thoroughly, as the half-puréed corn didn’t blend quite perfectly with the broth. One of the other comments noted this as well. Still, delicious and swoon-worthy. A fabulous keeper of a recipe!
This is delicious. I made three small changes that I think made it a real winner:
1. Grilled half the ears of corn before adding to the chowder
2. Added a few dried kaffir lime leaves & pinch of tom yum powder along with the chili
3. Doubled the whole milk and didn’t add cream
The kaffir lime leaves added this fabulous brightness and depth of flavor. The grilled corn made it a bit smokey. I didn’t use cream, sure it would taste great, but it was delicious without and a bit healthier. Thank you, Deb, for another wonderful recipe. Looking forward to the half in my freezer when the weather gets colder.
Ooh grilling the corn is a great idea!
This was SO good!! Will definitely go on repeat so long as we have great local corn coming into the greenmarkets. The only thing I tweaked was to steep some of the cobs in the chicken stock before adding it into the chowder in the hopes of adding another layer of corny goodness. :)
This was one of the best recipes I have ever tried- I must have 100’s on Pinterest and this was divine!! I swapped milk for coconut milk and used white beans- other than that followed it and was really tasty!
I made a corn risotto from serious eats that added a touch of tumeric to deal with this issue, taking advantage of it’s bright color not for flavor..
I used black beans and the soup came out kind of greyish even though I rinsed them multiple times. Absolutely delicious, though.
Delicious!
Lylia
What would happen if I sub buttermilk for the cream?
It’s not going to be as thick or creamy, but definitely more tangy.
Long-time listener, first time caller. Inspired to comment because: Holy crap, this is so good. Medium time investment (mostly in the prep), amazing payoff. I cut corners at will due to ingredients on hand – not quite enough chili powder? Just dump out the remainder of the bottle in the pot and hope for the best. No whole milk? 1% plus a few splashes of half and half will do it. No heavy cream? Again, with the half and half. My husband and I each downed two bowls of this in quick succession, and proceeded to lick those bowls. Thanks, Deb!
Really delicious soup. I want to make a few batches and freeze for the corn-free months ahead. I normally don’t freeze soups with milk and cream…is that a problem here?
Just so you know, my “it’s not a meal without meat” carnivore husband thought this was fantastic. It was so good that I’m trying to decide how soon is too soon to make it again. Even my kids (4 and 1) loved it.
I absolutely adored this chowder! I used chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in place of the jalapenos, about 3 cups small cubed yukon gold potatoes for the beans, and greek yogurt in place of the sour cream for the topping. I forewent mashing the kernels and instead pureed a little less than 1/4 of the chowder, and ended up with a lovely silky textured background. I was so absorbed in the amazing aromas while this was cooking that I forgot to chop the cilantro, and even so the final presentation of the chowder with its topping and crumbles of extra cotija cheese was lovely. I’m hoping I’ll find good farmstand corn so I can make this and freeze a good portion for future deliciousness! Thank you!
Just made this and whole family loved it–used 3 jalapenos and could’ve used more and maybe a bit more chili powder but otherwise stuck to the recipe, though i roasted the corn inside the their husks partway in the oven for about 20 minutes or so, directly on the rack–which makes them easier to husk imo–then i finished cooking in the soup after removing kernels from the cob. Lovely recipe and helped redeem a bummer baking experience re: the funfetti cake, also on this site…
This was so good! Made it last night with 2lbs of frozen corn (seemed to be about 6 cups). I did a few quick pulses with the immersion blender before adding the cream instead of chopping the frozen corn. Had to use Feta because Whole Foods was sold out of Cotija, but that worked just fine. This one is going into high rotation!
I made this beast vegan by adding the solid top of my coconut milk can and just let the half and half slide. It was still amazing and creamy. Plus I did a cool trick with some frozen butternut squash: simmered and puréed and added into this soup it was all the creaminess and none of the dairy. A dash of Trader Joe’s green dragon sauce instead of jalapeño was a time saver. The lime and cilantro were all the kick we needed.
It’s on the weekly rotation! Cheers, Deb.
I made this last night and it was so delicious! I was initially concerned about the texture when I added the corn to the pot since the soup was so thick, but it smoothed out really well after simmering for a bit. The lime was my favorite garnish and I might recommend adding lime juice directly to the big pot before serving. I would also recommend a little cumin to enhance the flavor of the beans. I served with small veggie quesadillas on the side, which was a fun combo.
The soup was delicious! We brought big tupperware of it to work with bread rolls to dip. It’s filling and interesting (everyone at work was jealous) and even the roommates who don’t like soup thought it was wonderful.
I disagree with the commenter who said the texture was off. The chunky texture was delicious. We don’t have a food processor so we just chopped up some of the corn by hand, which was easy enough.
It looks so delicious~~ I love corn so much, gonna try this recipe soon. Thank you for sharing!
This looks super delicious !!
Wow, this looks amazing!
My mouth is watering at the thought of a warm bowl of corn chowder with chili & lime, OMG! Jotting this on my planner, thanks for sharing! :)
Made this recipe a week ago and it was absolutely delicious! Mom loved it too and requested I make it again for her but wondered if it I could make it a little less thick: what your advice be: increase the stock and reduce the amount of milk?
Thank you!
Made this tonight with potatoes instead of beans and it was Fabulous!! I used fresh corn from the farmers market. I chickened out and used a milder pepper instead of jalapeños. Probably could have used jalapeños (maybe just one). Did not find I needed all of the cream, maybe only 1/3 cup. I tried scraping the cobs, but didn’t get much milk. Otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Will absolutely make again.
Deb: This recipe is a recent favorite of mine!!
Deb! This is a sublime dish. Been waiting to make this for weeks and have been blown away at dinner tonight. Thank you, again and again and again for your delicious recipes.
Aww, happy 11th birthday, SK :) Didn’t see anywhere to comment on the actual bday post, so here I am instead ;) Which, btw, the corn chowder with chili looks sublime. Anyways, love your stuff and keep it coming. Go celebrate your Big 1-1 :)
Had the pleasure of making this last week, with the following substitutions: Coconut milk instead of heavy cream (didn’t use full cup either); and a nut milk instead of whole milk. Honestly, as a huge soup guy, I was really impressed and have fallen in love with this recipe. It’s delicious. I’m also not vegetarian, but felt like making this dairy-free (aside from the full fat sour cream I used to finish each bowl off).
I also took a cue from a commenter and roasted 4 corn cobs until I achieved good char and dumped it into the pot while it simmered. Great tip for more depth of flavour.
wow nyamyy enakqq
Oh dear lord! No other soup will ever taste good after eating this. I decided to make it for our soup club at work, and it was a hit. Everyone loved it and wanted more. I am, rather selfishly, not sharing anymore than I already did. Thanks for sharing another amazing recipe. I know I can always trust anything I try from your site.
I made this over the weekend for lunch on Saturday, and it was pretty darn tasty then. My husband and toddler both gobbled it up. But I’m having the leftovers for lunch today, and boy does it sing after the flavors are able to mix together for a few days!
I didn’t feel like getting out my food processor, so I used an immersion blender to blend the corn with a little bit of the stock in a smoothie glass before I added it to the pot. I also added a diced red bell pepper in when I added the beans, which made for a nice pop of color and a little bit more texture.
A note about the garnishes: while the mayo and sour cream make for a great addition, I found that the lime juice and cotija were the real stars. The saltiness of the cotija and the acidity of the lime were a nice contrast to the creamy sweetness of the soup.
Very tasty and really lovely flavors- mine seems to be quite watery compared to yours. I was considering adding cornflower to thicken but I am not sure if that would work for a whole batch. Lots of leftovers for lunch- personally I think it serves more like 8-10 people- thanks for another yummy dinner Deb!
Just finished making this.I used Trader Joe’s frozen mexican street cord, which had “sauce pellets” that bring together the different flavors of this recipe. I used one can of white beans and two links of chorizo.
Mexican or Spanish chorizo?
(tho it was a year ago….hope you remember)
I’d probably use Mexican or an equivalent fresh sausage because the Spanish stuff is loaded with pimenton, which is delicious, but would turn this a muddy orange.
I finally got time to make this soup. I had to replace fresh corn with frozen sweet corn but it still tastes wonderful.! Thank you for sharing.
I don’t eat beef or pork. Can I just leave the bacon out?
Yes, absolutely.
We’ve made this a few times so far, and *LOVE* it. My boyfriend adds in some smoked kielbasa, and I (the vegetarian), cook up some shiitake mushrooms to give it some protein.
I schlepped eight ears of corn in from NJ, straight out to meet some friends for karaoke in NYC before going home, just to make this with delicious fresh Jersey corn last month. YUM!
Love some spice this time of year. Keeps me warm during the cold weather.
The chowder looks so good!! I need the dish this winter. Thank you for sharing the recipe! My family’s main chef like corn so I guess she won’t miss this corn chowder :)
This soup was delicious. Used frozen corn and added a healthy spoonful of sour cream with the heavy cream at the end and it was perfect. Topped with scallions along with the cilantro.
holy carp. this is amazing. as is everything you’ve got here. just got the book for my birthday, and i couldn’t be happier
This recipe sounds divine. I will add one small addition to the finish: some lime zest. Can’t wait to try! Thank you!!
I’ve now made this three times; first with fresh corn, next with frozen, and last night with canned corn. I think the canned corn worked best! I also pureed 4 of the 6 cups in the Vitamix to get a creamier consistency.
Thanks for the great recipe, Deb!
Yum yum yum! This is a delicious soup that tastes just as it should. Ours didn’t come out such a nice color like the photos- more beige… but it still taste great.
Southerner riding out the “snow storm” here and I just came across this soup recipe to warm us up this week. I have some half and half remaining from your broccoli/cheddar soup I made Monday night (OH MY it was amazing!!) can I sub that for the heavy cream? Thanks so much!
mingguqq good
This was so good! I like things on the slightly spicier side, so in addition to all of the spice in the recipe, I added Thai red chilli paste, 2 chipotle peppers and some of the adobo sauce from the can they come in, some dry harissa, and fish sauce instead of salt. All of my guests loved it!!
This is great, but a little labor intensive for a weeknight; can you buy shucked corn and corn milk? Haha. Delicious, thank you!
Frozen corn augmented with cans of creamed corn would work perfectly here, IMO.
I had cut and frozen corn earlier in the summer, which made whipping this up a breeze!
Are the recipes on your blog in your cookbooks?
Most are not. There are about 1400 recipes on this site. Each book has about 110; 10 to 15% are previously published here.
This looks divine!!!
I just made this and my husband says it’s one of the top 3 meals I’ve ever made him. I halved the recipe for us two (plus baby on the way in a few weeks!) I thought the salt level was a teensy high for my taste so I added more heavy cream to calm it down. Perfect! Thank you for sharing!
we ended up adding a little more cayenne at the end but otherwise PERFECTION. I’m tempted to throw some crabmeat in there for the leftovers. :)
I ended up having to work late, so my daughter made this for us for dinner. She did add a little cornstarch slurry, to thicken it {we only used 1/2c. cream}. Only used one jalapeño, and I’m glad, because it had more than enough heat. Needed a bit more salt {and I added some Tony Cachere’s seasoning because I add it to everything}. I can never find cojita, so I used feta, which i’m not normally a fan of, but enjoyed in the finish. Really good, and I’m sure it’ll taste even better tomorrow, after the flavors have had a chance to meld.
Ooooookay, that was so delicious. My chowder-hesitant and creamy-dairy-avoidant husband loved it too. In regards to some of the comments: 2 seeded jalapeños wasn’t really hot in ours, frozen corn works great (put some up earlier in the summer), and the mayo in the cream sauce is not distinguishable amongst the other flavors. I would stick to the smaller amount of heavy cream, but also thing coconut milk would be heavenly here. And in regards to freezing, this should be fine. The texture of the broth might be just the slightest bit different, but still worth it. Hopefully there will be a few more ears of corn at the market this weekend so I can make it again!
This is a great recipe. We tried it out, and it taste fantastic. Can I please share it on our Boise Co-op website’s recipes page? I will add a link to your website!
Deb, if I wanted to make this in a slow cooker, how would you suggest going about it?
I made this for a big soup swap so I doubled the recipe. It was labor-intensive but worth it. I got so many compliments! The flavors are strong and bold, the soup is thick and satisfying.
I made a test batch for a soup swap and my family loved it! I barely had enough to freeze and see how it thawed. I made it gluten free by swapping 1 1/2 T cornstarch for the flour. One of the participants is vegan, so I also swapped the butter for more olive oil, used vegetable stock instead of chicken, and used coconut milk for both the milk and cream. I thought the finish really made the soup, so I’m including your recipe for that with each quart. I don’t know enough about vegan food to suggest changes there. This will definitely go into my regular dinner rotation!
This is delightful. It’s a super easy weeknight-friendly meal. I made it with frozen corn cause it’s January and it was a great start to the year.
Yum! This is our new family favorite soup! Easy to make with wonderful rich flavors. It is January and finding good corn is not easy. Our only option was packaged refrigerated cobs, which worked out great but were not very plentiful. I could have used about 12 cobs of corn to have enough. My family preferred sour cream to the finish suggested. I will give it another try today (if there is any left) to see if I warm up to the flavors.
Hello Deb, we just made this for dinner with frozen corn (I know I know, but I wanted it so bad!). The soup itself is a strange brown color. Is it our chili powder, which is abnormally dark? Please advise :)
I’ve made this twice now and I think I much prefer the chowder without beans. It was too filling for me with them. I also omitted both the cream and the milk the second time around and didn’t miss it. Made the topping with no mayo, but just double the sour cream and added scallions in as well. So so delicious!!! Love! I think next time I would add more broth to make it more soupy, just because I wanted more juice.
Eating this right now — and it’s incredible!! WOW scores above 10/10 ✨✨✨
Husband, son and I all loved this. I’m having the leftovers for lunch (which is my favorite lunch) and so far I haven’t even heated it up. Too hungry and it’s delicious cold!
if there’s anyone else out there looking for a substitution for the cream in the soup, I ended up using whipped cream cheese just because it’s what I had (and had already hit my week’s grocery budget so didn’t want to buy real cream!) and it was surprisingly really excellent. it added a good tang and thickness. I stirred it in vigorously off heat to avoid any curdling. thank you for the recipe! this was really good, even after MacGuyvering it (used canned + fresh corn and chickpeas instead of beans, too)
love this so, so much. we added 2 small zuchinnis and 2 small red bell peppers to increase the veggie content. also subbed 2% milk and half and half, and we didn’t miss the extra fat. this is going into our summer weeknight rotation. thanks deb!!
Delicious! I used 13 ears of corn, 4 cans of beans, and doubled other ingredients as well plus added half a shredded chicken from the crockpot. Instead of plain jalapeños, I used a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped. We love the smoky chipotle flavor. I didn’t add cream, but did add the milk. It was very good with a smidge of cheddar on top with cilantro, chips on the side with leftovers plus some in the freezer for later! Thank you for the recipe. My husband loves it too.
This soup is UNBELIEVABLY good! Sweet and tangy and salty and spicy. SOOOO good. Thank you for this!
Now Deb, I don’t believe you’ll approve of this but being a jersey girl and it’s November- no fresh corn. I used frozen because I saw this recipe and HAD to make it. HOLY MOLY!!!! Incredible. Followed it exact which I typically don’t do, It’s simply amazing. As usual with your recipes!! Another hit in my house and perfect on a chilly rainy day, like today.
I just made this with frozen corn. It’s winter, and I think this is the freshest, nicest corn for the season. It’s wonderfully fresh tasting. The garnish “makes” the chowder! I see folks at my farmer’s market with ears of corn covered with white, creamy stuff (Now I know what that is!!) sprinkled with chile powder. this completely mimics that…can’t wait to try Mexican street corn (in CA!) thanks for a yummy twist on corn chowder!
I made this with frozen corn and it came out delicious. I really liked the suggested finish with an additional squeeze of lime, too. I served it with a side of home made garlic bread, and bacon strips (we had meat lovers over for dinner). I added two to three tablespoons of the bacon grease to the total amount of soup, which gave it an enormous flavor boost. It was good before, but irresistable after.
Ok…have a question not related to the recipe but related to printing or pinning. I can’t find a pin button on your recipe, nor a print option. Am I missing something?
Made this tonight and really liked it. I didn’t do the purée because I used frozen corn and wasn’t sure if I should. However I will try that next time. Very good and yes…do squeeze another lime over the soup once you plate it into the bowl. I sprinkled with the McCormick chili lime garlic seasoning someone suggested. I halved the recipe for two and used only half a jalapeño as we are not into too much heat. There are leftovers for tomorrow! Yum!!
Oh my gosh, this is one of the tastiest things I’ve made. It has such a depth of flavor beyond what I would expect from what went into it. The jalapeno really connects all the flavors together for me. It’s an easy 10 from me. Thanks so much for posting it.
Have you ever added crab to this to make a corn and crab soup?
No, but I could see it working!
So good! When your chowder is gone, leftover cotija and Tajín is amazing on popcorn too!
I made this last night and it is hands down the best corn chowder I’ve ever had!! The tajin at the end is a MUST. If I’m going to eat this often I might have to sub the sour cream/mayo mixture with some Greek yogurt haha! Thanks for another amazing recipe!
I have previously hated corn chowder since a bad experience traveling overseas 🤢. I am so glad I tried this recipe!!! This was so yummy and hit the spot for a nice summer dinner!!! I made a few alterations based on what I had on hand. Added diced red bell pepper to onion, omitted the beans (didn’t have, and this was part of a bigger meal so a lighter soup was ok), skipped cilantro (it had gone bad) & used feta instead of cojita. All worked fine. I also used a smaller amount of half & half in place of milk and cream, but added it with the broth and it curdled as it simmered. So I whipped it up with my immersion blender and it was fine. All in all a delicious soup and I know how to not let it curdle next time.
Made this last night and couldn’t stop eating it (I had 3 servings). It was amazing. I even skipped the corn husk steps and used frozen corn. I also did half beans/half sweet potato and it was delicious. I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about the cotija/sour cream/mayo topping but it was actually amazing and added a lot to the soup – I would not skip that. Will definitely make again!!
3 years later, I find this and it’s bookmarked to try soon. Sounds sooo good and I love that you use beans instead of potatoes. I haven’t read through the comments so this may have been mentioned before. When you cut the corn from the cob, cut only the top third or so of the (individual) kernels, making your way around the whole cob. Then with the back of your knife, scrape the cob all the way around. You will have a wonderful creamy mixture so rich that it makes a luscious “creamed” corn, sans cream, needing only butter, salt and pepper. I just bet doing this would allow cutting back on the cream in this chowder without even missing it. I only learned about this a couple of years ago and it is one of my all-time favorite “tricks.”
I want to print this recipe but can’t find the print option?!
Thank you, Charlene.
You can also click CTRL or ⌘ + P from any recipe post and it will take you to a streamlined print template. We will definitely make it easier to find when we next redesign.
For Sandy on finding the print icon:
Look directly beneath the end of the recipe. There will be photos of related recipes. Then a line starts with “See more” followed by “Do more” which has the print icon.
Is this chowder good when chilled?
Best corn chowder ever. I even forgot to put cream in and it was still amazing. Eat with all the toppings and a big bowl of Juanita’s tortilla chips. Heaven.
This was outstanding! Best soup I’ve ever made! Only 2 modifications:
(1) I used only 1 can of Red beans and I used a russet potato; and
(2) I used 1 jalapeño plus 1 poblano pepper, it was not spicy at all.
Thank you for the great recipe!
My corn was too sweet (darn awesome summer fresh corn), and the two jalapenos didn’t cut through the sweetness, but it was so good. My kids loved the cotija topping. (Didn’t have sour cream so I used plain Greek yogurt with a touch of cream. Made everything else per the recipe – full tbsp of chili, 2 jalapenos)
This recipe is perfect for having in season corn but living in a chilly place like San Francisco. I’m definitely making it again and will do a better job checking the spice level of my jalapenos and leave in seeds if needed.
Thank you!
Adding a quick tip here – an immersion blender works great to create the “half puréed corn” in step one, in case you don’t feel like getting your food processor dirty!
This looks fabulous! Can you freeze it?
I made this using frozen sweet corn and dry beans in the instant pot. It is so delicious even without putting any toppings or garnishes! I halved the recipe and used 1 lb of frozen sweet corn and 3.5 oz of dry pink beans so if you are making the full recipe, you can used 2 lb of frozen sweet corn and 7+ oz of dry beans. The beans were so delicious in it, I would even double the beans or anything between that if you want to sneak in some more protein and fiber. To make it in the instant pot, I just cooked the butter, onions, garlic, chili pepper and dry beans in the broth under pressure and after the pressure released, added the corn, milk, cream, thickener (subbing starch instead of flour at the right ratio) and spices. Something I would do next time would be to add cilantro stems to the broth while it’s pressure cooking. I soaked my dry beans the night before so it made it a really quick meal and I didn’t have to add extra water but, if you were to not soak your dry beans, just use enough water to accommodate. My dry beans doubled their weight after soaking them overnight so they’ll need at least enough added water/stock as their dry weight added to the amount of broth called for in the recipe. I’ll definitely make this again! I think this would make a great base recipe for a crab corn chowder as well by swapping the beans for crab meat and adding some carrots, celery, bell pepper, spices and maybe a little white wine and diced potatoes.
What do you think of using hominy instead of beans?
I love this idea!
This was absolutely delicious! I only used one jalapeño because we were serving this to our toddlers. Next time I would definitely use two. I followed this recipe exactly as is as far as ingredients (I just eyeballed with measurements). It’s a flexible recipe with a lot of layers of flavor!
Amazing! Worked perfectly and didn’t make any adjustments other than adding some tortilla chips – delish!
This is a very good recipe, especially the thoughtful topping. Lime juice seals the deal.
Damn. This was so good. I only had 4 ears of corn so I subbed in diced potatoes for the rest of the bulk and added chicken at the end, skipped the beans. This was a winner dinner for my family, which is a rarity these days! Thank you for another great recipe and keeping my family happy, which I consistently fail at without your help. 😅
Very delicious. Next time I probably would just use feta in the garnish as I didn’t feel the Mayo/sour cream be added much to the flavour, but otherwise the garnishes really lifted the whole dish to another level
Looking forward to making this to freeze. Would I make the soup as outlined in the recipe (up until “the finish”) OR do I make it without the milk and cream and add those when I go to eat during the winter?
Could this be frozen? It looks very tasty!
Delicious! I found that 8 ears of corn yielded more than 6 cups but that was not a problem. I didn’t have chili powder, so I used .25 tsp chili flakes, .5 tsp cumin, and .5 tsp oregano and .5 tsp black pepper for seasoning. I also added an extra 4 cups of broth to account for all the extra corn. I skipped all of the topping and just ate the soup. It turned out great and I definitely plan to make it again!
I’ve been avoiding making this for years. Who wants to make hot soup during the steamy days of peak corn season? But eventually my desire to make something tasty without turning on the oven in my 90 degree kitchen. But oh, am I ever so glad I did! I added a couple of potatoes and just did one can of beans because I am a potato girl at heart. The real shock was when my very picky two year old declared a complex soup with many components and different textures “nummy!” She is right, though. Very nummy.
This recipe is amazing! Whole family pleaser. I used fresh corn and I prepared it ahead of time, including puréing the corn. I put all of that in a freezer bag and froze it until I was ready to use it (when my garden started producing enough jalapeños). It worked great. I’m going to take advantage of fresh corn and the farmers markets this summer and freeze these packs so we can enjoy this soup all winter.
Is the chili powder meant to be the pre-made blend of chili, cumin, etc or a straight chile powder of pepper only? Thanks so much.
Just chiles, not the spice blend.
Could I sub cannelli beans ? I forgot at the store which beans to buy
Sure!
Can I substitute the whole milk for a non dairy alternative?
Yes
In Europe, chili powder is generally some type of powdered pure hot red pepper (e.g. cayenne). Is that what is meant here, or do you mean the North American chili powder that includes other spices/herbs (typically oregano , cumin, paprika)?
We’re using a few kinds of heat here — fresh hot pepper in the soup, cayenne too, and then for the topping you can use either a blend or just a ground chile powder.
This recipe got rave reviews! I roasted the frozen corn, omitted the beans, and added leftover chicken and tomatillos. Will definitely be making it again.
I made half a recipe, which should have been okay, but when I got to adding the corn cut off from four cobs, it seemed like there was not enough liquid in the pot, so I added some water – maybe as much as 1 cup. I had never had this type of corn chowder before, so I didn’t really know what to expect, but what was in the pot tasted better before adding milk, so I left out the cream at the end. Adding lime also didn’t seem to improve the overall flavor. I topped it with some McCormick’s Chili Powder (has ground red pepper and some unnamed spices), cilantro, sour cream, and grated cheddar. These additions, together with the plain nacho chips, improved the flavor experience immensely, but if I would ever make it again, I would make 1/4 of a recipe instead of 1/2, because even with cutting the recipe in half, there is so much left over and I’m not sure I want to eat it for the next 3-4 days. I can’t believe anyone would ever make the full recipe unless they are serving it for a crowd.