Corn zucchini chowder is a hearty, mild soup filled with seasonal summer vegetables. The creamy homemade broth is filled with corn, potatoes, zucchini, and bell pepper.
This summer chowder recipe is the perfect way to enjoy your favorite summer harvest vegetables. Another favorite is my creamy pasta primavera, a one pan meal made made with fresh seasonal ingredients.
Fresh corn, potatoes, bell pepper, zucchini, and carrots add fresh, bright flavor. Plus, it's easy to customize with any produce you have on hand - use up those extra veggies before they go bad!
Corn, carrots and red bell pepper give this soup a slightly sweet and fresh flavor that the entire family will enjoy. A dash of thyme and red pepper flakes are all you need to give this soup a warm, subtle taste.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Vegetables - I used red bell pepper, zucchini, carrot, potato, and corn in my soup. Potatoes make a great base that's filling, inexpensive, and a crowd favorite. Other than that, feel free to add any veggies you have on hand. I've included a list of variations below.
- Onion and garlic - Add flavor to your soup. I don't recommend omitting either of these.
- Flour - Needed to make a roux, which thickens the soup.
- Butter - Needed to make a roux with the flour, which thickens the soup.
- Chicken broth - Can be substituted with vegetable broth.
- Whole milk - Substituting the whole milk with half & half or heavy cream will give you a thicker, creamier soup.
- Seasoning - Salt, red pepper flakes, and thyme add a warm, savory flavor to your soup. If using a low sodium broth, consider adding extra seasoning to taste.
Tips and tricks
Chop veggies into small, bite size pieces - Think about eating your soup while chopping your veggies. They should all be similar in size - small, bite size cubes that fit easily onto a spoon.
Use whole milk - For best results and a creamy, smooth consistency, use whole milk or half & half. Higher fat dairy products are less likely to break when heated. Using a lower fat milk can cause the soup to separate while cooking.
Use regular broth - For best flavor, use regular broth, not low/no sodium broth. The broth adds a significant amount of flavor to the soup, so substituting with a low sodium version will reduce the flavor. If you only have low sodium broth on hand, I highly recommend adding extra seasoning to your soup.
Whisk until smooth - When adding your broth and milk to the soup, whisk until smooth for a nice creamy consistency.
Frequently asked questions
Soup can be reheated over medium-low heat, covered, on the stove top. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave.
Yes, corn chowder can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. It's perfect for a few days of meal prep for quick lunches and dinners.
Heartier vegetables like potatoes, peppers, corn, and carrots will keep for a day or two longer than delicate vegetables, like spinach. Keep this in mind if you're planning on making a large batch with your own favorite produce.
A few of my favorite sides include cornbread muffins, grilled cheese, kale cranberry salad, buttermilk biscuits, or some crusty bread.
Crumbled bacon, parmesan crisps, shredded cheese, garlic butter croutons, sliced green onion, or cooked and crumbled chorizo make great additions to a bowl of corn chowder
Yellow summer squash
Green or yellow bell pepper
Jalapenos
Red potatoes
Kale
Spinach (toss in at the end of cooking)
Tomatoes
Parsnips
Peas
Green beans
Sweet potatoes
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Corn Zucchini Chowder
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 24 ounces broth, vegetable or chicken
- 8 ounces whole milk
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 3 ears of corn , husks and silks removed, corn cut from cobs
- 1 medium zucchini, cubed
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- In a stock pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add chopped onions, carrots, and bell pepper and cook until vegetables begin to lightly brown and onion turns translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds.
- Add flour and stir to coat vegetables. Cook for one minute, then whisk in broth, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Add milk, potatoes, corn, zucchini, salt, thyme, and red pepper flakes to pot, stirring to incorporate. Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 8-10 minutes, or until potatoes can easily be pierced through with a fork.
- Remove lid, remove pot from heat, and allow to set for 5 minutes before serving.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Leftover soup will keep for 3-4 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
- Whole milk can be substituted with half & half or heavy cream for a thicker, creamier soup.
- Red pepper flakes can be doubled for more heat (soup will be mild as written).
- 3 ears of corn = about 2 cups of corn kernels. Canned or frozen corn can be used.
It was ok but sorely lacking on seasoning/flavor, after I doubled the red chili pepper flakes as suggested. I recommend adding a lot of salt and pepper. Also, I would simmer in broth till potatoes were tender, then add cream just to heat through.
Hi Tobreth, this is a mild soup, meant to allow the flavors of the fresh summer produce to shine. However you're welcome to add as much seasoning as you'd like! Did you happen to use a low sodium broth for your soup? The salt in this recipe is lower than usual due to the amount of sodium in the broth.