Description
This comforting Slow Cooker Corn Chowder is a creamy, hearty soup made with Yukon gold potatoes, sweet corn, and aromatic herbs. Perfect for an easy, hands-off meal, it combines tender vegetables and rich flavors slow-cooked to perfection and finished with a refreshing corn topping and chives.
Ingredients
Scale
Topping
- 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- 1/2 cup corn (from frozen corn)
Soup Base
- 1 (32-ounce) bag frozen corn, divided
- 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup half-and-half or heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Chopped chives, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Corn Topping: Combine the diced red bell pepper, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and 1/2 cup of corn in a bowl. Mix well and refrigerate this mixture to let the flavors meld while the soup cooks.
- Combine Ingredients in Slow Cooker: Place the diced Yukon gold potatoes, broth, chopped onion, minced garlic, fresh thyme sprigs, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and the remaining frozen corn into the slow cooker. Stir gently to combine the ingredients evenly.
- Cook the Soup: Set your slow cooker to LOW and cook the mixture for 8 hours, allowing the potatoes to become tender and the flavors to develop fully.
- Blend Part of the Soup: Once cooking is done, remove and discard the thyme sprigs. Using an immersion blender or regular blender, puree about 2 cups of the soup until smooth, then stir this pureed portion back into the slow cooker, creating a creamy texture while still retaining chunks of vegetables.
- Finish the Chowder: Stir in the half-and-half or heavy cream and unsalted butter until fully incorporated and heated through.
- Serve: Ladle the chowder into bowls and top with the chilled corn and red bell pepper mixture along with chopped fresh chives for garnish, adding a fresh and tangy contrast to the creaminess.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- If you prefer a thicker chowder, blend more soup or add an extra potato before cooking.
- Adjust seasoning to taste before serving.
- The lemon juice in the topping gives a bright, fresh contrast; don’t skip it.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
