Potato Corn Chowder

August 27, 2026

This potato corn chowder is creamy and hearty without being heavy, thanks to sweet corn, red potatoes, and white beans. Simmering the corn cobs adds big flavor to this vegetarian soup.

This healthy potato corn chowder was inspired by a $1 bag of end-of-season corn from the farmer’s market. I wanted to create my own vegetarian potato corn chowder recipe that was healthy, full of vegetables, and filling.

Since many times vegetarian chowders are less filling than I’d like, I decided to add white beans to our potato corn chowder. The white beans blend in with the other vegetables, at the same time adding some plant based protein and making the soup more filling! Here’s how to make this delicious soup.

5 Star Reader Review

“Seriously deliciously delicious. We added a touch of chili lime seasoning and that blew it out of the water!” -MJ

The Secret to the Best Flavor

The main secret to this potato corn chowder is boiling the corn cobs in the broth while the soup cooks. This adds a fantastic richness and complexity of flavor. If you don’t have in season corn, you can still make this chowder with frozen corn and omitting the corn cobs.

Just make sure to try it during corn season to experience the full effect! In my potato corn chowder, I’ve used milk instead of cream to keep it on the lighter side. The end result is a healthy chowder that’s bursting with flavor and not too heavy.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here are a few notes on the ingredients you’ll need:

Red-skinned potatoes: Waxy potatoes hold their shape, so you get tender cubes in your soup. Yukon Gold potatoes also work!
Fresh corn: You’ll need both the kernels and cobs of fresh, in-season sweet corn. In a pinch, frozen works too: you’ll just lose that sweet flavor in the broth.
White beans: Canned cannellini or Great Northern work well and keep the soup filling.
Whole milk: I like to use whole milk instead of cream, which keeps it lighter.
Cornmeal or masa: Cornmeal thickens the soup and doubles the corn flavor – it also keeps it gluten-free!
Aromatic vegetables: I use yellow onion, carrots, red bell pepper, garlic, bay leaf, and fresh thyme for big flavor.

How to Make Potato Corn Chowder

The full recipe is in the recipe card below, but here’s basic idea:

Step 1: Prep everything first. Chop all the veggies.
Step 2: Sauté the base. Saute the onion in butter with the bay leaf over medium heat, then add carrots, bell pepper, and garlic.
Step 3: Simmer with the cobs. Add the corn, cobs, potatoes, and milk. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
Step 4: Thicken and finish. Remove the cobs and bay leaf. Stir in the cornmeal slurry, then the salt, beans, and thyme, mashing any lumps against the side of the pot.

What to Serve With Potato Corn Chowder

Here’s what I’d serve with this chowder to make it a full meal:

Cornbread muffins: Try my classic cornbread muffins or a wedge of easy skillet cornbread.
Crusty bread: Try my easy no knead bread.
A simple green salad: Here are my top green salad recipes, from arugula salad to apple salad.
A grilled cheese, cut into strips for dipping. Try my favorite grilled cheese in the oven.

Storage and Reheating

Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Add a splash of milk if it gets too thick.

I haven’t tried freezing this soup, but I expect it would probably work frozen up to 3 months.

Dietary Notes

This potato corn chowder recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free.