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Summer Corn And Zucchini Chowder

Summer corn and zucchini chowder with a creamy, blended base and tender zucchini rounds. Cook bacon crisp, sauté aromatics in the bacon fat, then simmer and blend 2 cups for a chunky-thick texture.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Corn
  • 4 ears fresh corn, kernels cut off (or 3 cups frozen) Use fresh kernels if available; frozen works well.
Zucchini
  • 3 medium zucchini, diced
Bacon
  • 4 strips bacon, diced
Onion
  • 1 onion, diced
Garlic
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
Broth
  • 2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
Milk
  • 2 cup whole milk
Cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream
Butter
  • 3 tbsp butter
Flour
  • 2 tbsp flour
Smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
Herbs & garnish
  • 1 Fresh basil, chives, and extra corn for garnish
  • 0.25 tsp Salt and pepper to taste Add to taste at seasoning step.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the bacon
  1. Heat a large pot over medium heat and cook the bacon until crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Remove the bacon to a plate and leave the bacon fat in the pot.
Sauté aromatics and thicken
  1. In the same pot, sauté the onion in the bacon fat and butter for 4 minutes. Add the garlic, then stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Simmer the chowder
  1. Gradually whisk in the broth, milk, and cream, then stir in the corn and smoked paprika. Increase heat to bring to a gentle simmer.
  2. Simmer for 12-15 minutes, then add the zucchini and cook 5 minutes more until just tender. Stir occasionally to keep it from sticking.
Blend and season
  1. Blend 2 cups of the soup smooth, then return it to the pot. Stir to combine for a creamy yet chunky chowder.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then ladle into bowls. Top with crispy bacon, fresh basil, chives, and extra corn for garnish.

Notes

For the best texture, blend only 2 cups so the rest stays chunky; start blending on low speed to avoid hot-splash. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days and reheat gently on the stove. Freezing is not ideal because milk/cream can separate, but you can freeze if needed and reheat carefully. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of whole milk and heavy cream.