This easy gluten free corn chowder recipe is perfect for chilly days. It's a little creamy, and the bacon gives it a nice smokiness. The surprise ingredient? Curry powder!
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Nothing like a big, comforting bowl of soup on a cold day. Especially one you can make on a weeknight that's hearty enough to feel like a proper dinner. This corn chowder fits the bill with the addition of sweet potatoes and bacon to make it filling and satisfying.
But it's not just any corn chowder, it's got curry powder in it! I know you may be surprised, but think about the spices in curry powder—cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom—they all go so beautifully with vegetables that have an inherent sweetness, so YES! put it in a soup with corn and sweet potatoes.
Ingredients
- Corn: You can use frozen or canned corn (drain off the liquid if canned). If you can find fresh corn, it works really well, too. You'll need about 4 ears.
- Sweet Potatoes: Look for firm sweet potatoes with healthy, smooth skin. Wrinkly skin means they are old and starting to go bad.
- Bacon and rendered bacon fat: I like a smoky, thicker cut bacon for this recipe. We'll leave the fat in the pan when sautéeing the onions and peppers to give the whole soup a smoky bacon flavor.
- Curry powder: Yes! This surprise ingredient has a wonderful warm flavor that goes perfectly with the sweetness of the corn and sweet potatoes.
- Fresh sage, fresh thyme, dried bay leaf: These herbs give the recipe a wonderful aroma.
- Cayenne: Just a bit of cayenne for an extra kick to cut through the creaminess and balance out the sweetness.
- Onion, red pepper, and garlic: These form the aromatic base of the soup.
- Heavy cream and chicken stock: We're using more stock than cream to keep it lighter, but you can adjust the ratios if you prefer.
- Sherry vinegar: For tanginess and umami!
- Fresh Cilantro: A bit of cilantro on top brings a light freshness and blends perfectly with the other ingredients.
Instructions
Adapted from Geoffrey Zakarian.
You are doing most of your chopping and peeling while other things are cooking, so this recipe moves along quickly and easily. Gather all of the ingredients before you start cooking the bacon and you are set up for success!
Place a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the bacon slices and cook, turning occasionally until brown and crisp.
While the bacon cooks, use a good chef's knife to dice the red pepper and onion. Finely chop the garlic. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into ½ inch chunks.
Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside to drain on a paper towel, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
Add the peppers and onions and cook over medium heat until the onions are translucent and the peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes.
Add the sage, thyme, bay leaf and chopped garlic to the pan. Stir frequently and cook for about 2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant.
Add the curry powder, cayenne, and a pinch of salt, stirring to coat the peppers and onions for about 1 minute, to allow the spices to bloom.
Add the remaining ingredients to the pan, cover and simmer for about 25 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender. Remove the sprig of sage and the thyme stems.
Serve topped with crumbled bacon and fresh cilantro.
Substitutions and FAQs
- Can you freeze corn chowder? Yes you can! Cool completely, then chill in the fridge in an airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- You can easily swap half and half for heavy cream 1:1 to lighten it up a bit.
- If you don't have chicken stock, use vegetable stock or plain water!
- No sherry vinegar? Swap apple cider vinegar instead.
Related recipes
Try these quick and easy gluten free soups!
- Speaking of bacon, Cheesy Potato Soup with Bacon and Beer is one of my weeknight go-tos.
- More secret ingredient soups: Tuscan White Bean Soup with Kale gets a TON of flavor from a parmesan rind simmered in the broth.
- If you're feeling fancy, Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Brie will whisk you away to a Parisian bistro. (And it's so EASY!)
- And if you're diggin' the sweet potato coconut milk vibe, try this smooth and creamy Sweet Potato Soup with Coconut Milk, Bacon and Sage.
Recipe
Corn Chowder with Bacon and Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon thick cut
- 2 cups diced sweet potatoes
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 red bell pepper
- 2 cups corn frozen, canned or fresh
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh sage
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 2 teaspoon yellow curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 3 ¼ cups chicken stock
- ¾ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Place a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the bacon slices and cook, turning occasionally until brown and crisp.
- While the bacon cooks, use a good chef's knife to dice the red pepper and onion. Finely chop the garlic. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into ½ inch chunks.
- Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside to drain on a paper towel, leaving the rendered fat in the pan. Add the peppers and onions and cook over medium heat until the onions are translucent and the peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes.
- Add the sage, thyme, bay leaf and chopped garlic to the pan. Stir frequently and cook for about 2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the curry powder, cayenne, and a pinch of salt, stirring to coat the peppers and onions for about 1 minute, to allow the spices to bloom.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the pan, cover and simmer for about 25 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender. Remove the sprig of sage and the thyme stems. Serve topped with crumbled bacon and fresh cilantro.
Notes
- Prep time is minimal because you are doing most of your chopping and peeling while other things are cooking, so this recipe moves along quickly and easily. Gather all of the ingredients before you start cooking the bacon and you are set up for success!
- To freeze, allow the soup to cool completely, then chill in the fridge overnight in an airtight container. Transfer to the the freezer and store for up to 3 months.
- Be sure to check out the post above for details about ingredients and substitutions.
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