This thick and cheesy Cheddar Corn Chowder with Bacon is made light using cauliflower to thicken it, no cream added. Stove top and Instant Pot directions.
Cheddar Corn Chowder with Bacon
Cheddar Corn Chowder with BaconIt’s soup season, if you’re looking for a new easy soup recipe to add to your dinner rotation, I think you will love this chowder! You can also browse all my soup recipes from the archives. A few favorites are the Potato Leek Soup, Dad’s Cauliflower Soup and of course, Classic Chicken Noodle Soup!
How To Make Corn Chowder
This guest post from Skinnytaste dietitian Heather K. Jones is a tasty recipe that the whole family will devour! Hello, I’m excited to guest post here on Skinnytaste again (thanks, Gina!), and I’m also excited to invite you to my FREE 31-day Master the Weight Loss Mindset Challenge. You’ll find out how to shift from self-sabotage and worry to inspired and good-for-you action, and you’ll set yourself up for long-term success in 2019!
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When Ina Garten’s The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook was released many years ago, I was obsessed. The Cheddar Corn Chowder was one my favorite recipes, but with ½ stick of butter, ½ pound of cheddar cheese and bacon, and 2 cups of half and half, it was far from healthy and light (ha).
But after trying Gina’s delicious Cheeseburger Soup, thickened with blended cauliflower, I decided to try and lighten up Ina’s chowder the same way, and holy cow… this MUCH lighter version tastes just as good as the original! It’s considerably lower in calories and fat, but trust me, you’ll never notice. Enjoy!
More Soup Recipes:
- Macaroni and Cheese Soup
- Smoked Salmon Chowder
- Avocado and Chicken Soup
- Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Chowder
- French Onion Soup
Cheddar Corn Chowder with Bacon
Ingredients
- 6 strips center-cut bacon, chopped
- 2 small yellow onions, chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose, or gluten free flour
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 small Yukon gold potatoes, diced
- 1 12-ounce wedge cauliflower, stem intact
- 1 pound frozen corn kernels
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 ounces shredded white sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
Stove top directions
- Place bacon in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot and sauté over medium heat, until cooked and crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel lined plate. Set aside.
- With the pot still over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the onions, add turmeric, thyme, salt and pepper, to taste, and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly.
- Add the broth, potatoes and cauliflower and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping the bottom of the pot (this releases the caramelized bits on the bottom). Bring the pot to a boil then decrease to simmer, cover and cook 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat 4 ounces (about 2/3 cup) of the corn with a splash of water in a small microwave safe-dish until just defrosted, about 1 minute.
- Remove the lid from pot and transfer the cauliflower, 1 cup of the soup and warmed corn to a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer puree back to the pot.
- Add the remainder of the frozen corn, the milk and cheese. Mix then simmer for 3 minutes or until the cheese is melted and soup is heated through. Taste and adjust salt, if necessary. Serve topped with reserved bacon pieces.
Instant Pot directions
- Press the sauté button on an electric pressure cooker. Add the bacon and sauté until cooked and crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel lined plate. Set aside.
- In the pressure cooker (still on sauté), add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the onions, add turmeric, thyme, salt and pepper, to taste, and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly.
- Add the broth, potatoes and cauliflower and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping the bottom of the pot (this releases the caramelized bits on the bottom).
- Seal and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Quick release, then open when the pressure subsides.
- Meanwhile, heat the corn with 2 tablespoons of water in microwave safe-dish until just heated through, about 3 minutes.
- Transfer the cauliflower, 1 cup of the soup and 2/3 cup warmed corn to a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer puree back to the pot and stir well.
- Add the remainder of corn, milk and cheese. Mix then cover for 3 minutes or until the cheese is melted and soup is heated through. Taste and adjust salt, if necessary. Serve topped with reserved bacon pieces.
