Cheddar Corn Chowder with Bacon
This thick and cheesy chowder with potatoes, corn, cauliflower, and bacon is perfect for cold and cozy winter nights. Stove top and Instant Pot directions provided.
It’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!
When you sign up for the Mindset Challenge, you’ll also receive a FREE meal prep guide with an entire month of meal plans (with Skinnytaste recipes, of course!). Click RIGHT HERE to transform your mindset about dieting and achieve weight loss freedom in the new year.
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!
Cheddar Corn Chowder with Bacon
This thick and cheesy chowder with potatoes, corn, cauliflower, and bacon is perfect for cold and cozy winter nights.
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
Directions:
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 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.
Nutrition Information
Yield: 6 servings, Serving Size: 1 2/3 cup
- Amount Per Serving:
- Freestyle Points: 7
- Points +:
- Calories: 309 calories
- Total Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 5.5g
- Cholesterol: 27mg
- Sodium: 638mg
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 5.5g
- Sugar: 10g
- Protein: 15g
Vegetarian Meals
Under 30 Minutes
Freezer Friendly
Paleo
Slow Cooker Recipes
Low Carb
Dairy Free
Whole 30 Recipes
Keto Recipes
Can we use an immersion blender to blend the cauliflower and corn?
Sure
Can I use 2% milk instead of whole milk?
of course! 🙂
This looks delicious! I’m a vegetarian, so I always skip bacon that so frequently tops soups. But I wonder if there is something you’d recommend substituting with? (For me, I also avoid fake meat since I don’t like that it looks/is supposed to taste like meat–although it’s great that it is available for folks who want it!) Just curious if you (or any readers!) have a great vegetarian soup topper they like to use instead of bacon. Thanks for your thoughts!
Maybe mushrooms sautéed in wine as a topper instead of bacon?
Check out ROSTED lentils: https://smile.amazon.com/Simple-Supple-Foods-Roasted-Standard/dp/B06XHDB133/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1546536102&sr=8-3&keywords=roasted+lentils+snack
I put those on salads in place of bacon bits and my family loved it!
Try crispy fried shallots.
What about chives? Or crumbled croutons? Or even chopped sun-dried tomatoes?
i really like subbing caramelized onions or sautéed shiitake mushrooms for a savory alternative to bacon when cooking for my vegan family members! Seems to go over well
Maybe some fried leeks for the crunch factor? I would probably also add some smoked paprika to the soup to mimic the smoky flavor of the bacon.
great idea!
Search for a recipe for coconut bacon!
whole wheat parmesan croutons-I make a bunch and then freeze them and take out what I need later
Gosh, y’all have given me so many great suggestions!!!!! Thanks so much! And I love the smoked paprika idea, too, Angie. Thanks, all!
Roasted chickpeas!
Roasted chickpeas!
Ooh, I love the roasted chickpea suggestions, too! And appreciate all of the many suggestions folks have offered. I’m hoping to make this soup tomorrow!
McCormick bacon bits are vegetarian. You could also google a recipe for coconut bacon.
I use Crispy Balsamic Beets by “Fresh Gourmet” as a salad topper – they have a nice crunch and tang to them. I find them at a Kroger store in the produce section.
I would top with crunchy jalapeno pieces. I top my salad sometimes with these as well. I purchase them from my grocery store in the produce section. They are small pieces of breaded jalapeno.
You could make vegan shiitake mushrooms to top the soup.
This looks amazing! Do you think this would freeze well so you could save some for later?
Also, do you think you could use the steam-in-bag cauliflower for this recipe?
the purpose of the large piece is so it’s easier to puree it after, rather than pureeing the whole soup.
Interesting. I’ll give it a try and report back! Any thoughts on the freezer-friendliness of this soup?
I find that this does freeze well!
Awesome, thank you!!
For the cheeseburger soup, I cooked the 12oz bag of cauliflower in the microwave and blended it with the other soup ingredients per the recipe. It worked like a charm! It’s cheaper and easier IMO. I plan to do the same for this recipe!
Thank you! This is perfect, I have a bag of frozen cauliflower already in the freezer ready to go. I’ll be trying this next week! 🙂
Hi! Love all of Gina’s recipes but I loathe cauliflower. No matter what I do to it I can still taste it and I can’t stand how it tastes. I was thinking of subbing in broccoli but do you think it would add the same thickness as the cauliflower?
Not sure? You can try!
I can’t eat cauliflower so I used rutabaga in the cheeseburger soup. Going to use that here. You could also try turnip.
You could try a can of white beans as Gina does in other soups
I made this with rutabaga and it worked like a charm.
You’re the best, Gina! Thanks for all the hard work you put in to make these recipes available to everyone. This one looks delicious. Can’t wait to try!
Try crispy fried shallots as an alternative topping..
Do you have any slow cooker directions for this recipe?
Sorry I dont
Do you think you could use frozen cauliflower florets? If so would you use a 12 oz bag?
Sure but it’s harder to take it to puree if its in small pieces. The cauliflower is giving it the creaminess.
I need to make this ahead of time. Can it sit on the stove for a couple of hours till we’re ready to eat it? Maybe just keep it on low?
I think it would be ok, but shut it off then rewarm it.
I would also add the cheese and reheat before serving so it doesn’t get gloppy.
Can you use frozen cauliflower florets? If so use a 12 oz bag? Thanks!
The purpose of the large piece of cauliflower is so it’s easier to puree it after, rather than pureeing the whole soup… but you could try frozen instead and see how it works.
Hi Gina, Thanks for all your great recipes! Is the 31-day free challenge also open to men? My brother is looking to lose weight and it sounds like a great supportive program.
Hi Stefanie! Yes, a man can absolutely do the challenge. XO
Kind of new to the instant pot so this is probably a dumb question but – when you say “high pressure for 10 minutes”, after adding the potato and cauliflower, is that on manual, or is that the soup button? So behind the curve! I just got an IP for Christmas.
I did it on manual. Worked 👍🏻 Just remember it has to pressurize first, which takes a little bit, and then the timer will start for 10 minutes.
For the instapot instructions when you say cover for 3 mins after you out the cheese, are you doing pressure cook for Three minutes or just covering the pot and have it on “keep warm”?
Thanks for this recipe! My son loves Ina’s lobster chowder this ones similar.
This soup is absolutely delicious. My husband had 2 helpings and then had to force himself to stop. He said that he looks forward to tomorrow night’s dinner. We added pickled jalapeños for more spice. I bought riced cauliflower and pureed 2 cups of the soup with the 4 ounces of corn. We liked the texture even though it strayed from the original instructions. I served the soup with cranberry orange mini corn muffins and a fruit salad. This menu is definitely on our list of meals to be repeated.
Would you just substitute vegetable broth for the chicken if you’re vegetarian? And obviously take out the bacon or substitute it.
Since I always have almond milk on hand, do you think I could replace the whole milk with the almond milk? I have done so successfully in baking but never in something that is boiled.
Sue
Sure you can try it!
This sounds yummy! Can I use my immersion blender right in the soup pot instead of using my regular blender?
Yes, for sure that will work!
Hi can this soup be frozen?
Yes, I have frozen this soup and it worked fine!
So you don’t puree the potatoes? Just the cauliflower and corn?
Silly question, but is a wedge of cauliflower the entire head? I’m not able to measure it in ounces.
I used about a 1/2 head of cauliflower, from a reasonably medium head. I measured 12 oz. I broke it up into big florets to be able to get it out of the pot easily to puree.
Every time I make corn chowder it turns a dark color. Why is that? It looks like something is caramelizing in it.
I didn’t get that bright yellow either.
I cooked my bacon in a different pot as opposed to her directions and mine was nice and yellow (and so forking good!)
We loved it! I am glad you can freeze the leftovers, since there are only 2 of us. I made the base in the morning. Then reheated and added the milk and cheese before serving.
Delicious! Instead of taking everything out to purée, I left everything in the pot and used an immersion blender to purée. Then I added the rest of the corn, etc. This works well for those of you asking about using bagged cauliflower. I also added in garlic and onion salt.
Made this last night in the Instant Pot and it was amazing! Super easy too!
Thanks for posting! I loved this recipe. I used 2% milk, omitted turmeric as I didn’t have any on hand, and used an immersion blender to bring the whole pot to a creamy texture. Still delicious with these modifications!
Hi, I can’t have whole milk, as the cream bothers me. Can I use 1% or skim milk instead?
Sure, you can try it and see how it tastes. The cauliflower puree really thickens the soup nicely,
Once again a great, gluten free option my whole family can enjoy. Made it in the instant pot and it was delicious…my daughter said it was a perfect day for soup so she checked your website and quickly found this recipe and asked me to make it. She didn’t realize I already “saved” it on Instagram and had put it on the menu for the weekend!! thanks Gina!
I had some family over tonight and I made this for them….. They loved it and so did I ! I subbed out the bacon for shredded chicken thighs and used cornstarch instead of flour to keep it gluten free. Otherwise made exactly as written. It’s a keeper! Thanks ladies.
Is it fresh turmeric?
ground
Wow! I made this in my IP and the cauliflower was so tender I didn’t even need to purée it it. I did sub a can of white beans for the potatoes to up the fiber and protein. Lunch is going to be great this week!
Any ideas on how to make this in the slow cooker? Thx!
Can this be done in a Crockpot/slow cooker? I don’t have an instant pot yet.
It hasn’t been tested, but you can use the stove
This is delicious! I’m enjoying a bowl right now for lunch while my husband and son plow the driveway! 🤪
What do you mean about a wedge of cauliflower? Is it a head with it broken up into florets?
Thanks! I love your recipes! The minestrone is the best I’ve had.
It’s 1/4 of the cauliflower
This soup is AMAZING. I made it in the Instant Pot and my kids – who hate cauliflower – never even knew they were eating it. Definitely one to make again!
Who doesn’t love corn chowder!? This recipe was easy, filling, and so so delicious. Definitely on the favorites list.
My husband doesn’t like “wet” food so making this was a bit of a risk. But he loved it! So did I! I added 1/2 TSP chili powder to give it some heat, and it was superb. Next day I added some cauliflower rice and pieces of pork chops to what was left over and it made another lovely meal. Thanks Gina! Love nearly all your recipes!
I’m eating a bowl of this as I’m typing. It’s flipping FANTASTIC!! Warm, cheesey, and slightly sweet. Thank you for such awesome recipes!
this was really good super easy for a weeknight mealI used frozen cauliflower and just pureed it with the frozen corn and some of the brothI wish I had Trader Joe’s roasted corn on hand, that would really amp the corn flavor
I made this last night. Absolutely delicious! When I plug it into the WW app using the nutrition numbers, I get 11 Freestyle points. Am I missing something?
Hi Julia! Are you using the recipe builder? The only accurate way to determine any recipe’s SmartPoints® value is to plug the ingredients into the recipe builder on the Weight Watchers website (Click on “My Foods,” select “Recipe,” and click “Create a recipe.”) which does not count fruits and vegetables in recipes in the calculations as they are now 0 points.
The SmartPoints® calculator isn’t meant for recipes and will often give you the wrong points (usually higher) because it’s counting the fruits and vegetables. So if you see a recipe with a SmartPoints® value that’s different from what the calculator tells you, now you know why.
Make this yesterday and it was unbelievably good. I used skim milk and I don’t believe it made any difference. It couldn’t possibly be any better using regular milk. Not sure how it affects the points but this is truly the best yet. This website is just a lifesaver. I haven’t made anything in the last 4 yrs that wasn’t good. Thank you so much Gina!
Made this today exactly as written and it is TERRIFIC!! Thanks Heather and Gina for another keeper
I made this exactly per your recipe and it was AMAZING! Thank you for all this great food.
OMG,thank you🤗it came out perfect,,,I used skim milk and low-fat cheddar cheese mixed with regular cheddar cheese…. Awesome!!!!
Will riced cauliflower work in place of wedged cauliflower?
Easy, creamy, and delicious!
Sorry for not giving it 5 stars as other reviewers did, My husband and I found the soup to be quite bland.. He actually added about 3 tablespoons of hot sauce to his bowl! I followed the recipe exactly and did add a bit more cauliflower as I had way more than 12 ounces! I could not taste the turmeric at all… it definitely needs more spices to boost the flavor! It was not a quick meal to make and rather time-consuming because of all the steps. . On a positive note, we did get a good serving of veggies!
Gina,
Whole foods sells these little lobster tails all the time any suggestions for steaming them in the instant pot with some type of vegetables? I’m looking for a quick weeknight meal.
I made this last night and it was a game changer! I left out the milk & cheese, and only used 4 pieces of bacon. Still wonderfull! I put the cheese on the side so each person could decide how much they wanted, and also put in a tsp of sour cream, so I had a nice punch to it too. Thanks!
This recipe is amazing! Thank you so much!The stove top recipe does feel like there’s a lot of parts to get it all done but honestly it’s so worth it. Looking forward to my leftovers tomorrow!
I made this for dinner last night and my husband absolutely LOVED it! He usually hates cauliflower, but when blended up he could hardly tell. Thank you Gina for a wonderful recipe that will definitely be on repeat this winter!
Would you please include the amount of potatoes in oz form? “Two small” gives a lot of room for error when counting calories! Love your recipes!
Hello! It’s 12 ounces of potatoes – 6 ounces each.
Lightened up Corn chowder! Creamy and delicious. A little labor intensive but worth it. Made for lunches all week! My toddler asked for a bite and wanted more – winner!
Do you drain the bacon grease or sauté the onions in it?
Left out the cauliflower. Made the bacon part of the soup. Didn’t purée the corn. It was delicious. Next time will cut back on salt and thyme.
How many servings is this?
6, servings are listed below the directions.
How many servings is this recipe?
6, servings and nutritional info are listed under the recipe.
I made this soup today and it is one the best from your website. I usually make one or two of your meals every week. Keep up the great work.
This was so so good. Thank you so much!
Sitting here HAPPILY eating my left overs. This is an awesome recipe. I used my immersion blender right in the pot! Topped w a little extra cheese bacon & some croutons delishhh
I see you add 2/3 warmed corn to the blender but do you add the rest at any time?
There’s a typo and it’s missing from the final step.
Delicious! Made exactly as described and was perfect for us. We loved it. Served with a small salad on the side and rolls (for the husband). Thank you for the great recipe!
Phew that was a lot of work! t’s not bad, but it’s not really like corn chowder to me. I could taste the cauliflower, which I love – but again not corn chowder style. The turmeric is a pretty strong flavor too. I definitely preferred the leftovers to the first day.
I didn’t think I could love a soup as much as Turkey cheeseburger soup. Now I am torn. This was amazing. That cauliflower trick is unreal. My husband said he could eat four bowls of this. Thanks for another great one!!!!
I don’t think I’ve ever reviewed a recipe but this was so amazing I am! It was absolutely delicious!!!! 5 stars!
This was my first Skinny Taste recipe (I know, late to the party!) and it was awesome. Turned out delicious. I can’t even tell I’m eating puréed cauliflower!! I also forgot to add the milk lol but it still tastes fantastic. Thanks Gina! Looking forward to trying many more of your recipes.
This is very good! My family absolutly loves it!
Amazing soup. Left out the Thyme, (not a fan of it) kbut the Tumeric made a difference in the taste of this dish.
Absolutely love the skinny taste recipes they are always delicious! I will say I found this soup to be pretty bland tasting and sadly not one I’d make again
Just made this soup today. I did not add flour or milk and the thickness was perfect for my liking. I did add an extra potato and puréed some potato with the cauliflower and corn to help thicken since I can’t have flour. You couldn’t even taste the cauliflower! This was a very nice change of pace than our typical meat and potato dinners. Will definitely make this again.
I do want to say there must be a mistake on the instapot directions. It says 2/3 of corn and puree but doesn’t say anything about what to do with the rest of the Corn! Just thought you might wanna fix it 🤔😉 it took this blond a minute to figure it out 😂
Amazing!!! Yes didn’t feel like buying fresh thyme for this recipe so st the end when I mixed it all together I added some lawrys garlic salt with parsley to taste. Delish!
I don’t know if I am doing this wrong but when I enter the nutritional information you list into the WW site for the SmartsPoints Value I am getting 11 instead of 7??
Hi Jennifer! Are you using the recipe builder? The only accurate way to determine any recipe’s SmartPoints® value is to plug the ingredients into the recipe builder on the Weight Watchers website (Click on “My Foods,” select “Recipe,” and click “Create a recipe.”) which does not count fruits and vegetables in recipes in the calculations as they are now 0 points.
The SmartPoints® calculator isn’t meant for recipes and will often give you the wrong points (usually higher) because it’s counting the fruits and vegetables. So if you see a recipe with a SmartPoints® value that’s different from what the calculator tells you, now you know why.
Another amazing recipe! Made in my instant pot. Didn’t have fresh thyme so just used a 1/4 tsp of ground. Also only had 1% milk, but you’d never know. Was really delicious. Perfect for the cold weather.
This was absolutely delicious and my fam LOVED it. We have an thumbs-up/thumbs-down policy at home. If you like it, thumbs-up. Thumbs-down means I quickly discard the recipe. This was a 4 out 4 thumbs up! They were shocked that the cauliflower was the thickener. I love reading the review as it gives me great ways to tweak it moving forward. We LOVE your recipes and they fit in great with our healthy approach to eating. I’m sure you have a blast doing what you do, but this fan THANKS you!
I made this chowder and it is amazing!
Made the instant pot version – SO easy and SO yummy!!! TY Gina!!
Hi Gina. How many ounces is in the two small Yukon gold potatoes?
This is awesome! Our new favorite recipe!
Made tonight, delicious! Whole family enjoyed. Will add to regular soup rotation.. Thanks!
I fixed this for dinner tonight. It was delicious! It is definitely a recipe that I will use many times.
This was so good. My husband loves corn chowder and we’re trying to lighten things up a little. I’m actually not a huge corn chowder fan and I loved this. If you’re going to use a blender as directed, I would definitely chop the cauliflower down more. I used an immersion blender and was able to break down the cauliflower more this way. I didn’t miss the extra potatoes or cream at all!
Love this! You feel like you’re being decadent but you’re not, and it’s easy! I used my immulsion blender and it was a snap. Love the Skinnytaste recipes.
Yummmmy! Cheddar Corn Chowder was perfect for a cold winter dinner! Never a bad recipe from Skinnytaste.com!
I made this last week and it was a hit with the whole family. I think I’ll add kielbasa to it next time instead of the bacon. Thank you for a healthy delicious recipe! My kids ate more veggies than they even suspected 😊