Southwestern Corn Chowder
Make this Southwestern corn chowder for a cozy dinner at home! This vegetarian corn chowder recipe is fresh, wholesome and delicious.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on July 10, 2024
Make this Southwestern corn chowder for a cozy dinner at home! This vegetarian corn chowder recipe is fresh, wholesome and delicious. It’s perfect for cool late summer or fall evenings when fresh corn is at its peak. Or, you can make it any time with frozen corn.
I wanted the corn flavor to shine and balanced its sweetness with some Southwestern spice. You’ll find bell pepper, poblano and chili powder in this atypical chowder. I promise you will not miss the bacon.
I purposefully avoided using the heavy cream that you’ll find in most chowder recipes. Heavy cream has a tendency to dull flavors and also makes me feel weighed down. Instead, I blended a bit of butter into the soup (one of my favorite soup tricks) and stirred in some crème fraîche or sour cream at the end. These dairy ingredients offer some creaminess, of course, plus some tanginess that you won’t get from plain cream.
You can easily make this soup dairy free or vegan, if desired. You’ll love the end results either way!
Corn Selection & Preparation Tips
Because great corn is key to making great corn chowder!
Buy fresh corn and use it promptly. Freshly harvested corn has the sweetest, most delicious flavor, and it loses that flavor as time goes on.
How to cut corn off the cob: I find it easiest to just lay the corn down on the cutting board. Slice off a strip of kernels lengthwise with a sharp knife, rotate so the flat side is against the cutting board, and repeat as necessary.
If you can’t find fresh corn or want to save a few minutes: Use frozen corn, which tastes much nicer than canned corn. Rinse off any frost on the kernels first, then add them to the pot as directed.
Watch How to Make Southwestern Corn Chowder
Corn Chowder Serving Suggestions
You could count a big bowl of chowder as a light meal. Or serve smaller portions on the side. This chowder goes well with green salads, sandwiches and quesadillas, and simple vegetable sides. Here are a few nice options:
- 10-Minute Quesadillas
- Arugula and Wild Rice Salad with Zippy Lemon Dressing
- Erin’s Peach and Avocado Green Salad
- Favorite Green Salad with Apples, Cranberries and Pepitas
- Favorite Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Perfect Roasted Green Beans
- Quick Collard Greens
More Fresh Corn Recipes to Enjoy
- The Best Grilled Corn on the Cob
- Elote (Mexican Street Corn)
- Fresh Corn Salsa
- Garden-Fresh Corn Salad
- Succotash
More Cozy Fall Soups & Stews
- Best Lentil Soup
- Classic Tomato Soup (Lightened Up!)
- Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Homemade Vegetarian Chili
- Spicy Black Bean Soup
Please let me know how your chowder turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
Southwestern Corn Chowder
Make this Southwestern corn chowder for a cozy dinner at home! This vegetarian corn chowder recipe is fresh, wholesome and delicious. Recipe yields 8 cups or 4 generous bowls.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 ears of fresh sweet corn, shucked (or 6 cups frozen corn kernels)
- 1 pound red potatoes, cut into ¾” cubes (about 3 cups)
- 1 large red onion, chopped
- 1 poblano pepper (optional)*, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- ¾ teaspoon salt, divided, to taste
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 2 medium cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup crème fraîche or sour cream or Greek yogurt**
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Suggested garnishes: Grated sharp cheddar cheese, thinly sliced green onion, additional cilantro leaves and/or a tiny pinch of chili powder
Instructions
- In a medium/large Dutch oven or soup pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the corn, potatoes, onion, poblano, bell pepper, celery, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and ½ teaspoon chili powder. Stir to combine. Cook until the onions are tender and translucent, about 7 to 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute, while stirring constantly. Add the broth and water and stir to combine. Drop in the bay leaf.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. It’s not done until the potatoes are fully cooked through and very easily pierced through with a fork.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Using kitchen tongs, remove the bay leaf. Carefully transfer about 3 cups of the soup (about half liquid, half solids) to a blender. Securely fasten the lid and be careful to avoid the hot steam as you blend until completely smooth. Add the butter and blend again.
- Pour the mixture back into the pot. Add the cilantro, crème fraîche (see note if using sour cream or Greek yogurt) and lime juice. Stir to combine. Season with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and be generous with the black pepper, to taste. If you’d like more spice, add up to ½ teaspoon more chili powder, to taste.
- Divide the chowder into bowls and top with garnishes of your choice. Leftover chowder will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 5 days or for several months frozen.
Notes
*Spice level note: Some poblanos are more spicy than others. If you’re sensitive to spice, you can omit the poblano to be on the safe side, and also go easy on the chili powder. If you love spice, you can stir in additional chili powder to taste, or you could even add a chopped jalapeño to the pot with the other peppers.
**Crème fraîche or sour cream: I like crème fraîche because it does not curdle when stirred into hot soup. I use the Vermont Creamery brand and typically find it near the goat cheese. If you prefer to use sour cream or Greek yogurt, you can “temper” it to prevent it from curdling. Simply place the sour cream or yogurt in a heat-safe bowl. Add a few splashes of the warm soup liquid, stirring after each, until the mixture is warmed through. Then stir the mixture into the soup.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the butter. I’ve heard from some commenters who love it without any additional creaminess. Or for results closest to the soup as shown, use my vegan sour cream in place of the crème fraîche—it works great! You might enjoy garnishing individual servings with an additional dollop of vegan sour cream on top.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Made this for dinner last night while we carved pumpkins and it was absolutely delicious! So good that my five year old took my leftovers to lunch at school today.
What a fun night! Thank you for sharing, Emily.
Wow, this is the best soup I’ve ever made. So filling and flavorful and easy to make, and I know I won’t be tired of the leftovers anytime soon!
Best ever? Yes! I love it. Thank you for your review, Katie.
This was delicious! We had it with your cornbread. I was craving a smoky flavor so added a chipotle chili in adobo sauce, but kept everything else the same. Thanks for another great recipe!
Thank you, Susan! I’m glad you loved it. My cornbread would be delicious with this recipe.
We just had Southwestern Corn Chowder and it’s absolutely delicious! Just turned cold here (well, Florida, so it’s relative) and it was perfect for tonight. We have been vegetarian for only 6 months….I can COUNT on your recipes which is very comforting for a newbie, thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m happy you enjoyed it, Sharon.
Hi,Been a big fan and user of your site for YEARS. This time I am puzzled. Made the recipe all as called but corn and fraiche. I used frozen corn and sour cream. Have made twice.The comments are ‘to sweet’. What can you suggest? Thanks in advance, Ruthie
Hi Ruth, I’m sorry you find this one too sweet. Maybe your corn was on extra sweet side?
Oh my gosh.. love your chilli and many others; this is AHHHHHMAZING
Thank you! I’m glad you loved it.
I made this recipe last night and we loved it! I used a fresh jalapeno in place of the poblano. I’m a cajun raised in South Texas so I gotta have the heat. I did not miss the cream at all. This recipe is a keeper. Thank you!!!
You’re welcome, Amy! I’m happy you loved it.
I just made this for dinner. An absolute hit. What a wonderful soup.
I’m glad you loved it, Diane! Thank you for your review.
Made this tonight. Turned out creamy and delicious!
outstanding recipe! so yummy!
Does this recipe freeze well? Or would it make the ingredients become mushy? I was thinking about making a double batch this weekend and freezing half, thought it might be ok if I omit the sour cream?
Hi! I haven’t tried to freeze this one, but if you omit the dairy it may freeze ok. Let me know!
This recipe was DELICIOUS!! I’ve never made a corn chowder taste so good. The crème fraîche is really the key I think.
I’m happy you loved it, Alison!
This looks great, I’m making it now! Do I need to skin the potatoes?
Hi! No need to peel unless you would like to.
This is a keeper! Absolutely delicious. I made it as written…except for doubling the chili powder and adding a cup of chopped roasted Hatch chili. Next time, I will double the recipe and freeze for future use. Thanks!
Hi Kate, I have really been looking forward to making this soup and I think tonight is the night. My only concern is the very real mental block I have about making dishes without a “green,” lol. Do you think it would ruin the composition of this chowder if I added diced zuch/squash or spinach near the end?
Hi, I love this as is, but you could add some if you like. Let me know how it goes! Or, serve with a side of Perfect Roasted Broccoli
I made this for dinner tonight and it was so delicious. I veganized it by adding your vegan sour cream and omitted the butter and it was still incredibly creamy! I also didn’t add poblano pepper because my local grocery store didn’t have it.
Delicious vegetarian soup for a cold winter’s night! I used the Greek yogurt and tempered it per the instructions. Flavorful and hearty but not too heavy. I’ll make this again!
This is really good – just added to the recipe box! I skipped the poblano pepper and added 1/2 tsp more chili powder and a pinch of smoked paprika. I also added baked tilapia to the the leftovers later in the week. Made for a delicious fish chowder.
I’m happy to hear that, Linda! Thank you for your review.
Best vegetarian Corn Chowder ever, thank you, Kate!
The only ingredient I tweaked it with was New Mexico green chili.
I was wondering if I can freeze this soup?
Hi Lee! I haven’t tried to freeze this one, but if you omit the dairy it may freeze ok. Let me know!
Really great recipe- everyone in the family loved it! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Carter! Thank you for taking the time to review.
Thank you for the recipe. It was yummy. I did want to share what happened the first time I tried this recipe with frozen corn. I also wanted to ask: If you use frozen corn, should you rinse and let it thaw for awhile? I put everything together to boil as directed. The potatoes ended cooking first, but the corn was still hard. I had to keep boiling until the corn was soft, but the potato cubes got overcooked.
You’re welcome! If you use frozen, yes you want it to thaw and drain any excess water.
Made this for dinner last night and substituted two large sweet potatoes for the red potatoes. Turned out great maybe even better this way! Cooked up quickly, too. Also, I used unsalted chicken stock to manage the salt content better.
Thank you for sharing how you were able to make this one work, Carrie! I appreciate your review.
This soup is delicious, the method of thickening is genius. I added 1 tsp of smoked paprika and the extra 1/2 tsp of chili powder, it was just the right amount of spicy. On the down side, it took more like 1 hour 45 minutes to make, but it was worth the wait, and it makes a LOT. Yum!
Perfect fall chowder. I love the poblanos. Trader Joe’s has a delicious frozen fire-roasted corn – I bet that would be so good in this.
I love it, Jeanne! Thank you for your review.
My 7 year old had three bowls! Big hit with everyone. I recommend using frozen corn to save time if you’re in a pinch since it is a lot of chopping. Love all your recipes Kate, and I hope Cookie is feeling better. Prayers for you both.
That’s great, Caroline! Thank you for your review.
I’ve tried several different vegatable broths and have been dissappointed. Do you have a recipe for one or can you recommend a brand?
Hi Dawn! They do tend to vary, even by brand it can seem. I have had good luck with Pacific Organic.
I have made this a few times!! Tempering the sour cream takes some patience. I rushed once and it curdled :( but I love this chowder recipe!! a very comforting meal for cold nights
Yes! Perfect for cold nights. Thank you for your review!
Another great receipt – didnt change a thing! thank you Kate
You’re welcome, Adrienne!
So good! Loved the complex flavors, but simple preparation. Winner! Going to be part of Christmas dinner this year.
Sounds delicious for the holidays! Thank you for your review, Eva.
Made this recipe for lunch today. It is good, I like the texture, but slightly lacking in flavor. I did use 1 teaspoon of chili powder. I will definitely make it again.
I’m sorry you didn’t love this one as is, but glad you were able to adjust to your tastes.
This chowder is sooooooooo good! As I’m typing this, the boyfriend is going back for seconds. I was able to find fresh corn and I think it really did make a difference with flavor and texture. Followed the recipe as written except extra chili powder. Perfect Sunday football meal – comfort food without the heaviness. Another new favorite, Kate!
I love that! Thank you for taking the time to comment back, Rachel.
so delicious – used the recipe as is, and my future in-laws loved it for lunch :) thank you – love so many recipes on your site!
This was absolutely fantastic. I made it with oat crème fraîche and it was so good and creamy. I did add 3 times the chili powder you recommended, 1 tsp of paprika, and 1/2 tsp of cayenne since I couldn’t find poblanos. Thank you for another amazing recipe. I’ve been using your site since becoming vegetarian and I have yet to find a recipe that doesn’t blow my mind.
Sounds like a great way to adjust! Thank you for sharing, Mara.
Amazing recipe! We topped it with some coriander, tomatoes and jalapeno slices. I’m really loving your soup recipes this winter. They make me feel so nourished and healthy. Great job as always!
Delicious and easy (once you get your chopping done). An immersion blender worked great!
Thank you for sharing, Laurel! I appreciate your review.
I made this to bring to some vegetarian friends after surgery. It is SO good. I didn’t know how spicy they liked things so I opted for no poblano pepper and I used sour cream but those are the only two alterations I chose. Lucky for my own family, I bought enough ingredients for two pots! I topped with Monterey jack cheese which added a nice flavor. YUMZERS! Don’t leave out the cilantro unless you don’t like cilantro and don’t forget the lime juice (and frozen corn worked nicely in January!) 5 Stars, Kate and Cookie! Thanks for a fantastic recipe!
Thank you so much for your review, Stephanie! Hope your friends are recovering well.
Is there a way to convert this to crock pot cooking? thank you
Hi Sona, sorry to disappoint but I don’t have crockpot instructions for this recipe.
This is the first recipe I’ve made from your website that’s not a keeper. It was bland and dull for our tastes. We like rich flavors, but not necessarily spicy. I added cumin , more Chile powder, chipotle, ancho, and Sriracha. I made it and then refrigerated for a day hoping to deepen the flavors. I think the corn and potato are too much starch. If I try again I’ll use black beans instead of the potatoes. My husband said if I want to make vegetarian just make falafels. Not my favorite.
Hi Carol, I’m sorry you didn’t love this one. I appreciate your feedback.
This is the absolute best corn chowder. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Thank you! I’m delighted you enjoyed it, Catherine.
We made this last night with Wegmans organic frozen corn, exactly per recipe. Delicious!! We had some smashed up avocado left from breakfast avocado toasts and added a spoonful along with the other suggested toppings. The only think I might change will be to blend a little more or add a little more crepe fraiche next time for a slightly thicker consistency. Thank you!
Hi Cathy! You had me nervous you didn’t like it with the one star review. But, I’m glad you did!
Oh no….I intended it to be a FIVE STAR REVIEW! I am goi g to see if it will accept five stars with this reply. I don’t see a way to correct it otherwise.
No worries! Thank you for responding back. :)
Perfect tummy warming soup for the colder winter months. Wasn’t able to find poblano peppers so used 1.5 bell peppers instead and spiced it up with some chili flakes and cayenne. Added Greek yogurt to the soup + a dollop to each bowl and it was delicious!
Delicious! I didn’t have a red pepper so popped open a jar of roasted red pepper (that I didn’t know what to do with! win/win!) and added that instead. It is so good and is now on my repeat list (along with your vegetarian chili recipe I made last week!). Nice to have more tasty cold-weather soups and stews to mix it up a little.
I’m glad you loved it, Noreen! I appreciate you taking the time to review.
Great recipe! I made it in a pressure cooker, with 1 cup less water, since you don’t lose it when pressure cooking vs simmering in an open pot. Added 1 teaspoon of taco seasoning. Will certainly make this again, and often!
Wonderful, Roy!
This soup made it on my list of favorite soups!! My only regret is not doubling the recipe. I tripled the chili powder and added a jalapeño, but next time I’ll add even more chili powder and a 2nd jalapeño! I also used 2% Fage Greek yogurt and it worked perfectly.
Hi Chris! I’m happy you loved it.
Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Even with canned corn (fresh or frozen corn is not si easy to find here in France) it came out really well.
I left the crème fraîche out as well as I didn’t feel in a creamy mood but butter really did the trick!
This “soup” was a big success, even though husband and children were all “Oh non, pas encore de la soupe !”… Then they looked… and then they tasted… and then “Miam !”.
As for me, I was amazed at how easy it was.
Both comforting and exotic (to us) + super easy = perfect !
You’re welcome, Marion! I’m happy you loved this recipe.
I’m making this for a corn chowder cookoff. Question: Soup seems so much better after it sits a day or two. Is it better to present same day as cooking or present after sitting?
I think it’s great same day and leftovers. Good luck!
This was delicious and so easy to make I cut the recipe in half! Any chance you could add a feature to reduce the recipes/update the amounts?
Hi Jen, I have increase but I’m not sure about decreasing as not all recipes would work that way. It’s a thought though!
Thank you very much Kate! This soup is so delicious!!!
I’m glad you love it! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for this recipe! I know that in clam chowder recipe there’re used whole milk or cream. Is it possible substitute for sour cream or Greek yogurt?
Do you think I could make this in a crockpot?
Hi Andrea, I recommend it as is so you get maximum flavor.