By Becky Hardin
Updated Feb 19, 2025
What if I told you that you can enjoy this hearty creamy Bacon Corn Chowder soup not just during the winter but also in summer with seasonal corn? This delicious and easy corn chowder with bacon is loaded with potatoes, corn, bacon, and so much more. I must say it is the ultimate comfort food!
5-Star Reviews
“Had my last ears of sweet corn for the season in the fridge, and wanted to make a chowder. Looked at a dozen different recipes online, and decided on yours. Outstanding recipe! The herbs and nutmeg elevated the finished dish. Definitely a keeper! I’ll be making this again (and again)!” -Renee
Bacon Corn Chowder Recipe
Nothing is as comforting as a big bowl of hearty soup for a lazy weeknight dinner . And my corn chowder with bacon is just that—a warm hug in a bowl! This recipe is a twist on traditional chowder. It is loaded with potatoes, fresh corn, and crispy bacon bites.
Of all the soups I’ve shared, some of my favorites are Creamy Chicken Soup , Skinny Chicken Tortilla Soup , and Thai Coconut Chicken Soup . But my absolute favorite right now is this Bacon Corn Chowder! This chowder has a creamy thick base made and is ready in under an hour! I love to bring it to my dinner table for those cold evenings.
Tips for Beginners
- For a creamier, thicker soup, use full cream instead of half and half or add 1 tablespoon cornflour in the half and half and slowly add to the recipe. Keep stirring.
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 6 slices bacon crisped & crumbled; divided in half
- ▢ 1 medium sweet yellow onion diced
- ▢ 2 garlic cloves minced
- ▢ 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ▢ 4 cups unsalted vegetable or chicken broth/stock
- ▢ 2 bay leaves
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ▢ 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
- ▢ 1/4 teaspoon dried chives
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ▢ ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ▢ ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ▢ 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- ▢ 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes peeled & diced
- ▢ 1 cup half and half
- ▢ 6 cups corn kernels (approx. 8 ears of fresh corn) or a 28.8 oz. bag of frozen corn
- ▢ garnish with crumbled bacon chopped fresh parsley and a couple of dashes of Smoked Paprika or nutmeg
Instructions
- Cut bacon into lardoons (1/8” slices) and cook until almost crisp. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, and discard all except 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the skillet. 6 slices bacon
- Cook diced onion in the bacon grease until onion is translucent. 1 medium sweet yellow onion
- Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds. 2 garlic cloves
- Dust cooked onions with flour and stir to mix well. 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Pour in the vegetable/chicken broth, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, chives, nutmeg, black pepper, salt, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes and diced potatoes. Stir well. Bring liquid to a boil and boil for 10 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to fall apart. With a potato masher, mash the mixture until approximately half the potatoes are mashed. 4 cups unsalted vegetable or chicken broth/stock, 2 bay leaves, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley, 1/4 teaspoon dried chives, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
- Add half and half and corn kernels. Mix thoroughly. 1 cup half and half, 6 cups corn kernels
- Taste the chowder and season with more salt, if needed.
- Simmer for 15-20 minutes over low heat to thicken. Be careful the milk in the chowder doesn’t scald.
- To serve, place soup in bowls. Top with crumbled bacon, fresh chopped parsley, and a couple of dashes of nutmeg or smoked paprika. Enjoy! garnish with crumbled bacon
Becky’s Tips
- Add pre-cooked chicken like rotisserie chicken in place of bacon for variety.
- For a vegetarian chowder, leave out the bacon and use vegetable broth.
- Adjust heat/spiciness per taste.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Bacon Corn Chowder in the Slow Cooker
You can also make this bacon corn chowder in slow cooker. Cook bacon on a skillet, and then add onion and garlic. Transfer to the slow cooker and add everything except the half and half. Cook on slow for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Add half and half and corn. Top with crispy bacon bites before serving!
How to Store
Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for 3-5 days. For reheating, microwave it in 30 second intervals or use a sauce pan over the stovetop.
Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing homemade corn chowder soup due to dairy and vegetables. After thawing vegetables become very mushy (especially potatoes) and the soup base may curdle.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving Bacon Corn Chowder soup as an appetizer , or as an entire meal with Garlic Bread . It could be the perfect starter if you’re having a light chicken or seafood meal, just the right amount of added flavor.
Pull Apart Cheese Bread , Dutch Oven Jalapeno Bread , or Focaccia also pair well with this chowder.
More delicious soups recipes to try
Mexican Cheesy Chicken Chowder Recipe
Shrimp Corn Chowder
New England Clam Chowder
Broccoli and Cheese Soup with Gnocchi (Cheesy Broccoli Gnocchi Soup)
Cheesy Parmesan Meatball Soup Recipe
Chicken Fajita Soup
Minestrone Soup with Orzo and Pancetta
Cheesy Potato Soup
Bacon Corn Chowder Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon crisped & crumbled; divided in half
- 1 medium sweet yellow onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups unsalted vegetable or chicken broth/stock
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon dried chives
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes peeled & diced
- 1 cup half and half
- 6 cups corn kernels (approx. 8 ears of fresh corn) or a 28.8 oz. bag of frozen corn
- garnish with crumbled bacon chopped fresh parsley and a couple of dashes of Smoked Paprika or nutmeg
Instructions
- Cut bacon into lardoons (1/8” slices) and cook until almost crisp. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, and discard all except 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the skillet. 6 slices bacon
- Cook diced onion in the bacon grease until onion is translucent. 1 medium sweet yellow onion
- Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds. 2 garlic cloves
- Dust cooked onions with flour and stir to mix well. 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Pour in the vegetable/chicken broth, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, chives, nutmeg, black pepper, salt, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes and diced potatoes. Stir well. Bring liquid to a boil and boil for 10 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to fall apart. With a potato masher, mash the mixture until approximately half the potatoes are mashed. 4 cups unsalted vegetable or chicken broth/stock, 2 bay leaves, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley, 1/4 teaspoon dried chives, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
- Add half and half and corn kernels. Mix thoroughly. 1 cup half and half, 6 cups corn kernels
- Taste the chowder and season with more salt, if needed.
- Simmer for 15-20 minutes over low heat to thicken. Be careful the milk in the chowder doesn’t scald.
- To serve, place soup in bowls. Top with crumbled bacon, fresh chopped parsley, and a couple of dashes of nutmeg or smoked paprika. Enjoy! garnish with crumbled bacon
Notes
- Add pre-cooked chicken like rotisserie chicken in place of bacon for variety.
- For a vegetarian chowder, leave out the bacon and use vegetable broth.
- Adjust heat/spiciness per taste.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
