Zucchini Corn Chowder

A creamy zucchini corn chowder loaded with sweet corn, tender zucchini, and Yukon gold potatoes, finished with a bit of Parmesan for extra flavor. It's a hearty, one-pot meal that comes together in under an hour.

Print Pin

Course: Main Course, Side Dish, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: zucchini corn chowder

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 55

Servings: -10

Calories: 297kcal

Author: Lyn Croyle

Equipment

Dutch oven

Ingredients

2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium yellow onion diced
2 stalks celery diced
2 large carrots peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic minced or pressed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
Pinch cayenne pepper plus more to taste
4 cups cubed Yukon gold potatoes (about 1 ½ lbs) cut into 1-inch cubes
6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 ½ teaspoons salt plus more to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste
3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 large zucchini cut into quarters and sliced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup half-and-half
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Optional Toppings

Chopped chives Crumbled bacon, Grated parmesan cheese, Red pepper flakes

Instructions

Heat the oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 5 minutes or until the onion starts to turn translucent.
Add the garlic, thyme, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Saute for another 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
Stir in the potatoes, broth, salt, and black pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a simmer. Reduce to medium and cook for 10 minutes.
Stir in the corn and zucchini. Return the soup to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low. Whisk the cornstarch into the half-and-half. Stir the half-and-half and Parmesan cheese into the soup and heat for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.
Carefully transfer 2-3 cups (depending on your preference – see notes below) of the soup to a blender and blend with the lid vented until smooth or blend with an immersion blender until the soup reaches your preferred consistency.
Stir the blended soup into the pot with the remaining soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy hot with your toppings of choice.

Recipe Tips

Meatier, smoky soup: Swap 3 pieces of chopped thick-cut bacon (or 6 pieces of traditional bacon) for the oil. Brown the bacon for 3-4 minutes before adding the vegetables.
Adjusting the consistency: For a creamier soup, use heavy cream instead of half-and-half. For a lighter soup, swap whole milk.
Keep it low: Be careful not to boil the soup after adding the half-and-half. Keep the heat on low and only let the soup simmer.
Adjust the flavor: Add cayenne pepper to taste, adding more for some heat and leave it out entirely for milder palates.
Soup consistency: Blend more of the soup for a creamier base and less for a chunkier base.
Salting the soup: The amount of extra salt added at the end will depend on the broth used. I added an extra ½ teaspoon of salt (2 teaspoons total).

Nutrition