Summer Corn Zucchini Chowder (Print View)
Creamy corn and zucchini chowder with tender potatoes, perfect for summer comfort dining.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 3 cups fresh corn kernels (about 4 ears)
02 - 2 medium zucchinis, diced
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
04 - 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 2 medium carrots, diced
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Liquids
08 - 4 cups vegetable broth (gluten-free verified)
09 - 1 cup whole milk or unsweetened plant-based milk
→ Spices & Seasonings
10 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
11 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
13 - ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
→ Finish & Garnish
14 - 2 tablespoons olive oil or unsalted butter
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives or parsley, chopped
# How-To Steps:
01 - Heat olive oil or butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and the onions turn translucent.
02 - Add minced garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly golden.
03 - Stir in the cubed potatoes, diced zucchini, and corn kernels. Sprinkle in dried thyme, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Toss to coat all vegetables evenly with the seasonings.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover partially, and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender.
05 - Carefully ladle 2 cups of the chowder into a countertop blender or use an immersion blender directly in the pot. Purée until completely smooth, then return the blended portion back to the pot and stir to combine.
06 - Stir in the milk and simmer gently for another 5 minutes. Do not allow the soup to boil once the milk has been added, as it may curdle.
07 - Taste the chowder and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish generously with fresh chopped chives or parsley before serving.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The natural sweetness of fresh corn means you barely need any seasoning to make this taste incredible.
- Blending just a portion of the soup gives you that velvety chowder texture without heavy cream or flour.
- It comes together in under an hour using only one pot and a blender.
02 -
- Never walk away while garlic is cooking because those thirty extra seconds of inattention will give you bitter, acrid garlic that no amount of broth can fix.
- Blending only a portion of the soup instead of all of it is the trick that gives you creaminess while keeping visible chunks of corn and potato for texture.
03 -
- Run your knife down the cob twice, once to cut the kernels and once to scrape out the milky starch hidden inside, because that starchy liquid is pure thickening power and natural sweetness.
- Salt your broth incrementally and taste as you go, since the corn and potatoes absorb more salt than you might expect and you cannot undo an oversalted pot.