Apple Corn Chowder is minimally sweet but has maximum flavor! It's a one pot comfort food meal that will satisfy everyone at the table in under 30 minutes!
You'll love the ease with which this tasty homemade corn chowder with apples and bacon comes together. It's a deliciously easy and speedy chowder you can serve for casual or elegant meals. Serve it as a starter or the main course; the choice is yours!
If you're a fan of unique homecooked chowders I have additional recipes I know you'll enjoy;
Here is my Midwestern take on a Clam and Shrimp Chowder. I came up with this recipe for my husband who loves New England clam chowder. He loves this version too.
Creamy Pumpkin Corn Chowder with Shrimp is an easy and seasonal way to upgrade a family favorite. Get ready for rave reviews when you set this thirty-minute meal on the table!
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Jump to:
- 🛒Ingredients for making Apple Corn Chowder:
- 📋Instructions:
- 📅How to make fresh sweet corn last longer
- ✂️Substitutions and variations for this recipe:
- 🍽️What to serve with apple corn chowder?
- 🌽What is the best and cleanest way to shuck corn?
- 🔑How to thicken corn chowder
- ❓FAQs
- 💡Additional corn chowder add-in suggestions
- 🌡️Apple Corn Chowder storage instructions
- Printable Recipe Card
🛒Ingredients for making Apple Corn Chowder:
Please see the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
📋Instructions:
Strip the kernels from 6 ears of fresh sweet corn.
Cut ¾ pound of bacon into 1" pieces.
Partially brown the bacon in a large 5-5½ quart Dutch oven over medium/high heat oven, stirring frequently.
Add one medium diced onion (roughly ¾ cup), and continue cooking, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, peel two firm, tart apples (I used Gala).
Core and dice the apples into approximately ½" pieces.
Add minced garlic to the browning bacon and onion in the Dutch oven.
Add the diced apple to the pot and stir well.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the chicken stock or broth to the pan.
Use a spatula to scrape up the browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the Dutch oven.
Add the corn kernels to the pot,
a bit of butter,
seafood seasoning,
and two bay leaves.
Add the heavy cream, and the apple cider vinegar to the pot. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Ladle the chowder into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.
📅How to make fresh sweet corn last longer
✂️Substitutions and variations for this recipe:
- I used Gala apples in this recipe, but feel free to use any firm textured, sweet and tart apples that are your favorites. Pink lady apples are always a great choice as are Jonagold or even Granny Smith.
- The heavy cream may be substituted with half and half or even whole milk.
- Bacon may be substituted with pancetta, turkey bacon, or even omitted altogether (if desired).
- The apple cider vinegar may be swapped out with fresh lemon juice.
- To make this recipe dairy free, use Silk dairy free heavy whipping cream alternative, and replace the butter with the olive oil.
🍽️What to serve with apple corn chowder?
I like to serve my corn chowder with apples and bacon with a good crusty bread like this recipe for Sally Lunn Batter Bread.
And to make it a full well-rounded meal, how about a colorful fall salad with fresh apples, pears, and roasted fall vegetables. My Fall Chopped Salad is a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds!
But wait, let's not forget about dessert! Since we're already in the apple mode, what about these easy Puff Pastry Apple Turnovers as a sweet ending to a great meal?
🌽What is the best and cleanest way to shuck corn?
🔑How to thicken corn chowder
There are several different ways to thicken a corn chowder if you feel it's necessary.
- Make a roux (equal parts fat and flour) in a skillet (I typically use butter and flour); Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet and add 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Stir well and cook over medium heat until a loose paste forms (about 2 minutes). Add the roux to the hot corn chowder and continue cooking and stirring until thickened.
- Add a can or two of creamed corn to the finished chowder. Heat and serve.
- Mix a slurry of starch (cornstarch, flour, potato starch, or arrowroot) and cold water (2 tablespoons starch and ¼ cup water). Add the well-mixed slurry to the pot of corn chowder, heat and stir until the chowder thickens.
❓FAQs
Yes! It freezes beautifully. Add the cooled chowder to an airtight freezer container and freeze it for up to 6 months.
You bet. I prefer the frozen corn over canned, but canned corn can also be used. Important to note: If using canned corn you may want to cut back on the amount of salt called for in the recipe as canned vegetables have a higher sodium content. Also remember to drain the canned corn before adding it to the pot.
Sure. If using bacon, however, it's preferable to cook the bacon in the pot before sautéing the onion, but in a pinch you can easily chop up the pre-cooked bacon strips and toss them in the pot first with a bit of olive oil for roughly the same effect.
Other than impart it's flavor (as only butter can do), it also add richness and helps the chowder linger on the tongue making the taste more enjoyable, spoonful after spoonful.
The tiny touch of apple cider vinegar may seem like an odd ingredient in this recipe, but it's function is to balance the flavors of the chowder and give the final taste a brightness that is unmatched. I urge you not to omit this ingredient.
Even though this delicious homemade corn chowder comes together on the stovetop in 30 minutes it has a long-cooked flavor and that's thanks to the bay leaves. Remember to take the leaves out of the pot before serving.
💡Additional corn chowder add-in suggestions
- shrimp (raw or cooked)
- crab meat
- cooked chicken (rotisserie or leftover work well)
- cooked sausage
- cooked leftover turkey
- leftover mashed potatoes (will also thicken the chowder)
- spinach or kale
- grated zucchini
- frozen peas
- small can fire-roasted chilies
- cooked pasta
- cooked rice
- toasted croutons as garnish
🌡️Apple Corn Chowder storage instructions
Make sure to cool the chowder very well before adding it to an airtight container. It can be refrigerated for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 6 months.
⭐If you've made this recipe, or are excited to make this recipe, I'd appreciate it if you'd take a moment to leave it a star rating on the recipe card, along with a comment of why you rated as you did.
Google loves ratings and will show my recipes to more people if they have them. Thank you. 🙂
Printable Recipe Card
Apple Corn Chowder
Equipment
- can opener optional
- corn stripper optional
Ingredients
- ¾ pound bacon cut into 1" pieces
- 1 medium yellow onion medium diced (approximately ¾ cup)
- 3 cloves garlic minced finely
- 6 cups corn kernels fresh, frozen, or canned (drained)
- 2 quarts (8 cups) chicken stock or broth low-sodium, optional
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 medium firm sweet/tart apples (Gala shown) peeled and diced into ½" pieces
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ½ teaspoon Old bay seafood seasoning
- 2 medium bay leaves remove before serving
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup chopped parsley optional for garnish
Instructions
- Add the prepared bacon to the Dutch oven over medium/high heat and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
- Add the chopped onion to the pot and continue to cook an additional 4-5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, and diced apples to the pot. Stir well and cook 1-2 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium, and add the chicken broth to the pot. Use a slotted spatula to gently scrape up any of the browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the corn to the pot along with the salt, pepper, seafood seasoning and bay leaves. Simmer (uncovered) for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the heavy cream, butter, and apple cider vinegar. Stir well to heat through and melt the butter.
- Ladle the corn chowder into serving bowls and serve hot with a garnish of fresh chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Thank you so much for visiting me today in my Kudos Kitchen. I hope you found something you'll love and that you'll come back and visit me often. There is always room for you around my table!
Should you have any questions or comments regarding anything you've seen here on my blog, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. It is always my distinct pleasure to respond to you just as soon as I possibly can.
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