Creamy Corn Chowder Red Peppers (Printable)

A comforting bowl of velvety chowder loaded with sweet corn, tender potatoes, and roasted red peppers.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 large red bell pepper, diced
05 - 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
06 - 3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
07 - 2 celery stalks, diced

→ Liquids

08 - 4 cups vegetable broth (gluten-free if needed)
09 - 1 cup heavy cream
10 - ½ cup whole milk

→ Seasonings

11 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
13 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
14 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
15 - ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

→ Garnishes

16 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped (optional)
17 - Crumbled cooked bacon (optional, omit for vegetarian)

# How to Make It:

01 - Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until translucent.
02 - Add minced garlic, diced red bell pepper, and celery. Sauté for 3 minutes until softened.
03 - Incorporate diced potatoes, corn kernels, smoked paprika, dried thyme, black pepper, and kosher salt. Stir to evenly coat the vegetables with spices.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes until potatoes are tender.
05 - Use an immersion blender to purée about half the soup in the pot to create a creamy consistency, leaving some chunks for texture. Alternatively, blend half of the soup in a countertop blender and return it to the pot.
06 - Stir in the heavy cream and whole milk. Simmer gently for an additional 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh chives and optionally crumbled bacon.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes rich and creamy without needing any tricks or fancy ingredients.
  • You can make it in less than an hour, and it fills the house with the kind of warmth that makes people linger at the table.
  • The roasted red peppers add a sweetness that feels like a secret you've discovered, not something from a recipe.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of blending half the soup—it's what transforms a chunky vegetable soup into a true chowder with body and richness.
  • Taste the soup before you serve it; this is your only real quality control, and salt especially needs adjusting based on your broth.
  • The soup thickens as it cools, so if you're reheating leftovers, you might need to add a splash of broth or milk to get back to chowder consistency.
03 -
  • Make this soup on Sunday and eat it all week—it actually tastes better on day three, when all the flavors have gotten to know each other.
  • If your soup breaks or curdles when you add the cream, it's because the heat was too high; just turn it down and stir gently and it usually comes back together.

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