How to Prepare a Delicious Spicy Corn Chowder
Spicy corn chowder is comfort food with a kick. It’s creamy, bold, and packed with sweet corn flavor. You get the rich, cozy texture of a classic chowder, but with just enough heat to wake things up. It’s the kind of soup that makes you go back for seconds—maybe even thirds.
This recipe hits the balance between fresh and fiery. Sweet corn, smoky spices, and a splash of cream come together fast. You’ll chop, sauté, simmer, and be eating in under an hour. Perfect for chilly evenings, lazy weekends, or when you need something hearty but still exciting.
Don’t worry if you’re not a spice lover. You can tone it down—or turn it up. Use fresh jalapeño for brightness or go smoky with chipotle. Add a pinch of cayenne or a few dashes of hot sauce to taste. This chowder welcomes personal touches.
Serve it with crusty bread or a crisp salad. It’s also great on its own, straight from the pot. However you enjoy it, spicy corn chowder delivers flavor and comfort in every spoonful. Let’s get cooking. You’re going to love how simple—and satisfying—this one is.
Spicy Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large onion grated coarsely
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 3 large red potatoes peeled & cut into ½ inch dice
- 4 cups corn fresh or frozen
- 1½ cups whole milk
- salt & pepper to taste
- Tabasco sauce to taste
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat oil and melt butter. Add the onion and sauté until soft, not brown.
- Add flour and stir for 1-2 minutes until smooth.
- Add the stock gradually, being sure to stir constantly to incorporate the flour.
- Add the potatoes and corn. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Transfer half of the soup to a separate bowl. Ladle this soup, a little at a time, into a blender. Puree until creamy smooth.
- You can return the soup puree from the blender back into the pot as you go.
- When done, add milk, salt, pepper and Tabasco to taste.
- Adjust the spiciness of the soup with the Tabasco. Return to heat, bring to a desired temperature and serve. Garnish with chives.
Notes
Cooking Tips
| Tip | Why It Helps |
|---|---|
| Use fresh or frozen corn | Fresh corn gives sweetness and texture. Frozen corn is convenient and still flavorful. |
| Char the corn | Lightly charring corn in a skillet or grill adds a smoky depth to the chowder. |
| Sauté the aromatics well | Onions, garlic, and peppers need time to soften and release flavor before adding liquids. |
| Use starchy potatoes | Yukon Gold or russet potatoes break down slightly, thickening the soup naturally. |
| Blend part of the chowder | Pureeing a portion gives it body while keeping chunks for texture. |
| Add spice in layers | Start with chili powder or jalapeños early, then adjust with hot sauce at the end. |
| Finish with cream or coconut milk | This mellows the heat and adds a rich, smooth finish. |
| Garnish before serving | Top with fresh herbs, lime, or crispy bacon to add color and contrast. |
YUM! Cookbook
This Spicy Corn Chowder recipe is from Jeffrey Spear, a “marketing guru” working with manufacturers of food, beverage, and other lifestyle products” and was published in the cookbook Yum! Tasty Recipes From Culinary Greats.
Yum is a collection of over 100 great recipes from chefs, restaurateurs, cookbook writers, and culinary marketers sharing some of their favorite recipes.
This collaboration was put together by Microplane, the manufacturer of some of my favorite culinary tools that you may be familiar with, and who are donating 100% of their profits from the sale of the book to the National Kidney Foundation (www.kidney.org).
Some of the writers may be familiar to you, including Rick Bayless, Sara Moulton, Susanna Foo, Gael Greene, and Charlie Trotter, and then there are some, like the author of this recipe, who may be new to you.
I was fortunate to receive this cookbook from Kimberly Goldstein, who works for the publisher Cumberland House in Nashville, Tennessee, and specializes in cookbooks, among other things. Thank you, Kim, for sending Yum to me. I can’t wait to try these great-looking recipes and share some with my readers.
Yum is available at Amazon.com
6 Responses
This looks easy and good and I just happen to have a bag of frozen corn in my freezer – perfect
I can’t wait to try this! I wonder how the addition of some tender shrimp would fare in this one?!
Tracy, I’m sure they will be delicious. Let us know the results.
AMAZING!!!
Have you tried grilling the corn? I love grilled corn, completely changes the flavor, and I think would make a nice addition to this recipe.
Hi Chris, I have grilled corn and enjoy the flavor too. You’re right, it would make for a nice addition to this recipe, plus many others.