Creamy Corn Chowder Peppers (Printable)

Velvety chowder blending sweet corn, tender potatoes, and vibrant red peppers with creamy richness and fresh chives.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 1 large red bell pepper, diced
05 - 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
06 - 4 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

08 - 4 cups vegetable broth
09 - 1 cup whole milk
10 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

→ Seasonings & Garnish

11 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
12 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (for garnish)
16 - Optional: pinch of cayenne pepper for heat

# Directions:

01 - Heat butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and red bell pepper, sautéing for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add diced potatoes, corn, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and thyme. Stir to evenly distribute ingredients.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until potatoes are tender.
05 - Purée about one-third of the soup directly in the pot using an immersion blender, or transfer a portion to a blender and return it to the pot, leaving remaining chunks intact.
06 - Stir in whole milk and heavy cream, then simmer gently for 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - Ladle chowder into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh chives. Serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means you can serve something genuinely impressive on a weeknight without losing your mind.
  • The partial blending creates that velvety richness without making it feel heavy or pretentious—it's comfort food that still tastes like itself.
  • Fresh or frozen corn both work beautifully, so you're never stuck waiting for the perfect season.
02 -
  • Don't blend the entire soup or it becomes a smooth puree when what you really want is texture—the whole kernels and vegetable pieces are what make this feel substantial and interesting.
  • If you're using an immersion blender and it sputters or sprays, make sure the blade is fully submerged below the liquid surface before you turn it on.
  • Taste as you go with the salt because vegetable broth brands vary wildly in their sodium content, and you don't want to oversalt and ruin the delicate sweetness of the corn.
03 -
  • If you find the soup too thick after blending, thin it with a splash more broth or milk rather than trying to heat it further—prolonged heat after adding dairy can sometimes cause it to separate.
  • Prep your vegetables the night before and store them in containers in the fridge, which means you can have this on the table in under thirty minutes on a busy weeknight.

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