Name: Simple Corn and Zucchini Chowder
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil; 2 strips bacon, chopped (or 1/4 cup bacon bits); 1 cup chopped yellow onion (about ½ large onion); 2 garlic cloves, minced; 2-3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes; 4 cups chicken broth; 3 cups of corn (any kind works! If you’re using fresh corn, this is about 4 ears of corn); 1 medium zucchini, diced into ½-inch cubes (1½ cups); 1 cup half and half or whipping cream; 1 tablespoon ground thyme; 1 tablespoon creole seasoning; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper; chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

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Corn and Zucchini Chowder is a creamy, healthy and delicious summer soup that’s simple to whip up and perfect for any time of the year!

Our family loves soup, and this year we are committed to trying one new soup recipe every week during the fall (like this Easy Crockpot Sausage & Tortellini Soup). We also love veggies, and try to incorporate them as much as possible into our daily life.

Zucchini and corn are staples in our summer cooking, and we love finding new ways to incorporate them into meals (like this Zucchini, Onion & Sweet Corn Pie). This simple corn and zucchini chowder is an easy summer soup that makes use of the abundance of corn and zucchini at the stores during spring and summer!

Zucchini aids in digestion, is high in antioxidants is also rich in nutrients. It’s also been reported that it can help improve heart health and reduce blood sugar levels, too!

This corn and zucchini chowder is incredibly simple to make, and also easy to make substitutions! Don’t have raw bacon (or not in the mood to fry it up)? Use bacon bits! Not a fan of zucchini? Sub in another vegetable, like peppers, carrots, celery, parsnips, or anything else in your fridge, or just double up on the corn or potatoes.

If you like a spicy soup, you can also add some diced jalapeños or a few dashes of cayenne pepper! This simple corn and zucchini chowder is a perfect summer soup.

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Ingredients Needed for Zucchini Corn Chowder

image shows all of the ingredients needed for zucchini soup

This creamy zucchini soup is delicious any time of the year! To make it, you’ll need the following ingredients. You can also scroll down to the printable recipe card for the complete measurements.

Butter or coconut oil
Chopped bacon or bacon bits
Diced yellow onion
Minced garlic cloves
Diced potatoes
Chicken broth or vegetable broth
Corn
Zucchini
Half and half or heavy whipping cream
Ground thyme
Creole seasoning
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Optional: fresh parsley to garnish

You’ll also need the following kitchen tools:

Dutch oven or heavy-duty stockpot (I like this Dutch oven, and am also obsessed with this pot too! It remains one of the best investments I’ve made for cooking)

Immersion blender (this is the one I personally own)

image shows two bowls of zucchini corn potato bacon chowder

Any kind of corn works for this recipe! If you’re using fresh corn, this is about 4 ears of corn.

I love to use up garden zucchini with this recipe, but you can also use frozen for this zucchini soup too. No thawing is necessary!

While I chose not to add cheese to this corn and zucchini chowder, you can easily add a cup once it’s done cooking if you love a cheesy chowder. Mild cheddar cheese, sharp cheddar, white cheddar, Colby jack cheese and Parmesan cheese would all be delicious.

You can also skip the half and half if you don’t want to add the calories. It tastes amazing without it, but I like adding it for a little bit more creaminess.

How to Make Zucchini Corn Chowder

In a large heavy-duty stockpot or large dutch oven, melt the butter or coconut oil over medium heat. If you’re using fresh bacon, add it to the pot and cook until the bacon renders its fat and begins to brown (about 3-4 minutes).

Add onion, garlic, thyme and creole seasoning. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, stirring a few times as they cook (about 5 minutes).

Add the potatoes and broth and cover. If you’re using bacon bits instead of fresh bacon, add them now. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the potatoes are halfway cooked.

Add the zucchini, corn and half and half. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for an additional 8-12 minutes or until the vegetables are completely tender.

Remove half of the chowder and puree the remaining chowder with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir the remaining mixture back into the pot.

Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley and a side of garlic bread!

Tips to Make the Best Zucchini Corn Chowder

What kind of potatoes should I use for this zucchini soup recipe?

I used Yukon gold potatoes for this creamy corn chowder. However, you can experiment with different kinds, like sweet potatoes or red potatoes.

Can you freeze corn chowder?

Yes, you can absolutely freeze this zucchini corn chowder! Cream-based soups can sometimes be weird with freezing, and you might have more luck leaving the dairy out.

Let the soup fully cool to room temperature before freezing. I recommend freezing it in soup blocks first before transferring them once frozen to a gallon freezer bag. I use and love these Souper Cubes!

Leftover corn chowder will last up to 3 months in the freezer.

Looking for other easy soup recipes? Here are some of my family’s favorites:

Easy Crockpot Sausage & Tortellini Soup

Sweet Potato, Bacon & Kale Soup