Best Summer Corn and Zucchini Chowder

Savor the taste of summer in every spoonful of this **summer corn and zucchini chowder**. After making this many times, I’ve discovered the trick to keeping it creamy yet light. Jump to Recipe or keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Try this with my Crispy Baked Lemon Herb Chicken and Pair it with my Tropical Mango Cookies for a perfect summer meal.

What You'll Need for Best Summer Corn and Zucchini Chowder

Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.

• 4 cups fresh corn kernels
• 2 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 slices bacon, diced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Optional: Chopped fresh parsley
• Optional: Crumbled bacon
• Optional: Shredded cheddar cheese

How to Make Best Summer Corn and Zucchini Chowder

1. Step 1: In a large pot, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, but keep the grease in the pot.
2. Step 2: Add onion and garlic to the pot, cooking until softened. Stir in zucchini and corn, cooking for 5 minutes.
3. Step 3: Stir in chicken broth, salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, and cayenne (if using). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Step 4: Use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup, leaving some chunks for texture. Stir in heavy cream and cook for another 5 minutes.
5. Step 5: Ladle into bowls and top with crispy bacon, fresh parsley, and shredded cheese (if using).

Storing & Reheating Best Summer Corn and Zucchini Chowder

Short-Term Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Make-ahead tip: This soup can be made ahead and reheated for a quick meal.

Freezing Best Summer Corn and Zucchini Chowder

Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave, stirring every 2 minutes until hot.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
• Best substitution: If you can't find fresh corn, frozen works just as well.
• Make-ahead: This soup freezes well. Make a big batch and freeze individual portions for later.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved depending on how many you're serving.
• Troubleshooting: If your soup is too thick, thin it out with a little more chicken broth. If it's too thin, let it simmer for a few more minutes to reduce.

Best Summer Corn and Zucchini Chowder

⏱

Prep

15 mins

🍳

Cook

30 mins

⏳

Total

45 mins

🍽

Serves

6 servings

🥗

Diet

Gluten-free, Dairy-free

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 4 cups fresh corn kernels
• 2 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 slices bacon, diced

Seasonings

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Optional Toppings

• Chopped fresh parsley
• Crumbled bacon
• Shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large pot, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, but keep the grease in the pot.
2. Step 2: Add onion and garlic to the pot, cooking until softened. Stir in zucchini and corn, cooking for 5 minutes.
3. Step 3: Stir in chicken broth, salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, and cayenne (if using). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Step 4: Use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup, leaving some chunks for texture. Stir in heavy cream and cook for another 5 minutes.
5. Step 5: Ladle into bowls and top with crispy bacon, fresh parsley, and shredded cheese (if using).

Notes

• Chef tip: For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
• Best substitution: If you can't find fresh corn, frozen works just as well.
• Make-ahead: This soup freezes well. Make a big batch and freeze individual portions for later.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved depending on how many you're serving.
• Troubleshooting: If your soup is too thick, thin it out with a little more chicken broth. If it's too thin, let it simmer for a few more minutes to reduce.

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Oven reheat: Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
• Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave, stirring every 2 minutes until hot.
• Make ahead: This soup can be made ahead and reheated for a quick meal.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 280
• Protein: 9g
• Fat: 12g
• Carbs: 34g
• Fiber: 4g
• Sugar: 6g
• Sodium: 800mg
• Cholesterol: 45mg
• Sat. Fat: 6g

Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.

Best Summer Corn and Zucchini Chowder FAQs

A Warm Final Note

I can’t wait for you to try Best Summer Corn and Zucchini Chowder and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!