Healthy Corn Chowder

Healthy Corn Chowder with aged cheddar as a topping is a great way to use those leftovers of corn or do something different with it. This creamy and cheesy soup with saline herbs will close the summer on a high note!

Corn season is finally here, and what better way to celebrate the season than a healthy corn chowder with a topping of aged cheddar? The days are getting slowly colder and shorter, and we must comfort ourselves with hot soup. Where I’m from, Quebec, Canada, everyone knows that the “best” corns are from that small town called Neuville between Quebec City and Montreal. If they pass by, almost everyone I know has to stop by to get at least one mega bag that contains 60 corns for about 20$ CAD.

Once home, we would eat corn until food coma follows, whether by boiling it or grilling it in its leaves (technique below), but here is another way to use that lovely sweet corn; a creamy yet healthy corn chowder. Whether the corn is already cooked or raw, the technique stays the same: cut off the grains from the corn with a sharp knife to make some smooth soup. A great way to indulge in the corn!

Corn in its Leaves (BBQ Recipe)

My family’s favourite way to make fresh corn is to soak them up in the water for an hour before cooking them on the BBQ with its leaves on for 10 minutes, turning them every 2 minutes. Better to take off some of those thicker leaves from the top of the corn. You’ll see, it makes super moist and slightly smoky corns. Delicious stuff!

Salicorne (optional)

Salicorne is a seasonal marine herb growing in saline water which gives a super aromatic for any soup. I thought of home while doing this dish; these herbs brought me back. My grandma was from a region called Bas-du-Fleuve, where those Salicorne herbs would grow abundantly, and she would make her mix of saline herbs in conserves to make fantastic soups all year long with it.

Those conserves are essential to every Quebecois kitchen. They are usually without salicorne, called “Herbes salées,” but if you use the Salicorne, you get all the greatness my grandma called ” Herbes Salées du bas du Fleuve,” is the top-notch of those conserves. With this mix, you wouldn’t need any salt to season your soups, plus they give any dish an extra fresh sea flavour. Salicorne can be challenging to find, but they sell it in some specialty shops in dry form. Many types of saline herbs exist around the globe, so pick up the one more familiar to you, whether it’s called glasswort, pickleweed, samphire, etc. If you don’t have those herbs at home, use sea salt.

The Technique

Sometimes people make a roux for thickening their soups, but here no need for extra flour or cornstarch; you have to blend up the cooked potato and corn in the end, and you’ll get a super smooth base. Plus, a nice bite from those reserved corn grains.

Additionally, the turmeric powder will bring this nice bright yellow colour to the chowder, plus it’s a super healthy spice. As for the yellow bell pepper, I added mine at the end for a nice fresh crunch, but if you prefer, you can add it at the beginning of the cooking. Like any other chowder… it’s better to wait a few hours before serving, to make all those flavours merge. Just be careful; once the cream and cheese are in, you should not overheat the soup; warm it up gently until fuming but not boiling. Otherwise, it will curdle.

Other Yummy Soups

• ASIAN BONE BROTH SOUP
• ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH, LEEK AND FRIED SAGE SOUP
• SHIITAKE MUSHROOM SOUP

So let’s make this chowder!

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Healthy Corn Chowder

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6 soups

Calories 169

Healthy Corn Chowder with aged cheddar as a topping is a great way to use those leftovers of corn or do something different with it. This creamy and cheesy soup with saline herbs will close the summer on a high note!

Ingredients

• 4 corns
• 1 big potato
• 1 l vegetable broth
• 200 ml cream
• 2 small onions
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper (*optional)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp turmeric powder (*optional)
• aged cheddar (to taste)
• salt and pepper
• 1 tsp salicorn (*optional)

Instructions 

• Start by softening the onions in olive oil or butter for 5 minutes.
• Cut the corn grains with a knife and dice all the vegetables.
• Add the diced potato, garlic, corn grains, *Salicorne marine herbs and laurel leaf to the softened onions.
• Add the broth and bring to a simmer.
• Cook slowly, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes.
• Once cooked, take out the bay leaf.
• Blend with the immersion blender the soup until half smooth (you still want some pieces here and there).
• Bring to a simmer and season with salt and pepper.

Notes

Add the grated aged cheddar as a topping on the table.

Author: Marie Breton

Calories: 169kcal

Course: Sopa

Keyword: aged cheddar, chowder, healthy, popcorn, potatoes, soup

Nutrition

Calories: 169kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 675mg | Potassium: 270mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 915IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition Facts

Healthy Corn Chowder

Amount per Serving

Calories

169

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

12

g

18

%

Saturated Fat

 

8

g

50

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

1

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

3

g

Cholesterol

 

38

mg

13

%

Sodium

 

675

mg

29

%

Potassium

 

270

mg

8

%

Carbohydrates

 

14

g

5

%

Fiber

 

2

g

8

%

Sugar

 

4

g

4

%

Protein

 

2

g

4

%

Vitamin A

 

915

IU

18

%

Vitamin C

 

29

mg

35

%

Calcium

 

38

mg

4

%

Iron

 

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.