- You can easily prepare this soup from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook using fresh or frozen corn.
- The soup uses simple ingredients that can be combined in one pot and cooked in about 30 minutes.
- Garten suggests serving the chowder with half of a grilled cheese sandwich for an extra-cozy meal.
As schools coast to coast ease back into session, Ina Garten offers us a delightful recipe for a “perfect late-summer lunch when it’s a little chilly outside and the corn is still delicious.” This recipe is from her 1999 book, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, and according to Garten, it is “easy to make and so satisfying!”
Once you try this flavorful soup, you may find yourself eagerly awaiting the next corn harvest. While fresh corn is truly wonderful when it’s freshly picked, it’s important to note that frozen corn is harvested and flash-frozen at its peak ripeness. In reality, you can enjoy this soup anytime you feel inspired to make it. Read on to learn more.
The beginner-friendly Cheddar Corn Chowder recipe, found on her website, has made its way onto our weekend menus. (BTW, it’s remarkably similar to this Corn Chowder with Bacon we developed and love!)
Any recipe that starts with cooking 8 ounces of bacon, as this one does, can’t be bad. After removing the crispy bacon from the pan, Garten suggests cooking the onions in the bacon fat. Then it’s time to make a paste to thicken the chowder with flour, anti-inflammatory turmeric, salt and pepper.
Chicken stock, potatoes and the star of the show—10 cups of blanched fresh corn kernels—join the party. Half-and-half and Cheddar cheese are the final two components; then all that’s left to do is simmer and serve with that crispy bacon crumbled on top.
We have plans to make this cozy recipe, subbing plain plant-based or dairy milk for the half-and-half. But we’ll be eating it the Garten way, since she says we should “always” eat this soup with half of a grilled cheese sandwich.
