MAIN DISH RECIPES

Vegetable Chowder

Updated

A creamy, comforting vegetable chowder loaded with broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, corn and potatoes, with crispy bacon and fresh herbs, all made in one pot.

Prep
25 min
Cook
40 min
Total
1 hr 5 min
Yield
6 servings
Illustration of Vegetable Chowder
AI-generated illustration, not a photo of this recipe.

This chowder is a classic from the KitchenSimplicity archive and a good way to use up the vegetable drawer. Onion, celery, carrot, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower and red pepper are softened in a little bacon fat, then simmered with corn and Yukon Gold potatoes in a lightly thickened base of chicken stock and milk. Fresh thyme, oregano and a bay leaf keep it fragrant, and crisp bacon goes on at the end.

It is a satisfying bowl for chilly autumn evenings and through the rest of soup season, and it is easy to make meatless. Serve it with crusty bread or biscuits for a simple dinner, and pack the leftovers for lunch.

Tips

  • For a meatless chowder, skip the bacon, cook the vegetables in 2 tablespoons of butter or olive oil and use vegetable stock.
  • Diced cooked ham makes a good swap for the bacon.
  • Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently over low heat and add a splash of milk if the chowder has thickened.
  • Cut the vegetables to roughly the same small size so everything cooks evenly and fits on a spoon.

Vegetable Chowder

Prep
25 min
Cook
40 min
Total
1 hr 5 min
Yield
6 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 strips bacon, diced
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 1/2 cup diced celery
  • 1/2 cup diced carrot
  • 1 cup diced zucchini
  • 1 cup small broccoli florets
  • 1 cup small cauliflower florets
  • 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
  • 1 cup peeled, diced Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1 medium)
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (or 3/4 teaspoon dried)
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano (or 3/4 teaspoon dried)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste

Steps

  1. Cook the diced bacon in a medium soup pot over medium heat until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Lift it out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels, leaving the fat in the pot.
  2. Add the onion, celery and carrot to the pot and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until softened.
  3. Add the zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower and red pepper and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more, just until they begin to soften. Transfer all of the vegetables to a bowl.
  4. Melt the butter in the same pot, then sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes, until it smells lightly toasty.
  5. Whisk in the stock a little at a time, letting each addition blend smoothly before adding more. Then slowly whisk in the milk.
  6. Return the cooked vegetables to the pot along with the corn, potatoes, thyme, oregano and bay leaf.
  7. Bring the chowder to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender. Do not let it boil hard, or the milk may separate.
  8. Season with salt and pepper, remove the bay leaf and stir in the bacon (or sprinkle it over each bowl) just before serving.

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