Corn Chowder

Corn chowder is a gluten-free Brazilian soup (sopa de milho verde) that is quick and easy to make with yellow corn, potato, yogurt, and other simple ingredients. Serve it with hot Italian sausage if desired, or make it vegan.

Corn Chowder Recipe

Late summer is the peak of corn season in the United States. On the other hand, it is the rainy season (or winter) in Brazil.

No matter the season, it is most available all year round: fresh, canned, or frozen in both countries.

This comforting and quick Brazilian Corn Chowder (Sopa de Milho Verde in Portuguese) makes one of those easy dinner ideas anyone can cook all year round.

If you have ever tasted American Corn Chowder, I know you will become a fan of our soup.

It is quite simple to prepare, requiring no special skills. All one has to do is to cook diced onions and minced garlic in vegetable oil, add chicken or vegetable broth, chunks of potatoes and corn kernels, stir in salt and pepper...

... and let the soup cook for about 12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Milk, cream, or yogurt is blended with the cooked soup in a blender until creamy.

Reserved corn kernels are added to the blended soup, and the corn chowder is served warm with a sprinkle of chopped fresh chives and chunks of cooked Italian hot sausage (if desired).

Unlike typical American corn chowders, our soup is gluten-free.

Potatoes are used as the thickening agent instead of a roux (i.e. a mixture of flour and butter cooked together).

Our Brazilian corn chowder doesn't call for bacon like its American cousin. It is vegetarian -- although spicy Italian sausage (linguiça calabresa) can be used to garnish the top of the soup if you want.

One of its pros is that Brazilian corn chowder is easier to prepare and lighter than its American counterpart -- yet very flavorful.

As a side note, there is more than one version of this soup -- with variations in ingredients and textures.

Some versions are creamy like a bisque while others, such as ours, are chunky like a chowder.

It is a well-known recipe in Minas Gerais state as well as in the Northeastern region.

Ingredients and Substitutions for Potato Corn Chowder

To make this 30-minute corn chowder recipe which doesn't call for a roux, use simple pantry ingredients as follows: 

• Vegetable oil -- You may use olive oil if you want, or butter.
• Onion -- White or yellow onion.
• Garlic cloves
• Broth -- use vegetable broth for a vegan version or low-sodium chicken broth. Chicken stock is good as well! 
• Potato -- I used Yukon potato which is all-purpose! It makes the chowder thick without a roux. 
• Corn -- Use either drained canned sweet corn or fresh yellow corn. If using frozen corn, reduce a little the amount of broth. 
• Salt and pepper 
• Plain Greek yogurt -- or heavy cream. For vegan corn chowder, use plant-based milk and more potatoes to thicken and make it creamy. 
• Hot Italian sausage (optional) -- If you are vegan, skip it!
• Fresh chives -- or use any herb of choice such as parsley or green onions.

How to Easily Remove Corn Silk

After shucking the corn,  remove the silk threads by brushing the corn with a firm bristled brush or with a clean toothbrush.

The bristles remove the silk quickly and easily!

Corn: Fresh, Frozen, or Canned?

Each of the below will work for this Brazilian corn chowder recipe: 

• Fresh corn on the cob: It will give this corn chowder the best flavor! But if not in season, use frozen or canned corn.
• Frozen Corn: Because it will add extra liquid to our potato corn chowder, subtract about ¼ to ⅓ cup of the broth from the recipe. It will save you time cleaning and cutting the corn on the cob. 
• Canned Corn: Use (1) 29 oz can of sweet yellow corn, drained.

Can You Make Potato Corn Chowder With Frozen Corn?

Yes, you can but it won't have the same intense corn flavor as fresh corn. Because frozen corn contains more liquid, add an extra potato and subtract about ¼ cup of broth from our recipe. 

How to Make Brazilian Corn Chowder

1. Heat a medium pot over medium heat, add the oil, and sweat the onion for about 4 minutes, stirring now and then. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in the broth and increase the heat to medium-high. Stir in the potato chunks, 2 ¼ cups of corn kernels, salt, and pepper.
3. Let cook for about 12 minutes or until potato is fork tender. Blend soup in the blender or food processor with the yogurt or heavy cream in a blender until creamy. Adjust the seasonings if needed.
4. Add the remaining 1 cup of corn kernels and serve while the potato corn chowder is warm. It can be garnished on top with chunks of cooked sausage and chopped fresh chives. 

What to Serve With Corn Chowder

The choices are endless. It goes well with:

• Portuguese cornbread or another crusty bread
• Gluten-free breadsticks
• Easy no yeast bread recipe
• Corn bread with basil
• Air fryer shrimp (to serve on top, replacing the sausage)
• Chopped baked chicken breast (to replace sausage)
• Crackers
• Chopped cooked bacon

How to Make a Thicker Corn Chowder

For a thicker soup, add an extra Yukon potato and blend it. T

The potatoes will be the thickening agent for this corn chowder. This is why you need no flour!

How to Store and Freeze Corn Chowder

Store leftover chowder in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

You may freeze the chowder for up to 2 months. However, it will change its texture and not be quite as creamy.

Reheat it over low heat until hot, stirring often. Add extra heavy cream or plant-based milk if needed.

You may also puree the thawed soup to make it creamy again.

Corn Chowder Variations

• Chicken corn chowder (It uses chicken broth and shredded or chopped chicken breast instead of sausage)
• Potato Corn chowder (This replaces the roux, making the soup naturally gluten-free. This is our chowder)  
• Vegan corn chowder (it uses vegetable broth and replaces dairy for plant-based milk) 
• Corn chowder with bacon (It is served with cooked bacon on top. Make sure to replace the oil with bacon fat for boosting the flavor of the corn chowder)
• Shrimp and corn chowder (It replaces sausage with cooked shrimp)
• Instant pot corn chowder (The chowder is made in the Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker instead of on the stovetop like ours. It requires less broth). 

Other corn recipes

• Sweet Corn Cake
• Brazilian Corn Magic Custard Cake
• Creamy Corn Gratin
• Grilled Corn on the Cob in Foil
• Mexican Cornbread Dressing Casserole Recipe
• Sweet Corn Pudding
• Chocolate Popcorn
• Cuscuz de Milho (Sweet Cornmeal Couscous)

PIN & ENJOY!

POST FIRST PUBLISHED ON NOVEMBER 28, 2016.