What’s better than ham? Ham with corn! This soup is one of my favorite meals for when I’m down in the dumps or not feeling well. I love how this food fills me up, makes me feel good, and makes my house smell delicious. If you’re looking for a soup that is easily one of the most delicious soups around, I recommend this creamy ham and corn dish.
This recipe also comes with some other delicious ingredients that you won’t forget: potatoes with corn, bacon, cream, celery, and more. It’s all food that I often have on hand, so I don’t have to make a lot of extra trips to the grocery store to make this for my family. And, on a cold winter night, there’s nothing quite like this soup to fill your stomach and warm your body.
The creamy texture of this soup is definitely a winner if you like milk-based soups (which, I do).
Some other great features about this recipe include how family-friendly it is. What kid doesn’t love a good soup with bacon and corn? It’s easy to feed to a crowd and makes a lot of leftovers too. In other words, it’s basically the perfect weeknight dish for busy parents and working people.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Here are some of the best features about this recipe:
- Easy: If you follow my site you know how much I value easy-to-cook meals, and this one sure does follow that pattern!
- Simple, delicious ingredients: This is the kind of recipe I like to make regularly, so I have the ingredients on hand throughout the winter.
- Creamy and filling: There’s nothing quite like creamy, filling, delicious soups to make your night.
- Full of flavor: You won’t need to salt this recipe heavily! It’s got lots of delicious flavor you’ll love.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Cream: If you don’t have heavy cream in the refrigerator, you can swap it for sour cream.
Potatoes: I’ve selected red potatoes because I often have them on hand, but if you have a different type of potato (like russets or Yukon golds), then you can use those instead.
Spices: Switch the spices with other seasonings as you see fit. Do you like hot spice? Try adding cayenne powder or even a little cumin to your recipe.
Corn: The type of corn you choose depends on you. You can choose fresh corn, canned corn, or frozen.
Tips for Success
This recipe is easy! The trickiest part of this recipe is the roux, that is, the thickening agent that you add to the chowder near the end. Here are some tips to be sure that your roux will work well:
- Stir flour and butter constantly: Don’t let the flour and butter sit on the hot pan – keep stirring as you mix the flour and butter together.
- Stir the milk too: Milk can scald or burn, so keep stirring it as it starts to boil.
- Get experimental: You don’t have to follow this recipe exactly – feel free to make it your own!
Storage & Reheating
This recipe keeps well in the refrigerator for about three days. Let it cool on the counter and then seal it in an airtight container. You can freeze this chowder as well, but potatoes can change texture once thawed. If you do plan to freeze this, consider leaving potatoes out and replacing them with something else, or adding potatoes after thawing. Freeze in individual portions if possible.
To reheat this dish, thaw in the refrigerator overnight (if frozen), then reheat on the stove over low to medium heat.
Serving Suggestions
This soup doesn’t need to be paired with anything — it’s definitely hearty enough to be consumed on its own — but I love combining this soup with rolls or crusty bread and a salad!
FAQs
Can I make this dish ahead of time?
You can make this dish ahead of time and reheat the next day. You may need to add broth to the dish to refresh. You can also freeze, but the potatoes will change texture during the freezing and thawing process — if you plan to freeze, consider cooking the potatoes separately and adding them later.
Can this dish be made vegetarian?
You can make this dish by substituting the ham for lentils or a plant-based meat substitute.
Are there other ways to thicken this dish?
You can thicken this dish by adding flour directly to the broth, or by adding a combination of cornstarch and water to the soup.
Notes
This is one of my favorite meals to make when I need something comforting and easy to consume. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Creamy Southern Ham and Potato Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 2 cups Smoked ham pre-cooked and cubed
- 3 cups Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and finely diced
- 2 cups Sweet corn frozen, fresh, or canned and drained
- ½ cup Yellow onion finely chopped
- ½ cup Celery finely chopped
- 3 tbsp. Unsalted butter
- 3 cups Low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 can 10.5 oz. Condensed cream of potato soup
- 1 can 10.5 oz. Condensed cream of celery soup
- 2 cups Half-and-half or whole milk
- 1 tsp. Garlic powder
- ½ tsp. Dried thyme
- ½ tsp. Smoked paprika
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Chopped fresh parsley and crumbled cooked bacon for garnish optional
Instructions
- Melt the 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot or Dutch oven set over medium heat. Drop in the chopped yellow onion and celery, sautéing for 5 to 6 minutes while stirring frequently until the vegetables soften and become fragrant.
- Pour the 3 cups of chicken broth directly into the pot, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Add the finely diced potatoes, garlic powder, dried thyme, and smoked paprika, stirring to distribute the spices uniformly.
- Bring the liquid up to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce the flame to medium-low. Leave the pot uncovered and simmer gently for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the potato cubes are completely fork-tender but not disintegrating.
- Reduce the stove burner heat to low. Stir in the condensed cream of potato soup and condensed cream of celery soup, whisking gently until the thick soup bases dissolve smoothly into the warm broth baseline.
- Add the cubed smoked ham, sweet corn kernels, and 2 cups of half-and-half straight into the pot. Stir carefully to integrate all the elements into a cohesive chowder matrix.
- Let the chowder simmer gently on low heat for an additional 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the dairy sugars from scorching on the bottom of the pan. Do not let the soup come to a boil after adding the half-and-half, as intense bubbling heat can cause the dairy fats to break and curdle.
- Remove the pot from the burner. Taste the velvety broth and adjust with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to your personal preference.
- Ladle the hot, steaming chowder into deep bowls. If desired, scatter fresh chopped parsley and a handful of crispy crumbled bacon over the top of each serving to add a brilliant pop of color and texture.
