Southwestern Inspired Corn and Zucchini Chowder - Supper With Michelle

 

This Southwestern Inspired Corn and Zucchini Chowder may very well be the one soup that you may want to add to your menu this summer. I love this time of year because there always is an abundance of the sweetest corn. Every time I go grocery shopping, I find myself picking up a few ears to have on hand to add into dishes.

For this chowder, I’ve added in a little chili powder along with a jalapeno to add some flavor, but I don’t consider this soup spicy/hot. Feel free to omit or reduce the amount used, if worried. To bring a cool/zingy element to the soup, I personally love to add a little avocado on top along with a squeeze of lime and some green onions and/or cilantro.

Additionally to change this soup up a bit, I can see adding in tomatoes, maybe a small portion of black beans or another protein and even adding some shredded cheese on top. Just be sure to add more vegetable broth/cream if you decide to do that.

This is a lighter chowder with a fairly thin broth, which makes it perfect for the warmer months. But if you’d like it thicker, consider doubling the slurry and using heavy cream in the broth.

 

If you like my Southwestern Inspired Corn and Zucchini Chowder, you may also want to try my Vegetable Rice Soup.

Southwestern Inspired Corn and Zucchini Chowder - Supper With Michelle

Southwestern Inspired Corn and Zucchini Chowder - Supper With Michelle

Southwest Inspired Corn and Zucchini Chowder - Supper With Michelle

Get the Recipe: Southwestern Inspired Corn and Zucchini Chowder

Yield: 4 servings
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
This Southwestern Inspired Corn and Zucchini Chowder may very well be the one soup that you may want to add to your menu this summer. I love this time of year because there always is an abundance of the sweetest corn.
4.93 from 13 reviews
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Ingredients

  • A good drizzle of neutral oil, such as olive oil or vegetable oil
  • 1 large potato (about 1 ½ cups), diced (your choice)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • ½ medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • 1 small jalapeno, seeded and minced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 6 cups low sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt and pepper, tp taste
  • 2 cups corn, I prefer to use fresh corn cut off the cob (about 2 medium ears)
  • 1 medium zucchini, diced
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, to make slurry (if you like for your soup to be thicker or creamier then I recommend doubling this amount)
  • 1 cup half and half, or non-dairy creamer

Optional toppings:

  • avocado, diced
  • scallions, sliced
  • cilantro leaves
  • a squeeze of lime

Equipment

  • 1 Large Pot or Dutch Oven

Instructions

  • Heat a good drizzle of oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add in the potato, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno and sauté’ until the vegetables begin to soften, 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Now add in the garlic, oregano, chili powder, cumin and sauté’ until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Stir in the vegetable broth and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pot and simmer over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Uncover the pot and stir in the corn and zucchini and simmer until the zucchini is tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
  • For the slurry: In a small bowl, add the flour and ladle in a cup of broth and mix well.
  • Turn the heat medium-low. Stir that mixture into the pot along with the half and half and simmer for 2 to 3 more minutes. The soup will thicken slightly. Fish out bay leaf. Taste and add more salt/pepper to your liking.
  • Ladle the soup into your favorite bowl(s) and add any additional toppings, if using.
    Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Your soup color will vary depending on what type of broth that you use. I like to use the vegetable broth mentioned above, which gives my soup that rich yellow color. Also know that the broth in this soup is fairly thin. If you’d like a thicker or creamier soup, then you may want to double the slurry amount.
Serving: 8ounces, Calories: 284kcal, Carbohydrates: 47g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 21mg, Sodium: 54mg, Potassium: 869mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 1107IU, Vitamin C: 58mg, Calcium: 108mg, Iron: 2mg