Get the Recipe: Southwestern Inspired Corn and Zucchini Chowder
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.
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