Summer Corn and Zucchini Chowder with Bacon
When the garden is overflowing with zucchini, squash, and sweet summer corn, this Summer Corn and Zucchini Chowder with Bacon is exactly what you need to put it all to good use. It’s hearty and comforting without being heavy, making it a perfect end-of-summer soup. The smoky bacon, fresh garden vegetables, and creamy cheese base come together in a way that feels both wholesome and indulgent.
I love that this chowder is flexible — you can swap in different cheeses, sneak in extra veggies, or keep it classic with sharp cheddar and Parmesan. And let’s be honest: anytime bacon is involved, you know it’s going to be good.
And check out these other great recipes while you are here!
Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Creamy Italian Sausage and Gnocchi Soup
Smoked Turkey Leg Stew with Beans and Cabbage
Why You’ll Love This Chowder
- Farmhouse fresh: Uses classic garden vegetables like zucchini, squash, carrots, and sweet corn.
- Comforting but not heavy: Thickened naturally by blending part of the soup instead of flour or cornstarch.
- Flexible with cheese: Parmesan adds depth, but you can mix in sharp cheddar, smoked Gouda, Monterey Jack, or Gruyère.
- Perfect for late summer: A cozy way to transition from summer to fall meals.
Ingredient Notes
- Bacon – Crispy, smoky, and used twice: for flavoring the base and as a garnish.
- Garden veggies – Zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, celery, onion, and corn bring color and freshness.
- Potatoes – Yellow potatoes give body and creaminess without making the soup too heavy.
- Seasonings – A mix of Kinder’s The Blend, Goya Adobo, thyme, and a pinch of red pepper flakes for balance.
- Cheese – Sharp cheddar + Parmesan are classic, but smoked Gouda or Gruyère can take it up a notch.
- Heavy cream – Adds richness without overpowering the fresh veggie flavors.
Instructions
Cook the bacon – In a Dutch oven, cook 8 slices of chopped bacon until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Sauté the aromatics – In the bacon drippings, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add diced onion, celery, and carrots. Season with The Blend, Adobo, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Cook about 5 minutes.
Add corn and garlic – Stir in fresh corn kernels (from 4 ears) and 5 minced garlic cloves.
Simmer with potatoes – Add 2 large yellow potatoes (bite-sized pieces) and 4 cups chicken broth. Cover and simmer 8 minutes until potatoes start to soften.
Add zucchini & squash – Stir in 1 large zucchini and 2 yellow squash (sliced into quarters). Cook another 8 minutes until tender.
Blend a little – Use an immersion blender to blend just part of the soup, leaving chunks for texture. This thickens it naturally. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a food processor, a juice blender or even a potato masher!
Finish creamy – Stir in 1 cup heavy cream, 1 cup sharp cheddar, and ½ cup Parmesan. Mix on low until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer gently – Let chowder rest on low heat about 15 minutes to thicken. You can stir the bacon back in but I don’t care for the texture it gets after a while. I just use it as garnish!
Serve & garnish – Ladle your Summer Corn and Zucchini Chowder with Bacon into bowls. Top with crispy bacon, fresh parsley, and a little extra cheddar.
Serve with a toasted baguette or buttery crackers for dipping.
If you do make this recipe, please leave a comment and a rating! I love hearing from you and it helps so much! Thank you!
Summer Corn and Zucchini Chowder with Bacon
Ingredients
- 8 Slices Bacon, chopped
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 1 Yellow Onion, Diced
- 2 Ribs of Celery, diced
- 2 Carrots, diced
- 1 tsp Kinder's The Blend Seasoning or any salt, pepper, garlic blend
- 1 tsp Goya Adobo seasoning
- 1 tsp Fresh Thyme, chopped or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
- 4 Ears of Corn, Kernels cut off
- 5 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 2 Large Potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces i used yellow potatoes, unpeeled. But russets work great too. And peeling them is a personal preference!
- 4 Cups Chicken Broth
- 1 Large Zucchini, sliced into quarters
- 2 Yellow Squash, sliced into quarters
- 1 Cup Heavy Cream
- 1 Cup Freshly shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese + more for garnish
- 1/2 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Chopped Fresh Parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Cook bacon in a Dutch oven until crispy. Remove and set aside.
- Melt butter in the drippings, then sauté onion, celery, and carrots with seasonings for 5 minutes.
- Stir in corn and garlic. Add potatoes and chicken broth. Cover and simmer 8 minutes.
- Stir in zucchini and squash. Cook 8 minutes until tender.
- Blend part of the soup with an immersion blender.
- Stir in cream, cheddar, and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.
- Simmer on low 15 minutes, then garnish with bacon, parsley, and extra cheddar.
Notes
Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheating Tips
- Make ahead: Cook the chowder up to the point of adding cream and cheese. Cool and refrigerate. When ready to serve, reheat gently, then add cream and cheese.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days.
- Reheating: Warm gently on the stove over low heat, adding a splash of broth or cream if it thickens too much. Avoid boiling so the cream doesn’t separate.
- Freezing: Not recommended because of the dairy, but you could freeze the base (before adding cream and cheese).
WOW! Made this the other day. We had it for dinner (just the two of us), then we had it for lunch with grilled cheese Sammies and we STILL have some left over. The only thing I did differently was using only zucchini – no yellow squash for us!
I make a lot of soups once autumn starts, so looking forward to having this again (with canned corn.) as well as looking forward to your series of soups!
That is awesome Anita! thank you so much for the great review!
I made this last night and posted a link to your recipe so they could make it if they wanted. It’s 10x better than broccoli cheddar soup, but has the same vibe. I halved the recipe because it’s just me, but my son saw my picture of it and came over and ate two bowls, so maybe I’ll make a whole one next time. It’s perfect for farmer’s market veggies, thanks for the recipe!
Thank you Rozann! So happy to hear you and you son both liked it so much and thank you for sharing it with your friends! And I agree, it is perfect for those late summer veggies!