Panera Summer Corn Chowder

5 from 2 votes

Panera Summer Corn Chowder is a fast copycat soup you can make at home in about 30 minutes. It has the flavor of Mexican street corn mixed with diced potatoes, making it a great choice when this seasonal Panera favorite is not on the menu.

Prep Time15

Cook Time18

Total Time33

Course: Soups & Stews

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 444kcal

Author: Kelly Bloom

Equipment

6 qt Enameled Dutch Oven

Ingredients

¼ cup butter
1 medium onion diced
1 medium Poblano pepper diced
1 medium Red Bell pepper diced
4 cloves garlic minced
¼ cup flour
5 cups vegetable broth
3 medium potatoes diced
1 teaspoon salt more to taste
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon cumin
4 cups corn fresh, frozen, or canned
1½ cups heavy cream or half & half, or unsweetened almond milk
2 medium tomatoes diced Roma
2 tablespoon lime juice fresh squeezed
3 tablespoon chopped cilantro optional, plus more for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Melt the butter in a heavy Dutch oven. Add the diced onion, Poblano pepper, red bell pepper, and minced garlic. Saute for 5 minutes until fragrant.
¼ cup butter, 1 medium onion, 1 medium Poblano pepper, 1 medium Red Bell pepper, 4 cloves garlic

Pro Tip: Be sure to open the poblano chile and remove the seeds and membranes for a mild chowder.

Sprinkle the flour, salt, pepper, paprika, and cumin into the Dutch oven and whisk it to mix with the sauteing vegetables until it starts to brown a little, about 2 - 3 minutes.
¼ cup flour, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper , ½ tsp paprika, ½ tsp cumin
Pour in half the vegetable broth and mix on medium high heat, scraping the bottom of the Dutch oven as you mix.
2 ½ cups vegetable broth
Add the corn, diced potatoes and remaining vegetable broth. Stir and bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium low and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until the diced potatoes are soft and the soup starts to thicken.
3 medium potatoes, 4 cups corn, 2 ½ cups vegetable broth
Stir in the heavy cream, tomatoes, and the lime juice and bring back to a low simmer.
1½ cups heavy cream, 2 medium tomatoes, 2 tbsp lime juice
Taste and adjust seasonings. Add the chopped cilantro and serve.
3 tbsp chopped cilantro

Notes

Dice the potatoes small: Smaller pieces cook faster and help the chowder thicken in the short simmer time.
Cook the flour briefly: Stir the flour with the vegetables for a couple of minutes so the finished chowder does not taste floury.
Add the cream near the end: Stir it in after the potatoes are tender so the chowder stays smooth and creamy.
Keep the simmer gentle: Once the cream is added, avoid a hard boil to help prevent the soup from separating.
Taste before serving: Corn and potatoes can soften seasoning, so adjust the salt, pepper, lime juice, and cilantro at the end.

Nutrition