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.

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. Speaking of broth, one of my favorite store-bought brands to use is this one or I use the Liquid Gold Vegetable Broth recipe from my cookbook. It’s what gives the chowder that beautiful yellow color, plus they’re delicious as well.

 

Southwestern Inspired Corn and Zucchini Chowder - Supper With Michelle

Similar to my cookbook, you can freestyle this soup and make it your own in different ways.

Here’s a few ways to freestyle this recipe:

  • use heavy cream instead of half and half for a thicker consistency
  • A few substitutions for half and half milk would be the following : 1 cup of lactose free half and half milk (if available where you live- Land O Lakes and Organic Valley manufacture it), 1/2 cup of whole milk and 1/2 cup heavy cream, or 1 cup of evaporated milk

Here are some other additions and ideas to consider:

  • add a small portion of tomatoes
  • add a small portion of black beans
  • top or stir in a little bit of your favorite shredded cheese

Are there ways to veganize this recipe???

Yes! To make vegan, use 1 cup dairy free half and half (Califia Farms manufactures one called Unsweetened Better Half). The last suggestion is possibly making a cashew cream with hot water and raw cashews, blended until silky smooth. If you haven’t done that before, then I would recommend researching that or use the recipe that I provide in my cookbook on page 106.

 

Southwestern Inspired Corn and Zucchini Chowder - Supper With Michelle

Looking for other great meal ideas? Give these delicious recipes a try! 

Join me on my social channels and please don’t forget to take pictures and tag me #supperwithmichelle and @supperwithmichelle, if you make any of my recipes! I absolutely love to see all of your creations. You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, YouTube, or Pinterest! As always, I love when you share your reviews in the comments below, and if you have any fun substitutions or additions, let me know how it worked out below too!

Thank you so much for stopping by today! I hope that you love my Southwestern Inspired Corn and Zucchini Chowder. The full printable recipe is below. Enjoy!

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 14 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