The Food Factor: Ten-Minute Corn Chowder

Video by Jonathan Parrish

Who says soup takes a long time to cook? When it’s cold outside and you want a quick, satisfying soup for supper, try this Ten-Minute Corn Chowder. I love the combination of sweet and savory flavors, and it features ingredients I usually have on hand. I like to stock up on frozen corn kernels when they’re on sale and toss them in a variety of wintery stews and soups.

If you like your soups a little spicy, try adding cayenne pepper, diced canned green chiles or even some finely chopped jalapeño! You’ll be warmed up in no time! To keep your calories lower, use low-fat cheese or omit the cheese altogether.

When mixing flour and liquids for thickening soups like this recipe requires, I like to warm the liquid a little – don’t boil it! – and put the ingredients in a mason jar, so I can put a lid on it and shake to blend the ingredients.

Note: we used a Dutch oven instead of a large skillet, which added some cooking time. When you use a large skillet, spreading out the ingredients allows them to cook faster. What can we say? The red pan is prettier on video!

Ten-Minute Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups nonfat milk
2 teaspoons mustard
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
black pepper to taste
2 cups frozen corn kernels
4 Tablespoons shredded, reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and sauté the onion and garlic until golden, about 2 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, place the flour, milk, mustard and seasonings in a small bowl and mix well.
3. Add the milk mixture to the skillet followed by the corn; stir well until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens, about 3 minutes. Stir frequently to keep the mixture from burning.
4. Divide into four bowls and top each with 1 Tablespoon of shredded cheese.

For this printable recipe and six others, check out “Seven Simple Soups and Stews” from University of Nebraska Extension.

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