Loaded Broccoli-Cheese Potato Chowder -- Because August Corn Isn't the Only Chowder Worth Making

The corn is coming in from the farm stands. Piles of it, stacked in bins, the husks green and the silk brown and the ears heavy with the particular sweetness that Vermont corn achieves in August when the days are hot and the nights are cool and the soil does whatever it is that Vermont soil does to make corn taste like corn is supposed to taste. I buy a dozen ears at a time and Helen shakes her head and I eat four at one sitting and she shakes her head again and I regret nothing.

I made corn chowder. A summer version — lighter than the winter chowder, with fresh corn cut from the cob instead of canned, with cream but not too much, with potatoes and bacon and thyme and the restraint that separates a chowder from a stew. The corn gives the broth a sweetness that you can't get any other way, and the bacon gives it depth, and the whole thing tastes like August in a bowl, which is exactly what I wanted.

Helen has been organizing the pantry. This is her August ritual — she takes everything out, wipes the shelves, reorganizes by category and date, and puts it all back with the precision of a woman who believes that disorder in the pantry leads to disorder in the soul. I don't argue with this theology. The pantry is her cathedral. The Mason jars are her congregation. I stay out of the way and eat corn.

Frost caught a chipmunk this week. Or rather, the chipmunk allowed itself to be caught, because the chipmunk has been outrunning Frost for twelve years and chose this particular Tuesday to surrender, possibly out of pity. Frost carried it to the porch with the pride of a hunter who has finally justified his existence. The chipmunk was unharmed and escaped when Frost set it down to receive congratulations. Frost was confused. I was amused. The chipmunk was probably somewhere telling the story to other chipmunks. Everyone got something out of the experience.

August. Corn from the stand. Chowder on the stove. The pantry organized. The dog victorious, briefly. The summer winding down with the slow certainty of a clock whose battery is fading but hasn't quit yet. We eat well. We laugh. The corn is extraordinary. That's enough.

The corn chowder came together the way the best summer cooking does — instinctively, with whatever the farm stand handed me — but it also reminded me that a good chowder is a good chowder whether it’s August or February, and the principles don’t change: something starchy, something rich, something that earns the word “loaded.” This Loaded Broccoli-Cheese Potato Chowder is what I turn to when the corn stands close up and the nights get long, carrying that same bacon-and-cream logic right into the colder months. Helen approves of this one. The pantry stays organized. Frost sleeps by the stove. Life continues.

Loaded Broccoli-Cheese Potato Chowder

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 6 strips bacon, chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3 cups fresh broccoli florets, roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for topping
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• Sour cream, sliced green onions, and extra bacon for garnish

Instructions

1. Cook the bacon. In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crisp, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and set aside, leaving about 2 tablespoons of drippings in the pot.
2. Soften the aromatics. Add the diced onion to the pot and cook in the bacon drippings over medium heat until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more, stirring frequently.
3. Build the base. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and garlic, stirring to coat evenly. Cook for 1–2 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste.
4. Add the liquids. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, then the milk and heavy cream, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
5. Cook the potatoes. Add the diced potatoes, smoked paprika, and dry mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a fork.
6. Add the broccoli. Stir in the broccoli florets and continue to simmer for 5–7 minutes, until the broccoli is bright green and tender but not mushy.
7. Melt in the cheese. Reduce heat to low. Add the shredded cheddar a handful at a time, stirring after each addition until fully melted and the soup is smooth and creamy. Do not boil after adding the cheese.
8. Taste and finish. Adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and top with reserved bacon crumbles, extra cheddar, a dollop of sour cream, and sliced green onions.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 420 | Protein: 18g | Fat: 26g | Carbs: 30g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 780mg