I love a good bowl of New England clam chowder. When I was a kid, my mom and dad often made it from scratch and when they didn’t, I had no qualms about popping open a can of Campbell’s Chunky. And even though I’ve lived in the Bay Area my entire life, I never tire of visiting Boudin at the Wharf to get their chowder in a freshly baked sourdough bread bowl. It is amazing.
This cauliflower and roasted corn chowder is nothing like the chowda I cherish, but it definitely hits the spot on a cool day – and it’s so much better for you. Made with plenty of fresh vegetables and just one cup of milk – versus potatoes and heavy cream – you can polish off a double serving and dessert guilt-free.
No potatoes? No cream? This is bogus, you’re probably thinking. And you’d be half right. But as the soup simmers, chunks of cauliflower cook down and become spud-like in texture, and puréeing some of the vegetables and broth helps achieve a velvety consistency.
Top off a bowl of this cauliflower and roasted corn chowder with crumbled bacon and microgreens and serve with grissini for a light lunch or dinner. It’s a delicious meal you can feel good about eating.
Recipe adapted from Damn Delicious.
- 4 strips bacon, cut into lardons
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- 1½ cups frozen roasted corn
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- microgreens (optional, for garnish)
- In a large pot, cook bacon on medium heat until fat renders and bacon crisps, about 6 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper-lined platter and discard all but ½ tablespoon grease.
- Add butter to pot and melt over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 4 minutes.
- Add cauliflower and bay leaf and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 4 minutes.
- Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Slowly add chicken broth and milk; stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, about 15 minutes.
- Remove about 2 cups of vegetables and liquid from pot and purée; return to pot. Add corn and cook for 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately with bacon and microgreens, if using.
Love corn chowder! definitely inspired to make your recipe – it looks so creamy, comforting and delicious.
Yay! It’s healthy, too!