Last Updated on July 4, 2022 by Sabrina Currie
We can't all live near a Panera but we can enjoy this easy Panera corn chowder recipe from their summer menu at home. Delicious, wholesome and easy to find ingredients come together fast for this Mexican style, creamy corn chowder recipe. Always a crowd pleaser, you'll love this simple and unique recipe!
Panera's corn chowder is delicious with sweet summer corn when in season but it's also really good with frozen corn at any time of the year. Poblano and bell peppers, cilantro and lime juice lend a fresh and mild summer flavor while potatoes and real cream give it a silky, creamy texture.
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For a seafood version, try my favorite creamy prawn chowder or this delicious clam chowder in a bread bowl, so good! And for a great side dish, try one of the 50 best sandwiches to pair with chowder, Healthy California Chicken Salad, or Fast and Easy Rosemary No Knead Bread.
(Love Panera Bread recipes? Check out Quick and Easy Panera Chicken And Wild Rice Soup and for another creamy vegetable soup, I love broccoli asparagus soup.)
Panera Corn Chowder Ingredients
I love the wholesome, fresh ingredients in this copycat version of Panera chowder. Real cream, poblano pepper and cilantro really make this popular soup extra special.
- Corn - Fresh or frozen sweet corn kernels both work well. It does add extra flavor if you have fresh sweet corn that you cut off the cob straight into the soup.
- Poblano peppers - These mild Mexican peppers add a distinct flavor without heat.
- Cilantro - The perfect herb for that Southwest flavor. (If you've got leftover cilantro, here are 50+ best cilantro recipes to use it up.)
- Lime Juice - Fresh is best if you can. (I know I'm a broken record, but fresh citrus juice really is better tasting with a gentler acidity.)
- Russet Potatoes - Russet potatoes soften nicely and their floury insides melt into the other ingredients making them the perfect potato for creamy chowders and soups. If you don't have russets, red potatoes add good color and flavor too.
- Cream - Fresh, half and half cream is what gives the silky feel to the finished chowder. Half and half cream is any cream that's between 10%-18% M.F. (milk fat) and is also sometimes called coffee cream. 18% gives a richer and thicker result and 10% is a little lighter but still has the cream flavor. Use what you prefer and if you really want it to be rich, you can even use heavy cream.
See recipe card for quantities.
Video-How To Make Panera Corn Chowder
Instructions
Read on for step by step photos and instructions. There is a quick collage of the diced and minced veggies and herbs as well. Notice they are mostly an even size that will allow multiple flavors in each bite.
- Melt butter in a heavy bottomed Dutch oven on medium heat. Add diced onion and peppers and sauté 3-4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and sauté 1 more minute.
2. Stir in flour and cook while stirring for 1-2 more minutes, until it is starting to bubble.
3. Pour in vegetable stock, whisking until flour is incorporated into the broth with no lumps left. Add sweet corn kernels, potato, cream, salt, pepper, and paprika.
4. Let simmer on medium-low heat until potatoes are tender and soup has started to thicken, approximately 15 minutes.
5. Add remaining ingredients (cream cheese, lime juice, vinegar, diced tomatoes and cilantro), whisk it together and let simmer five more minutes until hot.
6. Season with extra salt and fresh black pepper if you like, then serve and enjoy!
Hint: The creamy broth for this yummy soup can burn if you let it boil without stirring. Be sure to stir and don't let the heat get too hot. If it gets hotter than a simmer and starts to boil, turn the heat down.
Substitutions
A few ingredient substitutions can be made to make Panera corn chowder recipe vegan or gf. (For a creamy GF soup, check out this potato, leek and ham soup)
- Vegan - Swap vegetable or olive oil for the butter and use a nut based cream like cashew milk in place of the dairy. This will have a slightly different flavor but remains delicious and creamy.
- Gluten-Free - You can easily make Panera corn chowder gluten free by using cornstarch instead of flour in the recipe. Use 2 tablespoon corn starch in place of the ½ cup wheat flour.
- Paprika- If you don't have paprika, you can substitute an equal amount of chili powder.
- Poblano Pepper - Green bell peppers are a good swap if you can't find poblano peppers.
Variations
Copycat Panera corn chowder is fantastic like the original recipe but if you want to change it up, this versatile soup can be dressed up even more.
- Coconut Corn Chowder - Cook up some tropical flavor by swapping coconut cream for the dairy! Use the same amount of coconut cream as dairy.
- Chicken Corn Chowder - Add in 1-2 cups of cooked, cubed boneless and skinless chicken at the same time as adding the tomato and cilantro and continue to cook until it is hot all the way through.
- Spicy - Spice it up the creamy base of this soup with a few drops of your favorite hot sauce for a spicy accent!
Equipment
A large heavy bottomed stainless steel soup pot/Dutch oven like this one, is perfect for this recipe. Heavy, enameled cast iron pots work great too. The heavy bottoms help distribute heat evenly, preventing scorching of the cream. If you only have a cheaper, lighter pot, cook corn chowder over medium low heat and stir frequently to prevent burning.
Storage And Make Ahead
Panera corn chowder stores really well. You can make this ahead up to 4 days and keep covered in the fridge. Reheat gently to at least 165' F and serve.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days from when it was made.
To keep this longer, place container of corn chowder in the freezer for 1-3 months. Thaw in fridge and reheat gently when ready to serve.
What To Serve With Corn Chowder
This hearty soup can be served with bread or in a bread bowl, on it's own or paired up with some complimentary side dishes. A hearty or light side salad or a cheesy flavor sandwich like Brie and Apple Grilled Cheese, or even just some simple, crunchy potato chips all make great side dishes for corn chowder. Corn chowder also makes a nice appetizer when served in smaller portions.
For a sweet treat after, these fall flavored pumpkin thumbprint cookies are a perfect dessert.
For more ideas on what to serve with a creamy soup, check out What To Serve With Potato Soup. Many of the potato soup sides go well with this Panera corn chowder too.
Nutritional Information
A generous sized bowl of this soup comes in at less than 500 calories. With 10 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber along with lots of minerals and vitamins, this hearty soup is full of the good stuff. The cream is unfortunately a saturated fat but in moderation, this is a well rounded soup makes a great meal.
Note: Nutritional information is calculated based on standard brands and serving size and a 2000 calorie diet. See recipe card for nutrition facts.
Related Recipes
Thanks for reading along, I hope you make and LOVE this awesome, vegetarian summer corn chowder. I'd be so appreciative if you drop a note below or tap the star rating if you try this.
If you have any questions or comments, you can find me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. I try to answer any recipe related questions quickly as I know you might be in the middle of making it.
Also check out my FREE PRINTABLE meal planner to make menu planning and grocery shopping a breeze and my shopping guide. And if you like this recipe, I would love it if you give it a star rating in the recipe card.
Cheers and happy cooking, Friends! Sabrina
📖 Recipe
Easy Homemade Panera Corn Chowder Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Butter
- 1 Onion diced
- ½ cup Red Bell Pepper diced
- ½ cup Poblano Pepper diced
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- ¼ c Flour
- 4 c vegetable or chicken stock
- 4 c Corn Kernels fresh or frozen are fine
- 1 ½ c Potato peeled and diced-approx 1 medium potato
- 1 ½ c Cream (half and half)
- ½ teaspoon each, Salt and Pepper
- ¾ teaspoon Paprika
- ½ c cream cheese
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
- 2 Roma Tomatoes diced
- 3 Tablespoons Cilantro coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Melt butter in a dutch oven on medium heat. Add onion and peppers and saute 3-4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and saute 1 more minute.
- Stir in flour and cook while stirring for 1 more minute. Pour in vegetable stock, whisking until flour is incorporated into the broth with no lumps left.
- Add corn, potato, cream, salt, pepper, and paprika. Let simmer on medium-low until potatoes are tender and soup has started to thicken, approximately 15 minutes.
- Whisk in the remaining ingredients (cream cheese, lime juice, vinegar, diced tomatoes and cilantro), until the cream cheese is incorporated and cook it for five more minutes until hot. Season with extra salt and pepper to taste, and serve right away.
Nutrition
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Steve Eydelman says
My wife is a tricky food consumer. I'd describe theparticulars, but noone should a volume size of War and Peace. So, once she likes a particular food item at a resturant or a cafe, that's a "go to" cusine unitl nausea kicks in. So, recentlly my wife had discovered Panera's Corn Chowder at Panera Bread, which was a Monday. And by Wednesday, not a single Panera shop within 30 mile raidus had the soup. Oh, but that god awful salt lacerd French Onion soup that no-one buys is in abundance. So, I am typical guy with an extreme appreciation for peace and quiet in the house. But the scarcity of Corn Chowder soup at Panera's was upsetting my happy home. the next logiacl step is to make the damn thing myslef. I found this recipie via Google. Bought all the speacified incredience and followed the instructions: In a word : FANTASTIC ! . Actually, my wife stated that this home made version is a lot better than that of Pannera's . And that is a about as good as the day getrs. Thank you SABRINA CURRIE classicaly trained french chef for briniging balance to my abode.
Steve E
Sabrina Currie says
Wow Steve! That is praise. Thank you so much for letting me know and I am so happy for you both, I also love this creamy corn chowder. So many great flavours. Bon appetite!
Mia says
If I double the recipe do I also double the flour?
Sabrina Currie says
Yes, double all ingredients including the flour.
Lauren Wetzelberg says
I didn’t have poblano peppers so I used smoked paprika for half of the paprika and added a little red pepper flakes for a little heat. Haven’t made it before so I don’t know how it tastes without my modifications, but it’s 5 stars for me!!
Sabrina Currie says
That’s great, it sounds like a perfect substitute. Thanks for sharing that Lauren! Cheers
Anahí says
So amazing! My kids even loved it! We added a little chicken with the leftovers and it was so delicious! Thank you!!
Jaclyn Wright says
What size dutch oven should i use for this? Or can you tell me in quarts how much this recipe makes? i saw it said 6 servings. just need to buy the right size pot. thank you!
Sabrina Currie says
Hi Jaclyn. This will make about 12 cups or 3 litres of soup. Use a pot that will hold at least one litre more and up to 3 litres more so that it doesn’t spill or splash out when stirring. 1 litre is almost the same as 1 quart so use a 4-6 quart pot for this.
Cheers,
Sabrina
Caroline says
This is a scary good copycat! Absolutely perfect, incredibly delicious. Thank you for this recipe, Sabrina! Will definitely be exploring your site for more. 😊
Sabrina Currie says
Thanks Caroline!
Mary says
Can’t wait to try this as Panera’s was yummy and this sounds as yummy or even yummier!
Varnamala says
This is a go-to recipe for me. I make the vegan version. It is simple, delish, and I can make big batches. LOVE IT. Really love the pictures....
Sabrina Currie says
Thank you so much! That makes me smile. Have a wonderful day!
Wendy says
What do you substitute for the cream?
Sabrina Currie says
You can use an unsweetened plant based milk or cream. There is some notes in the substitutions section above.
Kate says
I made this corn chowder for dinner, and it's an instant family favorite. Creamy, hearty, and so satisfying!
Sabrina Currie says
That makes me so happy. Thanks for sharing!
Deborah Walker Reed says
It was very tasty…I added 8 oz of cream cheese bc the Panera container includes that as an ingredient.
Jeannie says
I absolutely adore the corn chowder from Panera and was thrilled to find this recipe. I made it exactly per the instructions, but I found it to be just a tad too twangy for my taste, so like another commenter, I added cream cheese (2 oz) and it was perfect. I am always so amazed with people that have the skill to breakdown a recipe with the exact ingredients and proportions and then share it with everyone .... thank you so very much!!
Sabrina Currie says
Thanks for the feedback and the compliment Jeannie, it is much appreciated.
Kelli J Haralson says
Great, easy to follow & make recipe. For me -I missed the tiny kick of spice Panera's has so added 1 tsp of Cumin this time & may try also adding a tsp of Chili powder next time. Took a page from other reviews & added 2 TBSP Cream cheese, delicious soup recipe with nice fresh ingredients. Thank you for sharing your expertise and recipe. Awesome recipe to have in my soup rotation. My friends loved & really enjoyed this!
Sabrina Currie says
Thanks for the feedback Kelli! I’ve been retesting the recipe myself with cream cheese and I agree, it adds just the right amount of tang and creaminess. I’ll be updating the recipe card soon. Cheers!
Ross says
I made this too vegan style, substituted puréed cashews for the cream, and a vegan cream cheese and it was great. I didn’t add any salt since a store bought brand of broth had quite a bit of sodium. My wife and I enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing. Cheers
Sabrina Currie says
That’s awesome Ross! I’ll have to try it that way for my dad who can’t tolerate dairy. Cheers!
Cathy Coffey says
My family has a number of different food issues and I was able to adjust this recipe to fit all of them. I used the vegetable broth for my vegetarian. I used evaporated low fat milk in place of the cream and Neufchatel (low fat cream cheese) for my family member who can't eat anything too rich. I halved the black pepper and changed it to white pepper for my family member with a sensitivity to black pepper. I used Pamela's gluten-free flour for my gluten sensitive members. We tried it and liked it. We then doubled both types of fresh peppers and increased the garlic by half. We liked it even better. We doubled the recipe, making it in an 8 qt stock pot. That way, we had some leftovers for freezing.
Thank you so much for this fantastic recipe! It is better than Panera and all of my family can enjoy it.
Sabrina Currie says
That’s awesome Cathy! I too have had to navigate multiple family members with different dietary issues over the years and it can be a real challenge. Way to be creative and make it work. I love this.
Ruth says
Can this recipe be made 24 hours ahead of time for it to be served?
Sabrina Currie says
Hi Ruth,
Yes it absolutely can be made ahead up to 3 days. Just keep it store in the fridge until serving. Then reheat it slowly in a pot, stirring frequently.
Cheers!