Description
This Pumpkin and Chipotle Corn Chowder is a hearty and flavorful soup that combines sweet pumpkin with smoky chipotle peppers and sweet corn kernels. It’s creamy, slightly spicy, and perfect for cozy meals, offering a comforting twist on traditional chowder with a touch of smoky heat and fresh cilantro garnish.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter (or vegetable oil)
- 7 cups pumpkin (peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes)
- 1 large onion (diced)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 quart reduced-sodium chicken stock
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (finely chopped)
- 2 cups corn kernels (frozen)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 5 thyme sprigs (or 1 tablespoon dried thyme, or to taste)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1 small bunch cilantro (stems removed and leaves roughly chopped)
Instructions
- Prepare Pumpkin: Peel and cut the pumpkin into 1-inch cubes as described in the tutorial or following standard peeling and cubing methods.
- Sauté Onion and Pumpkin: Heat a large stock pot over medium heat and add butter or oil. Once hot and bubbling, add diced onion and pumpkin cubes. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until ingredients soften slightly.
- Add Flour: Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour over the onion and pumpkin mixture and stir continuously for about a minute, ensuring the flour is fully incorporated to help thicken the chowder.
- Add Chicken Stock: Slowly pour in 1 quart of reduced-sodium chicken stock while stirring constantly to prevent lumps, combining it smoothly with the flour mixture.
- Add Flavorings and Corn: Stir in finely chopped chipotle peppers, frozen corn kernels, heavy cream, and thyme sprigs. Bring the mixture to a boiling point over medium-high heat.
- Simmer the Chowder: Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for approximately 20 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender yet still holds its shape without disintegrating.
- Season and Finish: Remove the pot from heat. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, adjusting gradually to avoid over-salting. Stir in most of the chopped cilantro, reserving some leaves for garnish.
- Serve: Ladle the chowder into bowls and garnish with remaining cilantro. Serve hot and enjoy the rich, smoky, and slightly sweet flavors of this comforting pumpkin and chipotle corn chowder.
Notes
- This chowder is a deliciously hearty option that tastes like a slightly-sweeter potato soup with a smoky kick.
- Use fresh pumpkin for the best texture, but frozen or canned pumpkin can be substituted if needed.
- Adjust chipotle peppers according to your preferred spice level, adding more for extra heat.
- The cilantro garnish adds a fresh herbal note; you can omit it if you prefer.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute chicken stock with vegetable stock and use oil instead of butter.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 1 cup)
- Calories: 188 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 205 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 32 mg
