Panera corn chowder is sweet corn, poblano peppers, potatoes and red bell pepper simmered in vegetable stock and cream, thickened with a butter roux, then finished with cream cheese, lime juice, white wine vinegar and cilantro. Forty minutes, serves 6 at 453 calories.
Whisking the flour into the sautéed vegetables for a full minute before any liquid touches the pot is the step that keeps this chowder smooth instead of lumpy. The flour coats every piece of onion and pepper first, then the stock goes in gradually while you whisk. Pour it all in at once and the flour seizes into clumps that no amount of stirring will dissolve.
The lime juice and white wine vinegar at the end are what lift this from a standard corn chowder into the Panera version. Both go in after the cream and potatoes have already thickened the soup, so the acidity hits the finished product without cooking off. Skip them and the chowder tastes flat and one-dimensional, just cream and corn with no brightness.
Panera Corn Chowder
Course: Soups, LunchCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
servings20
minutes453
kcalPoblano peppers, onion and red bell pepper sautéed in butter, thickened with flour, simmered with sweet corn, potatoes, vegetable stock and cream until tender, then finished with cream cheese, lime juice, white wine vinegar, diced tomatoes and cilantro. Vegetarian as written.
Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
1 onion, diced
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup poblano pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup flour
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
4 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1 1/2 cups potato, peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups half and half cream
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup cream cheese
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
3 tablespoons cilantro, coarsely chopped
Directions
- Sauté the vegetables:Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, red bell pepper and poblano pepper and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute.
- Build the roux:Stir in the flour and cook while stirring for 1 to 2 minutes until it starts to bubble. Pour in the stock gradually, whisking until the flour is fully incorporated with no lumps.
- Simmer:Add the corn, potato, cream, salt, pepper and paprika. Simmer on medium-low for about 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the soup has thickened.
- Finish and serve:Whisk in the cream cheese, lime juice, vinegar, diced tomatoes and cilantro. Cook for 5 more minutes until hot. Season with extra salt and pepper to taste and serve.
FAQs
Can you use frozen corn instead of fresh?
Yes, and it works well any time of year. Fresh sweet corn cut straight off the cob gives more flavour in summer, but frozen corn is already blanched and ready to go. No need to thaw it first, just add it directly to the pot.
What if you cannot find poblano peppers?
Green bell peppers are the closest substitute. They are milder and lack the slight smokiness of poblanos, but the shape and texture are the same. If you want a hint of smoke without the pepper, add a quarter teaspoon of smoked paprika in place of regular paprika.
Can you make this gluten-free?
Yes. Replace the quarter cup of flour with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Cornstarch thickens differently, so stir it into a small amount of cold stock first before adding it to the pot to avoid lumps.
Why does the chowder taste flat?
The lime juice and vinegar are probably missing or undercooked. Both go in at the very end after the cream and potatoes have already done their work. They add the brightness that keeps the soup from tasting like nothing but cream and corn. Taste after adding them and adjust.
How do you store and freeze this chowder?
Fridge for up to 4 days, freezer for 1 to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat gently on the stove, stirring frequently. Cream-based soups can scorch on the bottom if you rush the reheat, so keep the heat at medium-low.
