Autumn Corn Chowder With Roasted Pumpkin

This Autumn Corn Chowder with Roasted Pumpkin is rich, creamy, and hearty with a smoky note.

Best part? No need to add any cream or milk to make it creamy and delicious making it lighter than most cold weather soups!

Ingredients for Pumpkin Corn Chowder

Full measurements and instructions included in the recipe card below 🙂

Pumpkin. I like to use butternut but if you like another type of pumpkin, you can use your favorite!

Olive oil for roasting the pumpkin.

Butter for sauteing the onion and garlic, I like to use unsalted.

Onion, red. White or sweet will also work, I just like the flavor of red for this soup.

Garlic, whole cloves. This is a soup with simple ingredients so you really want to make sure you’re using mostly fresh ingredients, skip the garlic powder for best flavor!

Flour, for making the roux that will thicken the soup. If you’ve never done this before, the fancy French term may sound complicated but it’s an easy 2-minute process that just means add flour to the butter, mix, and cook until a golden paste forms (;

Broth or water. You can use vegetable broth to keep it lighter and vegetarian or you can do a broth of choice or even just water. 

Corn. I like to use frozen because it’s convenient and still tastes amazing where I live (canned, not so much) but feel free to use whichever you have on hand.

Potatoes for extra flavor and creaminess.

Smoked paprika for a nice smoky note.

Salt and pepper.

How Do You Make Corn Chowder From Scratch?

Step-by-step instructions and measurements included in the recipe card below 🙂

STEP ONE: Roast the pumpkin. Preheat the oven to 400F (200C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or use a non-stick baking sheet). Arrange the diced pumpkin in a single layer in your prepared baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until tender. This step can be done up to 2 days ahead of time. Meanwhile, make saute the veggies.

STEP TWO: Saute the veggies. Add the butter to a heavy-bottom pot over medium heat. Once the butter has melted and is sizzling, add the onion and saute until soft and translucent (2-3 minutes), then add the garlic, season with smoked paprika, salt, and pepper and saute until fragrant (another 1-2 minutes). If needed, lower the heat as you don’t want the garlic to brown.

STEP THREE: Make the chowder. Add the flour to the the veggies and mix. Cook, mixing continuously until a paste forms and turns golden. Pour in the broth or water and increase the heat to medium-high, then add in the potatoes, corn, salt and pepper. Bring the chowder to a boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender (they should slide off your knife if you pierce one).

STEP FOUR: Puree. Transfer about half the chowder (about 3 cups) to a blender, the bowl of a food processor, or a mixing bowl (if using an immersion blender) and puree until creamy. Transfer the pureed chowder back into the pot, add in the roasted pumpkin, mix, and serve adding your favorite toppings, if desired. I like a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt for some tang, cream cheese also works, bacon would also be delicious.

Making-Ahead, Storing, Reheating

Make-Ahead Instructions: All chowders and soup taste better the longer they sit, so this is a perfect recipe to make-ahead! Follow the recipe through step 5, allow the chowder to come to room temperature, and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Storing Instructions: Store any leftovers covered or in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Alternatively, you can freeze this chowder, preferably in small portions, for up to 1-2 months (do not freeze chowder that contains milk, cream, or yogurt: they split), thaw in the refrigerator overnight when ready to eat.

Reheating Instructions: Reheat leftover chowder in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to keep it from burning, until fully heated through. If you stored your chowder with dairy toppings such as milk, cream, yogurt, etc. they may split when reheated, the dish is still safe to eat but the texture may be different.