Gluten and Dairy Free Ham and Corn Chowder

I love soup season! Moving back to North Carolina I’ve already gotten to take full advantage of soup weather. This Gluten and Dairy Free Ham and Corn Chowder is the perfect dish to warm up with.

When it’s cold outside there’s nothing like curling up with a warm bowl of soup. This hearty and comforting chowder packs a ton of flavor and texture while being ready in less than an hour.

Cozy Comfort

When I think of comfort food, this Gluten and Dairy Free Ham and Corn Chowder immediately comes to mind. Creamy, a little decadent, and layered with flavor it’s a cozy meal ideal for warming the body and soul.

A good pot of soup is all about building layers of flavor. Savory smoky Niman Ranch ham makes up the heart of this soup. For this recipe I am using their Applewood Smoked Uncured Ham.

I love using Niman Ranch products in my recipes. Niman Ranch supports family farmers while promoting humane animal care and sustainable farming. Their hams are certified humane, have no added hormones, are nitrate free, antibiotic free, and fed all vegetarian diets. You can truly taste the difference.

Adding texture to this soup as well as a balance of sweet and savory are two types of potatoes. Red skinned potatoes pop with pillowy creamy softness. Sweet potatoes add a little bite while pairing perfectly with the ham.

I use frozen corn in this recipe making it easy to make year-round. Not only is frozen corn accessible, it also lends to making this dish quick cooking.

Easy Gluten and Dairy Free Ham and Corn Chowder

When you’re in the mood for food that feels like a hug, this soup couldn’t be easier. I’ll take you step by step.

• While this recipe is written to be completely Dairy Free, you can easily swap out the products with full dairy. Dairy sour cream and heavy cream work just as easily in this soup.

• Heat your stock pot on medium heat. You want it heated before you add the first round of ingredients, so they immediately start cooking. This lends to the shorter cooking time and allows the vegetables to sauté instead of just steam, developing more flavor.

• Sauté your onions until they’re translucent.

• Make sure your potatoes are cut in approximately the same size. This will allow them to cook evenly.

• Add your remaining ingredients except for the corn. Cook for 20-30 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender and soft.

• Add your corn to your Gluten and Dairy Free Ham and Corn Chowder.

• Mix together 1/4 cup of water with one tablespoon of cornstarch and add it to your soup. This is called a slurry and will help thicken your soup into that creamy, velvety chowder texture. Allow the soup to cook for ten more minutes.

• Ladle up and enjoy!

Are you looking for more easy soup recipes? Make sure you check out my recipe for Dairy Free Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup. Now let’s get cooking!

Gluten and Dairy Free Ham and Corn Chowder

This hearty and comforting creamy chowder is packed with applewood smoked ham and ready in less than an hour.

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 39 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Equipment

• Stock Pot

Ingredients

• 2 cups Niman Ranch Applewood Smoked Uncured Ham, diced
• 14 oz frozen corn
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed, approximately 1/2" large
• 2 lbs red potatoes, cubed approximately 1/2"
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup water plus 1/4 cup for slurry
• 1 cup Dairy Free heavy cream can substitute with Dairy heavy cream
• 1 onion, diced large
• 12 oz Dairy Free sour cream can substitute with full dairy
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/4 tsp black peppers
• 3/4 tsp ground thyme
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 2 tbsp Dairy Free butter
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

Instructions

• Heat a large stock pot over medium heat.
• Add the butter and onions. Sauté the onions until translucent, 4-5 minutes.
• Add the ham, celery, potatoes, garlic, seasonings, 1 cup of water, and chicken stock. Mix well.
• Add the sour cream and heavy cream and mix to combine.
• Simmer for 20-30 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.
• Stir in the corn.
• Add the 1/4 cup of water and 1 tbsp of cornstarch to a small bowl and mix to combine. Pour into the simmering soup.
• Cook an additional 10 minutes until the soup has thickened.
• Enjoy!

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