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Home » Copycat Recipes » Panera Bread Recipes

Panera Summer Corn Chowder Copycat

Published: Aug 13, 2021 · Modified: Aug 27, 2021 by Brooke · This post may contain affiliate links, which can earn us a commission.

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Can't get enough of sweet summer corn? This copycat Panera summer corn chowder is just what you want on a hot summer's day. It's creamy, full of sweet corn kernels, and has a hint of Tex-Mex spice.

Looking for more of Panera's vegetarian soups? Check out our 10 vegetable soup and black bean soup recipes, and don't miss our collection of 11 Panera Bread copycat soup recipes, too!

large white bowl of sweet corn chowder
Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Variations
  • How to Make
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Serve
  • Store
  • Expert Tips
  • Other Panera Bread Recipes
  • Recipe
  • Panera Summer Corn Chowder Copycat
  • Comments

Ingredients

All the ingredients for this Panera summer corn chowder are easy to find at a large grocery store. Fresh summer corn will taste the best, rather than canned or frozen. Poblano peppers are found near the jalapeño and bell peppers, and the mirin (rice wine) is found in the Asian section or online.

  • Dairy: We used unsalted butter and heavy whipping cream.
  • Vegetables: We used poblano peppers, red bell peppers, yellow onion, fresh garlic, red potatoes, and fresh yellow corn with kernels cut off the cob.
  • Flour: To make the roux, we used all-purpose flour.
  • Liquor: We used mirin (rice wine) to deglaze the pot.
  • Broth: We used vegetable broth as the base, not chicken broth.
  • Dried spices: We used cayenne, garlic powder, turmeric, white pepper, and salt.
  • Fresh herbs: We used cilantro. If you substitute with parsley, it will taste different.
  • Citrus: We used freshly squeezed limes.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

  • Need this gluten free? Use your favorite gluten free flour instead of all-purpose.
  • Need this vegan or dairy free? Use full fat coconut milk, vegan butter, or margarine.
  • Need meat? Add bacon, shredded chicken, ground sausage or shrimp.
  • Need more umami flavor? Add 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast with the spices.
  • Want this thicker? Puree 2 cups of the soups and stir it back in.
  • Want additional garnishes: Cut up 2 Roma tomatoes, with seeds removed.

How to Make

Gather all the ingredients for Panera summer corn chowder.

glass bowls filled with ingredients for sweet corn chowder

In a heavy bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium high heat. Saute the onion, poblano and red bell peppers until soft, stirring occasionally, roughly 5 minutes then cook the garlic until fragrant while constantly stirring .

sauteed peppers and onions in a soup pot

Sprinkle on the flour and whisk for 2 minutes to cook the flour.

person pouring flour into the pot of sauteed veggies

Deglaze the pan by slowly pouring in the rice wine (mirin) while scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden turner. Slowly pour in ½ cup of vegetable broth and continue scraping until the bottom is clean.

scraping the pot with a wooden spatula

Slowly whisk in the rest of the vegetable broth. Add the diced potatoes and the salt. Stir, then cover. Bring to a boil, then cook with the lid askew for 6 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.

whisking the flour into the sauteed veggie mixture

Add the dried spices, fresh corn kernels, fire roasted salsa, and fresh cilantro. Stir until well combined. Cover and cook on medium low for 8 minutes.

person holding a bowl of salsa and a bowl of spices

Add the heavy cream and freshly squeezed lime juice. Stir well.

person pouring cream into a pot of corn chowder

Serve while still hot with a garnish of fresh cilantro.

person holding a ladle full of corn chowder

Recipe FAQs

Is Panera's chowder vegetarian?

Yes, it is. Panera uses all vegetarian friendly ingredients for this popular summer soup. They don't use chicken broth as the base, and all the other ingredients are plant-based.

What are the nutrition facts for Panera's summer corn chowder?

Panera's chowder has 320 calories, 34g carbs, 20g fat, and 5g protein per serving. Our copycat version has 283 calories, 35g carbs, 15g fat, and 5g protein. For more nutritional information, please scroll to the end of the recipe card.

Is this soup from Panera good?

The popularity for this summer corn chowder grows each year and it's no wonder why. Each spoonful is full of vegetables and has a south of the border taste.

Is this corn chowder dairy free?

Panera uses sweet cream for their summer corn chowder, but you can make our copycat recipe and substitute with full fat coconut milk for people who are lactose intolerant or vegan.

How long is summer corn chowder at Panera?

Summer corn chowder is only at Panera Bread restaurants for a limited time each summer. It's normally on the menu from mid-June to mid-September, but Panera Bread tweeted on April, 4 2021 that they would be bringing it back soon, so they decided to expand the time it's on the menu for 2021.

Serve

Serve this summer corn chowder like Panera does with a large chunk of French baguette, plain kettle chips, or a crisp apple. Or try this summer corn chowder with Panera's upgraded sides: summer fruit cup or tomato basil cucumber salad.

This copycat summer corn chowder is also great on it's own for a light lunch, or round out your meal with crusty bread, a fresh garden salad, roasted vegetables, or jalapeño cornbread. If you're looking to serve this corn chowder as a small side, serve baked chicken or grilled salmon as your main dish.

Round out your meal by serving one of these 8 Panera copycat dessert recipes after you enjoy your soup.

Store

If you have any leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, pour the chowder into a heavy bottomed sauce pan or Dutch oven and heat on medium to medium low until hot. Don't bring the chowder to a boil, or it could separate.

This chowder doesn't freeze well because of the potatoes and dairy.

Expert Tips

  • Use fresh corn, as it is sweeter than frozen. Cut the corn off the cob by standing the cob in the center of a bundt pan to catch the kernels and to reduce the mess.
  • Use freshly squeezed lime juice, as it is fresher than bottled lime juice.
  • Deglaze the pot with rice wine.

Other Panera Bread Recipes

  • bowl of Panera chicken noodle soup
    Panera Chicken Noodle Soup Copycat
  • bread bowl of Panera broccoli cheddar soup
    Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup
  • person holding a spoonful of black bean soup
    Panera Black Bean Soup (Copycat Recipe)
  • collage of eight Panera Bread bakery items
    8 Panera Bread Copycat Dessert Recipes

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Recipe

bowl of sweet corn chowder with a wooden spoon

Panera Summer Corn Chowder Copycat

Our Panera vegetarian summer corn chowder copycat recipe packs a lot of fresh flavor in every bite.  Fresh sweet summer corn, red potatoes, poblano pepper, and a unique blend of spices makes this chowder taste better than the original.  Gluten free and vegan friendly.
4.3 from 36 votes
Print Pin FavoriteSaved! Rate
Course: Soups
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes minutes
Servings: 10 cups
Calories: 207kcal
Author: Brooke & Emma

Ingredients
 

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup yellow onion, diced
  • ½ cup poblano pepper, diced
  • ½ cup red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour or gluten free flour
  • ¼ cup mirin
  • 5 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 cups red potatoes with skins, cut in ¼-inch cubes, (3 medium potatoes)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon white pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
  • 4 cups fresh corn, cut off the cob (6 cobs)
  • ¾ cup roasted jalapeño and tomato salsa, such as Frontera medium
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a large, heavy bottomed soup pot over medium high heat, then saute the peppers and onions for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Sprinkle on the flour, and whisk for 2 minutes.
  • Increase the heat to medium high and slowly pour in the rice wine while scraping the bottom with a wooden turner to get the brown bits off.  Slowly add ½ cup of vegetable broth and continue scraping until the bottom of the pot is clean. 
  • Slowly pour in the rest of the vegetable broth, whisking to prevent lumps, then add the diced potatoes and salt.  Stir with a wooden spoon, cover, and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium low and partially cover.  Simmer for 6 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.
  • Add the dried spices, fresh corn kernels, salsa, and fresh cilantro.  Stir, cover, and cook on medium low heat for 8 minutes. (If you would like this thicker than in the photos above, take out 2 cups and puree it in a blender then stir it back into the soup.)
  • Remove the soup from the heat and pour in the heavy cream and freshly squeezed lime juice.  Stir well.
  • Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro and serve hot with a baguette, kettle chips, or an apple, like Panera does.

Notes

  • If you need this gluten free, use your favorite gluten free flour.
  • If you need this vegan or dairy free, use full fat coconut milk, vegan butter, and  1 Tb. nutritional yeast.
  • Cut the corn off the cob by standing the cob in the center of a bundt pan to catch the kernels and to reduce the mess.
  • Use freshly squeezed lime juice, as it is fresher than bottled lime juice.  A citrus press is especially helpful for this step.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 207kcal (10%)Carbohydrates: 24g (8%)Protein: 4g (8%)Fat: 12g (18%)Saturated Fat: 7g (44%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 39mg (13%)Sodium: 1147mg (50%)Potassium: 364mg (10%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 8g (9%)Vitamin A: 1174IU (23%)Vitamin C: 23mg (28%)Calcium: 33mg (3%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sue Pudwill

    August 23, 2022 at 6:46 pm

    Waaay too spicy for me and much spiciest than Panera. Taste before you add salsa & cayenne. Also less corn.

    Reply
    • Emma

      August 24, 2022 at 6:27 am

      We're sorry that you found it too spicy for you, Sue. We tried to match the flavor as closely to Panera's as we could.

      Reply
  2. Teresa Faherty Blomquist

    May 03, 2022 at 6:39 pm

    5 stars
    Made it and everyone in my family loved it, wanted more, and asked me to make it again soon. Recipe is well written and accurate -- not hard to prepare and ready to serve within hour. Served with crispy salad.

    Reply
    • Emma

      May 04, 2022 at 6:42 am

      So glad everyone enjoyed it, Teresa, and that you found the recipe well-written and easy to follow! That's wonderful to hear! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Deb

    April 28, 2022 at 8:39 pm

    5 stars
    SO SO GOOD!! I added 2 stalks of celery, chopped and a shredded carrot. Didn't have salsa so used a can of Rotel + a small can of diced green chiles. I've never had this at Panera and have no need to. I'm in love!!

    Reply
    • Emma

      April 29, 2022 at 6:15 am

      Thank you so much, Deb! We are so glad that you like our recipe that much!

      Reply
  4. Sara

    January 19, 2022 at 8:07 pm

    Do you think Panera’s soup has Mirin? I doubt they’ll include alcoholic ingredients

    Reply
    • Emma

      January 20, 2022 at 6:27 am

      The mirin is used to deglaze the pan, and all the alcohol would be thoroughly evaporated by the time the soup is served. If you're not comfortable with that, feel free to substitute with vegetable broth.

      Reply
  5. Leigh

    December 22, 2021 at 2:03 am

    Do you know the fiber and carb count on this soup?

    Also agree with others! Better than Panera and I loved this soup before I ever found your recipe! You are a food wizard!

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Emma

      December 22, 2021 at 6:23 am

      Yes, the fiber and carb counts are in the nutrition facts at the bottom of the recipe card. (Fiber here is 6.7g and total carbs are 28.3g.) We're so glad that you like this recipe better than Panera's!

      Reply
  6. Alyssa

    November 23, 2021 at 4:08 pm

    5 stars
    Amazing. Better then paneras. I will make this forever

    Reply
    • Emma

      November 23, 2021 at 9:44 pm

      That's so sweet of you, Alyssa! Thank you!

      Reply
  7. Meg10Sal

    October 23, 2021 at 8:02 pm

    5 stars
    This soup is spectacular, and very close to the Panera version. My husband is vegan, so we used full fat coconut milk. I also added nutritional yeast to amplify umami flavor. We had plantain chips alongside. I’ve made it twice in two weeks, and all of us (husband two kiddos, and Grandpa) love it!!

    Reply
    • Emma

      October 24, 2021 at 7:46 am

      That's absolutely wonderful to hear, Meg! We're delighted that the chowder has been such a hit with your family!

      Reply
  8. Sifat Kibria

    September 20, 2021 at 8:56 am

    5 stars
    Tastes exactly like the Panera one, maybe even better! Thank you so much for the recipe!!! We won't have to wait for summer to enjoy our favorite soup!!!

    Reply
    • Emma

      September 21, 2021 at 6:32 am

      Thank you so much, Sifat! We're thrilled that you enjoyed this recipe so much!

      Reply
  9. Brittani

    September 06, 2021 at 7:32 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious! A great combinations of flavors. A little bit of heat but not over powering and a nice crunch from the corn.

    Reply
    • Emma

      September 07, 2021 at 6:18 am

      Thank you, Brittani! So glad you enjoyed the corn chowder.

      Reply
  10. Beth

    August 13, 2021 at 10:49 am

    5 stars
    The broth is creamy and a tad spicy. The corn is very crunchy, and the potatoes are yummy.

    Reply
    • Emma

      August 13, 2021 at 10:49 am

      Thank you, Beth!

      Reply
  11. Alex

    August 13, 2021 at 10:48 am

    5 stars
    This chowder is limey, and the corn is sweet. The potatoes are soft. This soup deserves two thumbs up!

    Reply
    • Emma

      August 13, 2021 at 10:49 am

      Glad you enjoyed it so much, Alex!

      Reply

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Welcome to our kitchen! We're Brooke & Emma, the mother-daughter team behind Savor the Flavour. As self-taught cooks and bakers, we love to inspire you to cook from scratch with real food! Increase your kitchen confidence with our recipes, instructional photos, and helpful tips and facts.

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