creamy corn and white bean chili
Summertime soup? I’m here for it.
My ass cannot focus right now, so this’ll probably be a brief write up. I’ll start by saying, in a totally irrelevant fashion as I’m wont to do, that I’m pretty sure the pool folks bombed us with chlorine since after my short swim today my eyes are officially en fuego. I’m standing here blinking like a moron and wondering if my glasses are fading, my vision is, or I’m just tainted by chemicals.
Yeah yeah, it’s the latter, but I’m in a dramatic mood, leave me alone.
That’s about all the humor I’ve got for you today. When you read this, it’s Friday, and I’ll probably be somewhere in my kitchen/dining room sipping a cocktail that you’ll hopefully see on Saturday. Saturday is my favorite day of the week, it always feels a bit of a reset even though I’m still in FMG mode in the morning. Looking forward to a day of just J and I doing whatever it is we opt to do.
Until the next post, cheers. I leave you with an incredibly easy and savory white bean chili. We’re turning onto Autumn Lane and, if you’re like me, trying to use up the summer produce you’ve stockpiled in the past week or so. Corn and zucchini star here, alongside the supporting acts of potatoes, white beans, lots of herbs, and a touch of lime. Consider this a mix of chowder and chili. Chowdi. Chiller. Whatever. It’s lovely, and you should definitely try it.
Corny Humor
In other words, mine.
The process of this chili is very straightforward, and most of the total time is allotted to either chopping shit or waiting for shit to cook. Very little hands-on effort.
Start with some butter in a big soup pot. Saute onion and zucchini in said butter, then add garlic, oregano, smoked paprika, and a whole lot of corn. I shredded mine straight from the kernels, but if you forget to buy corn, you can use canned as well (two cans should do. Not a toucan. A bird won’t help.)
Next, throw in some potatoes and veggie broth. The potatoes and zucchini help thicken the soup naturally, replacing flour or starch that some chowders and chilis use to provide heft to a bowl.
Cheesy Humor
Also, me.
Here’s where I do my obligatory get a fucking immersion blender preach. They’re so useful, and far less dangerous than scooping batches of scalding hot soup into a blender.
You can cream the soup as much as you want here, really, but I like a few chunks of zucchini and corn left in the mix, so I don’t go full blast with the pureeing process. If you’re transferring the soup to a blender, rule of thumb is about half, but you can do more if you wish.
Once the creamy soup is all back in the pot, pour in white beans (I prefer cannellini, but great northern are, well, great, too), cheddar and monterey jack cheeses, coconut milk, cilantro, and lime juice. Stir for a few minutes to let everything melt together. If you don’t like coconut milk, by the way, you can use whole milk or even heavy cream.
Serve the soup as is, with as much garnish as you’d like – cilantro, cotija, fresh basil, you choose – or as little, or perhaps pair it with crisp tortilla chips or beer bread. I enjoy the former in warmer weather, and the latter in chillier climes. A dash of red pepper flakes for a bit of spice is a usual for me, as well.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
In a soup mood? Souper! Here’s some more:
Chili Crisp Curried Mushroom Ramen
Creamy Three Bean Enchilada Chili
Slow Cooker Spicy White Bean Potato Chili
creamy corn and white bean chili
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 zucchini or yellow squash, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 3 ears of corn (about 2 cups of kernels)
- 2 cups sliced potatoes (about 2 large potatoes)
- 4 cups vegetable broth, or water
- 2 cans white beans, drained
- 1 cup canned full fat coconut milk, or whole milk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- cotija cheese, extra cilantro, and tortilla chips, to serve
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large sauce pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion and zucchini until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, smoked paprika, cumin, and corn for another minute.
- Pour in the potatoes and broth and bring the liquid to a simmer. Cover and cook 15 minutes until the potatoes are very tender. Using an immersion blender, whip the soup until mostly creamy, leaving a few veggie chunks in tact for texture. Or, alternatively, transfer about half of the soup to a blender and carefully blitz until smooth. Add the blender soup back to the pot.
- Stir in the white beans, coconut milk, cheeses, cilantro, and lime juice. Stir until the cheese melts. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Divide into bowls and top with cilantro, cotija, basil, and serve alongside tortilla chips.
