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Sweet Potato Chowder

Sweet potato chowder with creamy mashed sweet potatoes, corn, and bacon-finished flavor simmered until tender. A simple one-pot method creates a thick, spoonable chowder with vibrant orange color.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Sweet potatoes
  • 2 lb sweet potatoes
Corn
  • 2 cup corn kernels
Bell pepper
  • 1 red bell pepper
Onion
  • 1 onion
Garlic
  • 4 garlic cloves
Bacon
  • 4 bacon strips
Broth
  • 4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
Cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream or coconut cream
Smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
Cumin
  • 0.5 tsp cumin
Chipotle powder
  • 0.5 tsp chipotle powder
Salt and pepper
  • 0.25 salt and pepper to taste
Chives
  • 1 chives for serving
Lime wedges
  • 1 lime wedges for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook bacon and aromatics
  1. Cook diced bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crispy, about 6-8 minutes, then remove and set aside while leaving the bacon fat in the pot.
  2. Sauté the diced onion and bell pepper in the bacon fat for 4-5 minutes until softened, then add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
Build the chowder base
  1. Stir in smoked paprika, cumin, and chipotle powder and cook 1 minute to toast the spices.
  2. Add the broth and cubed sweet potatoes, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 20-22 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender.
Mash, thicken, and finish
  1. Mash about half the sweet potatoes in the pot until the chowder thickens slightly, then stir in the cream and corn.
  2. Simmer for 5 more minutes until heated through and creamy, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve
  1. Serve topped with the reserved bacon, chives, and lime wedges.

Notes

For the smoothest texture, mash directly in the pot so you still see some sweet potato cubes. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days; reheat gently, adding a splash of broth if needed. Freezing is not ideal due to cream texture, but if you do freeze, thaw and reheat slowly. For a dairy-free option, use coconut cream instead of heavy cream.