Signature Butternut Chowder with Corn, Sage and Bacon

This ‘Signature’ Butternut Chowder with Corn, Sage and Bacon is quite literally one of my favorite recipes of all-time. It’s so flavorful and delicious! Serve it as a main course or a side dish anytime of year – it’s just as wonderful warm as it is at room temp.

Recipe originally published July 2015. Post and images updated February 2021.

I’m not sure how important things have to be before they can be rightfully designated a “signature” item, but in my book, this little dish warrants the title for many reasons.

The biggest reason this butternut chowder is so special (to me) is because it brought us here! The recipe is from a long-time friend who shared it as a wedding shower gift. UPDATE: Several years later, I served this Butternut Chowder to that very friend when she came over for dinner. She RAVED about it and asked for the recipe. When I told her it was the recipe she gave me, she said it was far more delicious than she remembered. HUGE compliment, right there!

Why “Signature” Butternut Chowder? Because… Bacon Fatte!

As if that’s not reason enough to consider this Butternut Chowder a “signature” dish, here’s more.

When I made the recipe the first time, I saved my bacon grease for another use (just like my grandmother always did). After it cooled, I put it in a container and labeled the lid with the date and the words “Bacon Fat”. And then, for whatever reason, I decided to add an extra “t” and an “e” to the word Fat (“Fatte”), and it stuck.

I thought about it for the next several weeks. because I had another blog at the time and was in the process of starting it over with a new name. Bacon Fatte resonated with me because it was relatable. It had everything to do with cooking and the kind of simple and delicious homemade food I grew up with.

Just to be safe, I looked up the word “fatte” to see if it actually meant anything. I found a couple of vague references to the word being Italian and meaning, roughly, to make by hand. A Rome-born friend was kind enough to confirm, and the rest is history. A “signature” dish – and this blog – was born!

But is this Butternut Chowder good?

It’s good. Really, really good.

You can’t beat the fairly “clean” ingredient list and bright, rich colors and textures. It’s also an easy recipe to make – totally forgiving, and completely customizable. It’s fabulous any time of year, just the way it is.

This butternut chowder is a great make-ahead dinner party dish because, like most soups and chowders, it tastes even better after it’s had time to season through. As a take-along item for lunch or pot lucks, it travels well and it even tastes great at room temp.

It’s also an incredible accompaniment for a wide variety of mains. Enjoy it with grilled chicken simply seasoned with sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, a little onion powder, and smoked paprika. The sweet and savory flavors in this chowder played wonderfully well with the hint of heat in the chicken seasoning. It’s also really delicious served with sage-crusted thick cut pork chops for a dinner party!

Mise en Place: If you’re the kind of person that likes to whiz right through a process, definitely do all of your chopping and prepping in advance and this lovely butternut chowder will come together quickly.

As always… Enjoy! 

5 from 1 vote

Print

Signature Butternut Corn Chowder with Sage and Bacon

With fresh, rich flavors and colors, this easy-to-make Butternut Chowder is sure to be a favorite recipe any time of year!

Course Soups and Chowders

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 7 slices of bacon chopped (if serving formally, allow at least one slice of bacon per serving)
• 1 large yellow onion 1½ - 2 cups chopped
• 1, 2- pound butternut squash peeled seeded, and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 7 cups cubed)
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons canned red chipotle peppers plain or in adobo sauce, finely chopped
• 2½ - 3 cups fresh or frozen white or yellow corn kernels
• 2 teaspoons fresh sage finely chopped
• Salt and fresh-cracked pepper to taste
• Additional chopped fresh sage for garnish

Instructions

1. In a large sauce pan, cook the bacon until it’s as crispy as you like it. Note: The bacon is used as a garnish. You can either cut it into small pieces prior to cooking, or you can slice or crumble it up after it’s cooked.

2. Place cooked bacon on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess grease and allow it to cool. Leave about 1 tablespoon of rendered fat in the pan.

3. Add the chopped onion to the pan and sauté just until the pieces start to get tender and translucent. Then add the chopped squash, chicken broth, and chopped garlic and chipotle peppers to the pan and simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes until the squash is tender.

4. Add the corn and finely chopped sage to the sauce pan and stir well. Simmer for an additional 8 minutes until corn is cooked.
5. Spoon about 3 cups of the soup into a heat-proof bowl. Then, using a food processor immersion blender, purée until smooth. (This gives the chowder a wonderfully creamy texture without adding heavy cream or other fats.)
6. Finally, pour the puree back into the sauce pan with the rest of the soup. Stir well and season to taste with salt and fresh-cracked pepper.
7. When ready to serve, spoon servings into bowls and garnish with bacon and fresh sage sprigs or leaves. Note: If leaves are larger, chop or chiffonade them so they’re easier to eat.

Recipe Notes

-Add more chopped bacon into the chowder as well for even richer flavor.
-Use a variety of different kinds of squash.
-Adjust onions and garlic to suit your preferences.
-Grilled corn brings a nice smoky flavor to the mix.
-Recipe adapted from a version that my friend says was originally published in Delta Sky Magazine.

Making this Signature Butternut Chowder with Corn, Sage and Bacon?

I’d love to know how you enjoyed it!

Leave a note here on the blog in the comments below, or share your creations and ideas on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and/or Twitter.

Make sure to hashtag #baconfatte or tag @baconfatte in your social media posts!

LIKED THIS? FEAST ON THESE:

Sweet Potato, Apple and Corn Coconut-Curry Chowder Peruvian Shrimp, Corn and Vegetable Chowder Butternut Squash Chickpea Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing Mediterranean Chili with White Beans and Lamb Blackened Steak Tacos with Pumpkin, Sweet Corn & Red Bean Salsa #PumpkinWeek Tortellini with Sautéed Vegetables, Bacon and Parmesan Tater Tot Dish Soup Creamy Sauerkraut Spread with Bacon, Garlic and Shallots Rice and Beans with Corn and Chimichurri recipe Mashed Potato Corn Kraut Gratin