Thick, creamy chowder with tender chunks of carrot and potato, smoky shredded ham, creamy beans and lentils, and sharp cheddar for a rich, comforting finish; served warm with a sprinkle of parsley.
Crowd-Ready Cheddar, Carrot & Potato Chowder
A thick, one-pot chowder that stretches inexpensive pantry staples into a rich, comforting bowl perfect for feeding a crowd or tucking into weekday lunches.
This chowder exists to solve two kitchen problems at once: how to feed a handful of hungry people without fuss, and how to turn humble pantry ingredients into something luxuriantly satisfying. Tender chunks of russet potato and sweet carrots make the base substantial, while canned cannellini beans and split red lentils melt into the broth to give body and a silky, slightly rustic texture—no cream-only trickery required.
A simple soffritto of butter, onion and celery, a quick roux of flour, and a careful whisk-in of low-sodium chicken broth create the backbone; smoked paprika and a bay leaf leave a warm, smoky note. Add the optional smoked ham hock early for deep, savory smoke (or use vegetable broth to keep it meatless), then finish with whole milk, a splash of evaporated milk for creaminess, and sharp cheddar for that tangy, melty finish. The result is thick and spoon-coating, with distinct bites of carrot and potato alongside creamy beans and lentils.
Practical details: this gets better after an overnight rest, so it’s ideal for making ahead or cooking once and eating all week. Reheat gently, thinning with a splash of milk or broth if it tightens up in the fridge. Serve warm with a sprinkle of parsley and crusty bread for dunking—big on comfort, light on effort, and engineered to please a tableful without breaking the bank.
Ingredients
How to Make Crowd Feed Carrot Potato Cheddar Chowder
- Start the eggs: place eggs in a small saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, then simmer 9 minutes; transfer to an ice bath and peel once cool.
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat, melt the butter and add the chopped onion and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5–6 minutes, then add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- Sprinkle the flour over the softened vegetables and stir for 1–2 minutes to cook the flour (this forms a light roux); gradually whisk in the chicken broth until smooth.
- Add the diced potatoes, sliced carrots, red lentils, smoked paprika, bay leaf and the ham hock to the pot; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the vegetables and lentils are very tender, about 20–25 minutes.
- Remove the ham hock and bay leaf; shred any meat off the hock with two forks and discard bone and skin, then return the shredded meat to the pot.
- Stir in the drained cannellini beans, whole milk and evaporated milk and simmer gently 4–5 minutes to heat through; use a potato masher to press and mash about 1–2 cups of the mixture in the pot to thicken the chowder while leaving plenty of texture.
- Lower the heat to low and stir in the shredded cheddar a handful at a time until melted and smooth; avoid boiling after the cheese is added to prevent separation.
- Chop the peeled hard‑boiled eggs and fold them into the chowder off the heat if you like the extra bite from the eggs, or reserve them for garnish; taste and adjust seasoning with the kosher salt and black pepper.
- Ladle the chowder into bowls, garnish with chopped parsley and a sprinkle of extra cheddar or paprika if desired, and serve warm with crusty bread or crackers.
Recipe Card
Crowd Feed Carrot Potato Cheddar Chowder
Thick, creamy chowder with tender chunks of carrot and potato, smoky shredded ham, creamy beans and lentils, and sharp cheddar for a rich, comforting finish; served warm with a sprinkle of parsley.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Start the eggs: place eggs in a small saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, then simmer 9 minutes; transfer to an ice bath and peel once cool.
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat, melt the butter and add the chopped onion and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5–6 minutes, then add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- Sprinkle the flour over the softened vegetables and stir for 1–2 minutes to cook the flour (this forms a light roux); gradually whisk in the chicken broth until smooth.
- Add the diced potatoes, sliced carrots, red lentils, smoked paprika, bay leaf and the ham hock to the pot; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the vegetables and lentils are very tender, about 20–25 minutes.
- Remove the ham hock and bay leaf; shred any meat off the hock with two forks and discard bone and skin, then return the shredded meat to the pot.
- Stir in the drained cannellini beans, whole milk and evaporated milk and simmer gently 4–5 minutes to heat through; use a potato masher to press and mash about 1–2 cups of the mixture in the pot to thicken the chowder while leaving plenty of texture.
- Lower the heat to low and stir in the shredded cheddar a handful at a time until melted and smooth; avoid boiling after the cheese is added to prevent separation.
- Chop the peeled hard‑boiled eggs and fold them into the chowder off the heat if you like the extra bite from the eggs, or reserve them for garnish; taste and adjust seasoning with the kosher salt and black pepper.
- Ladle the chowder into bowls, garnish with chopped parsley and a sprinkle of extra cheddar or paprika if desired, and serve warm with crusty bread or crackers.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 74
- Saturated Fat
- 20
- Sodium
- 1100
- Fiber
- 12
- Unsaturated Fat
- 17
- Protein
- 45
- Fat
- 37
- Cholesterol
- 185
- Trans Fat
- 0.5
- Calories
- 830
- Sugar
- 8