Tater Tot Corn Chowder (Because 2026 Is About Comfort, Not Perfection)

Happy New Year, friends! 
2026 is here and I’m not about to pretend that 2025 wasn’t… a lot. Like, emotionally exhausting, mildly feral, germ-infested, “why is everyone coughing?” levels of a lot.

So instead of rolling in with a super green, resolution-worthy, this-will-change-your-life kind of recipe, I’m bringing you comfort. Warm, creamy, bacon-y, tater-tot-filled comfort. Because January is hard enough without pretending we want a quinoa bowl.

I first saw this recipe floating around on the Lodge Cast Iron Instagram and I was instantly obsessed. You know how much I love soup. And a soup that uses tater tots—tiny frozen potatoes that require zero peeling and absolutely no personal growth? I was all in.

The recipe itself is inspired by something from the Dinner Doctor cookbook (which has officially been added to my very serious ongoing mission of “find this at a thrift store or die trying”). And while the Lodge version is lovely, here’s what actually worked for me.

Maybe my tater tots were more… thirsty? But two cups of broth was absolutely not cutting it. I needed four. Also, and I say this with my whole chest: bacon is a magical ingredient. The recipe called for four slices. FOUR. I doubled it to eight, because peace was never an option. Half goes on top, half goes back into the soup where it belongs.

The result? Cozy, rich, corny (literally), fast, and wildly comforting. This is the kind of soup you make when you’re tired, it’s cold, and you want dinner to love you back.

Here’s how it comes together.

Tater Tot Corn Chowder

Ingredients

• 8 strips bacon, chopped

• 1 small onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 4 cups chicken broth (trust me)

• 1 bag frozen tater tots

• 2 cups frozen corn

• 2 cup whole milk

• 1 teaspoon salt (more to taste)

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• Optional toppings: reserved bacon, shredded cheddar, green onions, sour cream

Instructions

1. Cook the bacon
   In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Try not to snack on all of it—reserve about half for topping.

2. Build the base
   Leave about 1–2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pot. Add the diced onion and cook until soft and cozy, about 4–5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.

3. Put it all together
   Add the chicken broth, frozen tater tots, and frozen corn. Stir in the milk, salt, and pepper. Add half of the cooked bacon back into the soup because we believe in joy.

4. Soup magic                                                                                                                                   Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10–15 minutes, until the tater tots are very soft and starting to break down.

5. Serve. Ladle into bowls and top with reserved bacon and any other toppings your heart desires.

This soup is fast, forgiving, and deeply comforting—the culinary equivalent of putting on fuzzy socks and pretending the news doesn’t exist.

I hope you try it. And I hope 2026 is an easier, cozier, and much less germ-infested year for all of us.