Vegan Corn Chowder

overhead photo of a bowl of corn chowder topped with corn kernels and with crackers on the side

This delicious and creamy Vegan Corn Chowder Recipe is super easy to make and naturally gluten-free. Thickened with potato and natural corn starch and made creamy with coconut milk, this recipe is as delicious as it is healthy.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword Chowder, Corn, vegan

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings

Calories 285kcal

Author Katie Trant

Ingredients

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion diced
4 cloves garlic minced
3 stalks celery diced
2 medium yukon gold potatoes diced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp fine-grain sea salt
3 large cobs of corn kernels removed and cobs reserved
4 cups vegetable broth
1 medium red pepper diced
14 oz can coconut milk
cilantro for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
Add the onions, and sauté, stirring frequently. When they are just translucent, add the garlic and celery. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until the celery has softened.
Add the cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and salt, and add the potatoes. Stir to combine.
Add the shorn corn cobs (not the kernels!) and pour the vegetable broth over the top.
Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pot, and simmer until the potatoes are tender - approximately 10-15 minutes.
Remove the corn cobs from the pot, and add the corn kernels and red pepper in. Stir, and cover the pot to simmer for 10 minutes more.
Remove from the heat and purée half of the soup if desired.
Add the coconut milk, and stir to combine.
Serve garnished with corn kernels and cilantro, if desired.

Notes

Nutrition values are an estimate only.
Fresh corn isn't in season, can I use something else? For sure. In lieu of fresh corn, use 3 cups of frozen corn kernels and you're good to go.
Is this corn soup gluten-free? Yep! We're using potatoes and the natural starches from the corn kernels to thicken this chowder up!
I prefer a thicker / thinner soup. You do you! Feel free to adjust the amount of broth accordingly.
I don't like coconut. Fair enough. First of all, let me assure you that this corn chowder does NOT taste super coconutty - there's too much other stuff going on. But if you'd prefer an alternative, I'd suggest the following:
- A thick and creamy plant-based milk of your choosing.
- A bit of cashew cream stirred through at the end (I've made this with chipotle cashew cream and it was delish)
- Half and half if you're not vegan / avoiding dairy.
Can I freeze this vegan corn chowder? You sure can. I've got a bunch in my freezer as we speak.
Can I make this soup in advance? Yesss. I always find that soups taste better the next day. It'll keep in your fridge for 3-5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition