Wrapping your chilly hands around a hot bowl of this vegan corn chowder is like holding sunshine. The brilliant yellow color excites your eyes as your spoon dips into this creamy, nutrient-packed soup speckled with little bits of corn, potatoes, bell pepper, onion, and celery. Your first bite begins to warm you from the inside out. Soup perfection!
We made this chowder flavorful by using onion, garlic, jalapeño, and flavorful vegetable broth, and we made it creamy using plant-based milk and pureed potatoes. Unlike most corn chowder recipes, our calls for zero cream or butter, making this recipe extra healthy while still being just as delicious.
This vegan corn chowder recipe comes from The Friendly Vegan Cookbook. While it’s an absolute fall favorite, it can be enjoyed any time of year, as it comes together perfectly with frozen corn. Also, don’t miss our round-up of the best vegan soup recipes from all around the web!
Why You Must Make this Dairy-Free Corn Chowder
This vegan corn chowder is a game-changer for comfort food lovers. It’s creamy, flavorful, and packed with sweet corn and hearty vegetables. You’ll love how easy it is to make and how satisfying each spoonful tastes!
- Creamy Without the Dairy. This chowder delivers a rich and creamy texture without any dairy, making it perfect for those with dietary restrictions or anyone looking for a lighter alternative.
- Packed with Fresh Corn Flavor. Using fresh or frozen corn ensures every bite bursts with natural sweetness and vibrant flavor, making the chowder irresistibly delicious.
- Hearty and Satisfying. Filled with hearty vegetables like potatoes and carrots, this chowder is both filling and comforting, making it a great choice for a cozy meal.
- Easy to Make. This recipe is straightforward and easy to follow, making it accessible even for beginners. You’ll have a delicious chowder on the table in no time!
- Perfect for Meal Prep. This chowder stores well in the fridge, so you can make a big batch and enjoy it throughout the week, saving you time and effort.
Corn Chowder Key Ingredients and Substitutions
Creating a delicious dairy-free corn chowder starts with the right ingredients. In this section, we’ll go over the key components that give your chowder its rich flavor and creamy texture. Plus, you’ll find some easy substitutions to make the recipe work for you!
- Vegetable Oil: This versatile ingredient provides a smooth start for our chowder. You can use olive oil, canola oil, avocado oil, or any oil of choice.
- Yellow Onion & Garlic: These two aromatic ingredients are essential for building a flavorful base. They not only give the chowder depth but also enhance the taste of other ingredients.
- Red Bell Pepper & Jalapeño: While the red bell pepper offers a sweet, vibrant twist, the jalapeño comes in with a hint of spice. Together, they strike a balance between sweet and spicy that’s hard to resist.
- Celery: With its fresh and crunchy texture, celery adds a refreshing bite to the chowder.
- Potatoes (Red, Russet, or Yukon Gold): These starchy wonders thicken the chowder, making it creamy without any dairy. You can also substitute with Japanese sweet potatoes, parsnips, cauliflower, or carrots.
- Corn Kernels: The star of our chowder! Corn brings in natural sweetness, a pleasant crunch, and a sunny, yellow hue. Whether you choose frozen, canned, or fresh corn, you’re infusing the chowder with a burst of summer flavor.
- Rich Vegetable Broth: This liquid gold forms the base of our chowder. Opting for a rich homemade vegetable broth ensures that every spoonful is bursting with layers of flavors.
- Unsweetened, Plain Plant-Based Milk: Adding creaminess without the dairy, plant-based milk ensures the chowder remains vegan while still having that traditional creamy texture. Use your own homemade almond milk or cashew milk for extra delicious flavor.
- Green Onion & Black Pepper (for garnish): The finishing touch! Green onions add a pop of color and a zesty flavor, while freshly ground black pepper provides a subtle kick, making every bite of the chowder an adventure for the palate.
How to Make Vegan Corn Chowder
Ready to whip up some tasty corn chowder? We’ll walk you through these four simple steps to create a flavorful, creamy chowder that’s perfect for any meal. Just follow along, and you’ll have a delicious dish in no time!
Step 1: Sauté the Vegetables – In a large soup pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper, jalapeño, and celery, and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until the onion is translucent and tender.
Step 2: Cook the Potatoes and Corn – Add the potatoes, 2 cups of corn kernels, and vegetable broth to the pot. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
Then, Step 3: Blend the Corn Mixture – In a blender, combine the remaining 2 cups of corn, salt, and plant-based milk. Blend until smooth, then pour this mixture into the pot. Bring to a boil and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Finally, Step 4: Thicken and Serve – Remove the pot from heat. Use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup, leaving some chunks for texture. Garnish each bowl with chopped green onion and freshly ground pepper before serving.
Tasty Serving Tips and Suggestions
Want to make your homemade corn chowder even better? Here are some simple tips and serving suggestions to enhance the flavor and presentation. These ideas are sure to make your chowder a hit at the dinner table!
- Top with Fresh Herbs and Toppings – Add a sprinkle of chopped parsley or cilantro for a burst of fresh flavor that complements the creamy chowder. We love a little diced avocado, crumbled vegan bacon, or hot sauce on ours!
- Serve with Crusty Bread – Pair your chowder with warm, crusty bread (like this herby rosemary bread) for dipping. It’s perfect for soaking up every last bit of that delicious broth.
- Add a Squeeze of Lime – A squeeze of lime juice brightens the flavors and adds a tangy twist that pairs well with the sweetness of the corn.
- Sprinkle on Some Vegan Cheese – If you enjoy a little extra richness, sprinkle some dairy-free cheese on top. It melts beautifully into the hot chowder. Consider zesty parmesan, creamy mozzarella, or tangy cheddar vegan cheeses.
- Pair with a Side Salad – Balance the hearty chowder with a light, fresh salad on the side. A simple green salad with a creamy dill dressing works great.
Frequently Asked Questions
While you can absolutely use either for this recipe, using bouillon instead of pre-made vegetable broth is a great way to reduce waste. It eliminates the need for single-use containers and extra trash in the landfill. Just add bouillon to boiling water for an easy, flavorful broth, and you can even reuse the glass jars for other kitchen needs! Better Than Bouillon is my personal favorite.
You can use any type of corn in this recipe—fresh corn, canned corn, or frozen corn kernels! We personally like to use frozen corn because it’s already removed from the cob and is super-easy to toss in. Plus, frozen produce is usually picked, harvested, prepared, and frozen at the peak point of ripeness, creating very highest quality produce that’s perfect to cook with.
To freeze your leftovers, just ladle portions into glass containers (I love using single-serving containers), secure the lids, and pop them in the freezer. When you’re ready to enjoy more soup, just allow them to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating them in the microwave the next day. You can also microwave them from their frozen state, but it will take longer and require some mixing along the way.
If kept in a sealed container in the fridge, this dairy-free corn chowder will last up to 3-5 days.
More Vegan Corn Recipes
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Vegan Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 1½ tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 2 large cloves garlic minced
- 1 small red bell pepper diced
- ½ medium jalapeño seeded and minced
- 3 ribs celery diced
- 1 pound red russet, or Yukon Gold potatoes chopped
- 4 cups corn kernels frozen corn or fresh uncooked corn sliced directly off the cob—about 4 large ears, divided
- 4 cups rich vegetable broth or equivalent amount of vegetable bouillon and water
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 2 cups unsweetened plain plant-based milk
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onion for garnish
- Freshly ground black pepper for garnish
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium high heat.
- Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper, jalapeño, and celery and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onion becomes translucent and tender.
- Add the potatoes, 2 cups of the corn kernels, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
- In a blender, combine the remaining 2 cups of corn kernels, salt, and plant-based milk and blend on high until smooth. Pour the mixture into the pot of soup, bring to a boil, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Using an immersion blender, briefly blend some (but not all) of the soup. This will thicken the soup, but visible chunks of the ingredients should remain. (Alternatively, you can use a regular blender to purée half of the soup, and then add it back in.) Be careful not to over-purée, because you want plenty of chunkiness to remain in the soup.
- Garnish each bowl with chopped green onion and freshly ground pepper.
Video
Notes
- Helpful Suggestion: If you have extra frozen corn kernels, toss them in the soup after blending.
- Savory Sides: Focaccia bread with vegan butter, a crisp fresh salad, or warm homemade pita bread would bring even more heartiness to this meal.
Nutrition
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