Creamy Corn Chowder Recipe
With lots of sweet corn, tender potatoes, and a rich, creamy broth, this vegan Corn Chowder recipe is every bit as delicious as the traditional version!
Whether it’s Corn Nuggets, Corn Soufflé, or classic Corn Succotash, corn is a favourite in the summer months. And this vegan corn chowder recipe brings that sweet flavour into the fall and winter by putting it in a rich, creamy chowder! This is the kind of soup that leaves you feeling full and satisfied, with that fabulous broth, loads of veggies, tender potatoes, and some smoky vegan bacon on top for good measure.
What Makes This Corn Chowder Recipe a Win
My family has been enjoying this recipe nonstop lately! Here’s why we just can’t get enough.
- Creamy without any dairy. This corn chowder recipe is completely vegan thanks to a simple homemade swap: Cashew Cream instead of heavy cream or milk. It makes this soup ultra creamy and rich!
- Cozy, comforting flavour. There’s something about the flavours in this soup that I find so comforting. The sweet corn, savoury veggies, smoky bacon—yum!
- A meal-worthy soup. Not all soups are satisfying enough that you can have them on their own for dinner and not end up hungry a few hours later, but this corn chowder eats like a meal.
Notes on Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need for this vegan corn chowder recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
For the Cashew Cream:
- Raw cashews – Soak these overnight, or in hot water for 20 minutes.
- Almond or oat milk – It should be unsweetened and unflavoured.
For the Chowder:
- Vegetable broth – Store-bought or my homemade Vegetable Broth.
- Fresh corn kernels – When fresh corn isn’t in season, you can swap in frozen. (Just skip the step of simmering the cobs in the broth.)
- Vegetables – Onion, carrot, and celery are also known as mirepoix; they create a savoury base of flavour for the soup.
- Yukon potatoes – I like to use buttery Yukon gold potatoes for their flavour and texture, but red potatoes would also work.
- Seasonings – Sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, thyme, and bay leaf.
- Green onions and vegan bacon – For topping. I recommend my Vegan Bacon Crumbles or Crispy Vegan Bacon.
How to Make Vegan Corn Chowder
This step-by-step guide will walk you through the process of making this corn chowder recipe.
- Make the cashew cream. Blend the drained cashews with the plant milk until the mixture is completely smooth.
- Build the broth. Bring the vegetable broth and reserved corn cobs to a boil in a large pot. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Discard the cobs and transfer the broth to a large bowl or liquid measuring cup.
- Soften the vegetables. In the same pot, sauté the onion, carrot, and celery with a splash of broth or oil until they’re softened.
- Add the potatoes, corn and seasonings. Stir in the potatoes, corn, thyme, and seasonings. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
- Make it creamy. Stir in the cashew cream and simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Serve. Season to taste, then ladle into bowls, garnish with green onions, and top with vegan bacon.
Tips and Variation Ideas
- “Milk” the corn cobs. After slicing off the corn, run a chef’s knife down the cob once or twice more. This removes any leftover kernels and squeezes the rest of the corn juice out, which adds more corn flavour to your soup.
- Cut the potatoes to the same size. This way, they’ll all be tender at the same time, rather having some that are hard and taste raw and others that are falling apart.
- Make it nut-free. I use cashew cream as the Heavy Cream Substitute in this soup, but if you need a nut-free vegan corn chowder recipe, use your favourite nut-free vegan heavy cream or unflavoured/unsweetened creamer.
- Add some Southwest flair. Try stirring in a can of diced green chiles for Southwestern vibes. You can top the finished soup with crispy tortilla strips too!
What to Serve With Corn Chowder
My family loves this recipe with Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls or Gluten-Free Focaccia. Or, for a lighter pairing, you can serve your soup with a salad like one of these summer salad recipes, which have flavours that work well with corn.
How to Store Leftovers
- Refrigerator: Transfer this corn chowder into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze the soup in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- To reheat: Warm leftovers in a pan on the stove over medium heat, or heat individual bowls in the microwave.
Enjoy friends! If you make this corn chowder recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Vegan Corn Chowder
Ingredients
For the Cashew Cream
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes – 140g
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened almond or oat milk, 360mL
For the Chowder
- 5 cups vegetable broth, 1.4L
- 4 cups fresh corn kernels, from 4–5 ears corn, reserve cobs for simmering – 600g
- 1 large onion, finely diced (about 1 ½ cups) – 200g
- 1 large carrot, cut into ¼-inch dice (about 1 cup) – 120g
- 3 stalks celery, finely diced (about 1 cup) – 100g
- 1 pound Yukon potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch thick pieces (3 medium) – 450g
- 2-3 tablespoons sea salt, or to taste – 10–15 grams
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1g
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste – 0.5g
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, 1.5g
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or ½ teaspoon dried – 1g
- 1 bay leaf, remove before serving
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onions, to garnish – 10g
- Vegan bacon, for topping
Instructions
- Make the Cashew Cream: Drain soaked cashews. Blend with almond or oat milk until completely smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- Add vegetable broth and reserved corn cobs to a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10–15 minutes to extract flavor. Remove and discard cobs.
- In the same pot, add onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté in a splash of broth (or a little oil if preferred) until softened, about 6–7 minutes.
- Stir in potatoes, corn kernels, thyme, bay leaf, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15–20 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
- Stir in the cashew cream and simmer for another 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste (more salt, cayenne, or smoked paprika if you like).
- Ladle into bowls, garnish with green onions, and top with your vegan bacon.
Notes
- Refrigerator: Transfer this corn chowder into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze the soup in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- To reheat: Warm leftovers in a pan on the stove over medium heat, or heat individual bowls in the microwave.
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
