Brighten up your summer with this Vegan Corn Chowder. It’s super creamy, flavor-packed & satisfying. You’ll get a taste of fresh sweet corn in every bite!
It’s monsoon season here in Arizona, so it’s cloudy and rainy every other day. I like it because it really cools down the sweltering desert heat, but there is a trade-off, and it gets really humid here and I hate leaving the house.
My hair goes bonkers and the mosquitos are out for blood. Sounds fun, doesn’t it? It’s not all bad though and this Creamy Vegan Corn Chowder is definitely a perk of my summer.
Fresh organic corn is everywhere around here and I’m taking full advantage of its abundance. I just loaded up the freezer with my Zucchini Corn Fritters and this Vegan Corn Chowder. Yep, they both freeze well and we’ll be enjoying them for the next few months.
I adapted this Vegan Corn Chowder from my Vegan Clam Chowder recipe. They taste different, but they are basically made the same way, with a similar creamy base.
It’s really easy to make and it takes about 30 minutes on the stove and about 15 minutes to prep. So it’s perfect for busy weeknight meals or lazy Sunday grub.
Veggie-packed
Fresh corn is the star of the show, but this chowda also has carrots, celery, potatoes and green onion to add to its wholesome goodness.
Here’s what else you’ll need to bring it all together:
- Vegan butter
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Fresh garlic
- Raw cashews
- Soy milk
- Thyme, Bay leaves, Crushed red pepper
- White wine
- Vegetable broth
- All-purpose flour
- Lemon juice
- Salt & pepper
You’ll also need a sturdy soup pot, potato peeler, a chef’s knife, cutting board and maybe a glass of wine while you’re cooking.
There are so many reasons to make this Vegan Corn Chowder. It’s:
- Bright
- Colorful
- Subtly sweet
- Savory
- Veggie-packed
- Creamy
- Buttery
- Satisfying
- Hearty
- Mouth-watering
- Freezer-friendly
- Thermos-friendly
If you’re looking for more fresh corn inspo, you may like my go-to barbecue essentials: this Grilled Corn Salad, and my Vegan Potato Salad. They are both easy to make and a hit at every gathering.
So, are you ready to get your hands on a bowl of this delicious chowda? Let’s do this!
* Click photo to Pin *
I’d love to hear from you
If you make this Vegan Corn Chowder, I’d love to hear what you think in the comment section below. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs so I don’t miss it.
Brighten up your summer with this Vegan Corn Chowder. It's super creamy, flavor-packed & satisfying. You'll get a taste of fresh sweet corn in every bite
- 1/2 cup raw cashews , soaked in water 3-4 hours (*See Note)
- 3/4 cup unsweetened soy milk (or any plant-based milk)
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion , diced
- 2 celery stalks , diced
- 2 medium carrots , diced or sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 2-3 med/large cloves garlic , minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (*See Note)
- 4 1/2 cups vegetable broth , low sodium (*See Note)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 medium russet potatoes , peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan salt , more to taste
- 3 cups fresh corn , cut off kernels from corn cobs (frozen can be used)
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (optional)
- Fresh cracked pepper , to taste
- 1/2 cup green onion , sliced (for topping)
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Blend the soy milk & cashews (discard soaking water) together until very smooth. Set aside.
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In a large soup pot, heat oil & butter over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add celery, carrots, garlic, thyme, crushed red pepper, Sauté about 5-7 minutes, or until veggies are tender.
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Add wine and turn heat up to medium-high to simmer. Once simmering turn heat back to medium. Cook wine down, about 3-5 minutes. Stir often.
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Sprinkle flour over veggies and stir constantly for 1 minute. This will cook off the raw flour taste.
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Stir in broth and add potatoes, bay leaves, and salt. Turn heat up again to medium-high to simmer. Once simmering turn heat back to medium and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Discard bay leaves.
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Add corn kernels and cook until tender. About 5-8 minutes depending on desired tenderness.
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Turn heat to medium low and slowly stir in cashew cream. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed. Cook for 3-4 minutes and remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and fresh cracked pepper.
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Using an immersion blender or regular blender, blend some of the soup depending on your desired consistency. I like lots of texture, so I blend less than half the pot. You can skip blending the soup if you prefer a chunkier soup. If you want it thicker (if not blending) mash some of the potatoes on the side of the pot with a fork.
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Place in your favorite soup bowls & garnish with fresh green onion. Side with crackers or crispy bread. Enjoy!
*To speed up soaking time for cashews: in a small pot, boil water and remove from heat. Add cashews and cover for 20 minutes, until softened.
*Vegetable Broth: I like to use low sodium broth, so I can control the salt taste. Some broths are too salty and can ruin a good recipe. If you would like to use a regular broth, make sure to cut down the added salt in the recipe. Taste as you go along. Another option is to blend low sodium and regular broth together.
*Wine: not all wine is vegan and may contain egg whites. However, there are many that are vegan. Here is a vegan wine directory.
*Prep time doesn't include soaking time for cashews
* Other topping ideas: paprika, fresh thyme, vegan cheese shreds, crushed red pepper, vegan sour cream, fresh cilantro, fresh parsley.
22 Comments
Hi Melissa, as always I love your recipes. I made this chowder and it was really delicious. I only made a couple of modifications and it really worked. I like my food with color, it think is a Peruvian thing, I used turmeric to give the soups that bright yellow color. I t did not change the taste, oh! I also used yellow potatoes and omit the flour to reduce the carb content it was still creamy and divine!!!
Hi Beatriz, Thank you for making it! I’m so happy it worked out for you. I think the addition of turmeric is a wonderful idea and I will try that next time. I haven’t tried it without the flour, but I’ll give that a go too. I love getting feedback like this. Thank you again 🙂 xo
I spent the afternoon making this, taking my time. I used coconut milk and it is one of the best things I’ve ever tasted! I highly recommend making this.
Hi Gayle, this is so wonderful to hear! Thank you for making it and sharing your feedback. I’m so happy you liked it. Have a great weekend!
This is wonderful! Mary Ellen at V Nutrition highlighted this on her FB page. Shout out to her for alerting me to your wonderful web page. I was roasting a case of Hatch green chilis yesterday while I made this and added a handful of roasted chopped green chilis with the corn and wow! Very good! Being New Mexican we add chili to just about everything. This made so much soup that I took a quart over to my elderly neighbors, non vegans, who loved it.
Hi Kiki, thank you for stopping by. I’m so happy you found my blog through Mary Ellen’s FB page. She’s one of my favorite bloggers. Just the sweetest person too. I’m so happy you liked the corn chowder. It sounds insanely delicious with the green chilis! I MUST try this next time. Thank you for sharing your feedback. Have a great week!
I have missed creamy soups and chowders since going vegan and was very excited to find this recipe. It did not disappoint. It was flavorful and filling. Plus, there is more than enough for lunch tomorrow. My only comment is that it took me a lot longer than 15 minutes to prep (more than 30 minutes).
Hi Kara, Thank you for making it and sharing your feedback (especially about the prep time). I missed creamy soups too, so I made it a mission to veganize my favorites. Enjoy the leftovers! 🙂
This recipe looks delicious! I have been on the hunt for new healthy dinners, yay!
I will be trying this one out! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Hi Majke, thank you for stopping by! I’m so glad you found some recipes you like. Let me know if I can help you find anything in particular. Have a great week!
Can you make this a few days ahead of eating it? Was thinking of making it on a Sunday for a Mon or Tues dinner.
Thanks!!
Hi Dawn, yes, you can make it ahead of time. You may need to add a small amount of vegetable broth when reheating but that’s it. Thanks for stopping by. Have a nice Sunday 🙂
Wonderful taste! And non vegan boyfriend loved it. Problem was the cashews left a little grainy texture and I didn’t know how to use immersion blender to make it more creamy without blending all the potatoes in the soup so I skipped that step. How do you make chowder extra smooth? But the taste was amazing!!
Hi Yvonne, thank you for making it! It sounds like your blender might not be strong enough to pulverize the cashews. The cashew cream should be completely smooth. You may need to soak the cashews overnight. If the cashew cream is still gritty, you may want to skip it altogether. You can use 1 cup of full-fat canned coconut milk instead. You won’t taste the coconut, but if you don’t like it at all, you can just use 3/4 cup soy milk. The soup will still be creamy. I hope this helps. I’d love to hear how it turns out for you next time.
My husband made this soup for dinner tonight and it was wonderful. We left out the lemon and red peppers. Excellent flavor and enough variety in the size of the veggies for great texture. Thanks, Melissa
Hi Sherry, thank you so much for the feedback! I’m so happy you both loved it! Happy New Year! 🙂
This is sooo good! I will be making it again. Highly recommend. I left out the white wine and just used stock instead. Delish!
Hi Kimberly, thank you for making it and sharing your feedback. So glad you liked it! 🙂
If I make it on a Sunday and freeze it and then unfreeze it Thursday, how long will it last before we should eat it? Thanks!
Hi Dawn, I think it would be fine for 3-4 days in the fridge. Have a great weekend! 🙂
I made the corn chowda this weekend and the taste is really good! I have tried making a few diff corn Chowda’s and to no avail none have tasted good. However, the one issue I had with this recipe seems to be in the cashew process. I blend it for about 5 minutes in a very good blender along with almond milk.. I still have small chunks of cashews. I also made your fettuncine Alfredo recipe this weekend and had no issues blending the cashews to make that alfredo sauce. I did follow directions letting the cashews sit overnight. Any suggestions if I try to make this again next time?
Hi Danielle, Thank you so much! So happy you liked it!
Usually, when there is a problem with the cashews not breaking down, it’s because the blender isn’t strong enough or the cashews weren’t soaked long enough. With high-powered blenders, you barely need to soak them. Since you said you soaked them overnight and didn’t have a problem with the alfredo sauce, I’m stumped. The only thing I can think of is could be the almond milk or maybe the cashews you bought. Were they from the same batch you used previously? Is the almond milk super smooth? Here are some things to try: Boil the cashews for 15-20 minutes. That will soften them good. Normally I just soak in very hot water, but you should try the boiling method. Try a different milk this time and see if it happens. You can also add a small amount more milk than the recipe calls for, and see if that works. If that fails, you can skip the cashew cream altogether and use full-fat coconut milk. About 3/4-1 cup will suffice. It won’t taste coconutty. 🙂 I hope this helps. I’d love to hear how it turns out next time. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your feedback.