This Creamy Vegan Potato Leek Corn Chowder is hearty, healthy, sweet and satisfying. Perfect for any season. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free and delicious!
Yep, it’s summer time and fresh corn is everywhere. It’s the perfect time to share my Vegan Potato Leek Corn Chowder recipe.
I love heading down to the farmer’s market and picking up those lovely stalks. It’s absolutely perfect for the grill and makes every barbecue complete.
Corn on the cob is very nostalgic for me…I remember having family barbecues and I was in charge of peeling and cleaning them. My uncle would buy a huge bag and it was all for me. This job was serious business for me and I had each cob, grill-ready in no time.
There are so many other ways to prepare these sweet & crisp golden kernels, too. They are delicious hot or cold, cooked or raw and they are perfect for casseroles, soup, salads, sides, dips and more. The options are endless and they add a nice sweet bite to every recipe.
If you are a corn lover like me, you might want to serve this soup with my Zucchini Corn Fritters or these Gluten-Free Corn Bread Muffins. These will take your meal to another level of goodness. Go for it!
This is why I absolutely LOVE this soup:
This Vegan Potato Leek Corn Chowder is the perfect summery dish. It’s creamy, hearty, healthy, sweet and savory. I definitely enjoy this soup in the fall & winter, too.
It’s so comforting and satisfying. I just make sure to freeze some corn before the season is over. Store-bought frozen corn works, too. Fresh always tastes better, but sometimes it’s not always possible to get.
It’s so easy to veganize, too! Take a look:
A classic corn chowder soup, contains heavy cream, butter and even bacon sometimes. These ingredients are unnecessary and seriously unhealthy. This vegan chowder, is still creamy, buttery and delicious, but now it’s healthy for you. Sounds like a win-win situation to me.
Instead of heavy cream, I use full-fat coconut milk. I promise, it doesn’t taste like coconut, but any plant-based milk can be used. The potatoes make this soup creamy on its own, so you could forgo the milk all together. Just add 1/2 cup more veggie broth or water.
I added some sautéed leeks to this pot off golden goodness to boost the flavor. However, they aren’t needed and the sautéed onions will taste wonderful on their own. I used a gluten-free flour to give the soup more body, but you can use any all-purpose flour or just omit it all together. Just add another small potato into the mix. It all works, this soup is very versatile and you can add some spice, too.
I’d love to hear from you
If you make this recipe, I’d love to get your feedback. You can leave a comment below, and let me know what you think. 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.
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil (or olive oil)
- 1 large leek , chopped (white and light-green part only) *See note
- 1 medium yellow onion , diced
- 1 red bell pepper , diced
- 2 sticks of celery , diced
- 2 cloves of garlic , minced
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt , more to taste
- Fresh ground pepper , to taste
- 1 cup carrots , chopped
- 4 medium potatoes , peeled and diced
- 3 tablespoons gluten-free flour (all-purpose) (or regular all-purpose)
- 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth (low sodium) *See note
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups frozen or fresh corn (about 4 ears, shucked)
- 1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk (*See note)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- In a large pot, heat coconut oil & a pinch of salt over medium heat. Sauté onion & leeks about 2-3 minutes, until softened. Add celery, red bell pepper, garlic, salt, pepper & spices (except bay leaf) sauté until softened 5-6 minutes
- Add potatoes and carrots, combine well. Stir in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Stirring frequently, so flour doesn’t burn. Add vegetable broth & bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a light simmer. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until vegetables are almost tender
- Add corn and bring back to a light boil, then reduce heat and lightly simmer for another 5-8 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
- Remove from heat & remove bay leaf. Add the coconut milk and lime juice, stir well. Check for salt and add more, if needed. Using an immersion blender or regular blender, blend about half of the soup or more, depending on your desired consistency.
- Serve in your favorite sound bowls with some fresh bread and a lime wedge. Enjoy!
Topping Ideas: Fresh-cut cilantro, diced red bell pepper, green onion & red pepper flakes If you don't have or like full-fat coconut milk, you can use any unsweetened plant-based milk. It will still be creamy and delicious.
*Leeks can be very dirty inside the layers, because they are grown in sandy soil. To clean thoroughly: Cut off the dark green part and discard (or save for stock). Cut off the roots, and slice the stalk lengthwise in half. Now slice the entire leek into pieces. Place in a small bowl of water and swish around to release the dirt. Place in colander and drain well.
*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.
*Pin for later 🙂
Samantha
Wow! I’ve been looking for a dairy free corn chowder and here you were!
Changed a couple things but it is such a rich tasting soup. Well done. I’ll definitely add this to my recipe book.
Thank you!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Samantha, Yay! So happy you liked it! It’s been so long since I’ve made it. Thank you for stopping by 🙂
Jacque
This is delicious! I’m not sure we can wait for dinner to eat it!
Melissa Huggins
Yay! Thank you for making it! Have a great weekend! 🙂
Toya Good
Made this recipe it is awesome! I can’t stop eating it I added serrano peppers to give it some spice and topped it off with cilantro!
Melissa Huggins
Thank you so much! I’m so happy you liked it! It sounds so good with the serrano peppers. I’m going to add them next time. Have a great weekend! 🙂
Sarah
Delicious! Followed the recipe exactly as written and it was wonderful. Thank you!
Melissa Huggins
Hi, Sarah! Thank you so much! I’m so happy you liked it. I haven’t made this in a year, but that’s going to change this weekend. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Alli Torres
Hello!! So excited to try this recipe! Wondering if you thought a different kind of flour would work? Blanched almond, tapioca flour, gf oat flour etc? Thanks!! 🙂 Alli
Melissa Huggins
Hi Alli, I haven’t tried it with a different flour, other than a gluten-free flour blend. I’m not sure how the ones you mentioned would work. You can try arrowroot or cornstarch. Do you have any of those? You can also omit the flour all together, the potatoes really thicken up the soup on their own. You can even add one more small potato to the mix. I’m so glad you’ll be making this. It’s one of my favorite soups. I’d love to hear how it turns out for you 🙂
Alli Torres
Thanks for getting back to me!! I braved it and used the Blanched Almond flour, it worked out great!! It tastes AMAZING!!! Thanks!!
Melissa Huggins
Oh yay! I’m glad the almond flour worked. Thank you for testing it out. Now I can suggest it to other people who ask. Have a wonderful Sunday! 🙂
KP
Just made this and it’s delicious. My wife just said, “I don’t want to stop” – and got up to dish her third bowl. Thank you!
Melissa Huggins
This is so awesome to hear! Thank you for sharing your feedback – I’m so happy you both liked it. 🙂
Carol
Would love to know calorie count.
Melissa Huggins
I don’t have that set up for my blog at the moment, but I plan to in the future. You can go to Calorie Count online and it will give you the information. I’m sorry I couldn’t be more helpful. Thank you for the feedback and for stopping by 🙂
Chelsea
We are not vegan, but my husband is sensitive to dairy. I’ve been looking for a creamy soup to try and this was a big hit! We left out the red pepper, but followed the recipe otherwise. It was delicious!
mhuggs
Hi Chelsea, that is so nice to hear! Thank you for giving it a try and commenting. I’m so happy that you guys liked it. 🙂
Samantha
Amazing!!! Made this tonight and it is a fabulous recipe. Mostly stuff from the farmstead. Thanks for the recipe!
mhuggs
Hi Samantha, thank you for trying it out and for commenting. It’s always nice to receive feedback. I’m so happy you liked it. It’s a family favorite around here 🙂
Heather
I have this cooking now. How ver, I notice a comment about paprika, and don’t see it in the ingredient list.
mhuggs
Hi Heather, I’m not sure where you saw the paprika listed, I’m not seeing it. However, you can always add a 1/2 teaspoon of paprika to the the recipe. It will be delicious! You can also sprinkle a little on top, after the soup is served. Paprika is one of my favorite spices and heightens the flavor of many dishes. Thank you for trying out the recipe 🙂
Erin
Am making this today. I love that it’s dairy free as my mom who has kidney disease can also eat it : ) Thanks for the great recipes! I am newly vegan and learning alot!
mhuggs
Hi Erin, thank you so much. I’m so happy to hear that you’ll be making this today. It’s one of my favorite soups. I hope you and your mom love it as much as I do. Congratulations on taking a leap into the vegan movement. It’s the best thing that ever happened to me. If you need any advice, please don’t hesitate to email me @ veganhuggs@gmail.com <3 I would love to help in any way I can 🙂
Anna
Sounds and looks so yummy!!! I do love my soups, especially during colder months, it makes you feel all cosy and fuzzy inside! Beautiful work Melissa! X
mhuggs
I’m a big soup person in the winter, too. Thank you, Anna 🙂