Rich & Creamy Vegan Corn Chowder

I just love a recipe that hits it out of the park the very first time I give it a whirl. For this vegan corn chowder recipe, I basically sloppily took a stab at it, tasted a bit off of my stirring spoon, and did a slightly surprised, wide-eyed fist pump. Nailed it! And not in that so-didn’t-nail-it-Pinterest sort of way. Rather, in my humble opinion, truly, truly nailed it.

I adore this vegan corn chowder, and have from the start.

This decadent, creamy, comforting, buttery-tasting vegan corn chowder recipe has a bit of a story.

A few Christmases back, I made this cheddar corn chowder recipe for Christmas dinner. My brother-in-law especially loved it, and it’s been a frequent request for our holiday menu ever since.  It was perfect because I could enjoy some of the meatless version and my meat-eating family could add bacon to theirs.

And then – sad trombone – I had to cut dairy out of my diet. So a corn chowder full of cheese and milk wouldn’t work for me.

So, this past December, I set out to create an equally delicious corn chowder recipe that was vegan, so that I’d be able to enjoy too.

Yeah, that’s pretty much the story. And it was good, the end. Ultra-exciting!

Anyway, I opted to use use that original cheesy corn chowder recipe as a guide, stripping it down a bit and then adding some smoky/cheesy/savory flavor with that always-winning combination of smoked paprika, mustard powder, and thyme.

Shop this pic: Dark blue soup bowl (similar)

This vegan corn chowder starts with a traditional roux base for an uber-creamy situation that you expect with chowder. No watery chowder here! Coconut milk, Yukon Golds, and – of course – corn complete the picture, with half of the soup being pureed then added back to the pot for a gloriously creamy corn chowder that, I hope, will make you go wide-eyed too.

Oh, and while my brother-in-law didn’t try the vegan version of my corn chowder (I think he’s too married to the original!), my husband gives it a big ol’ thumbs-up. I don’t miss the dairy, and neither does he.

If you try this recipe, please leave a rating! And, if you find it share-worthy – which I hope you do – please share. Tag #kitchentreaty on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, and don’t forget to check out my other recipes!

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 30 mins

Total: 40 mins

Rich & Creamy Vegan Corn Chowder

4.82 from 11 votes

Rich, hearty, comforting, buttery ... I can think of so many adjectives to describe my new favorite corn chowder recipe. Who needs the dairy? Not moi!

Print Pin Rate

Yield: 6

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion (diced) (about 2 cups diced)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper + more to taste
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 (15-ounce) can lite coconut milk
• 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes (unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch dice) (about 3 cups)
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen sweet corn kernels

Instructions

• Set a medium soup pot over low heat. Add the olive oil and the onion. Sweat the onion - cook it low and slow - until tender and translucent, 10-12 minutes.
• Increase the heat to medium-low and add the flour, dry mustard, smoked paprika, turmeric, and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes.
• Slowly add the vegetable broth and deglaze the pan, stirring up any cooked bits that are stuck to the pan. Add the coconut milk, potatoes, and thyme.
• Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat back to low and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Remove the thyme stems. Stir in the corn.
• Transfer half of the mixture - about 3 1/2 cups - to the pitcher of a blender. Puree completely and then add back to the soup.
• Return pot to low heat and heat the soup back up. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
• Serve. I like to top individual bowls with a bit of fresh thyme and an extra sprinkle of black pepper, but it's not necessary!
• Keeps well refrigerated for about 3 days.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1cup, Calories: 254kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Sodium: 453mg, Potassium: 510mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 240IU, Vitamin C: 20mg, Calcium: 16mg, Iron: 1mg