Creamy Vegan Corn Chowder Recipe

This thick and creamy vegan corn chowder soup is made with vegetables. You can cook it on the stovetop, in the Instant Pot, or in a crockpot; all three cooking methods are included. This vegan corn chowder recipe is so delicious and filling that you won't believe how fabulous it is—oil-free, nut-free, and gluten-free.

When the farmer's market is full of beautiful corn, I make vegan corn chowder. Not only is this vegan corn chowder recipe one of my favorites, but it's oil-free, nut-free, and gluten-free. So, even though the temperature is still in the high 90s in Arizona, I love soup all year round. And, I often make this vegan corn chowder recipe when the corn is fresh and cheap and double the recipe to freeze for those chilly winter nights months from now. 

Jump to:

• How to Grill Corn
• Vegan Corn Chowder Soup Ingredients
• Corn Chowder Soup Ingredient Substitutions
• Optional Garnishes
• Crock Pot, Instant Pot, and Stovetop Directions
• Thickening the Soup
• Recipes FAQs
• Tips
• Other Great Vegan Soups to Try  
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

Today, corn on the cob was five for a dollar, so on days like today, making inexpensive plant-based food is all about what vegetables are in season. So, since potatoes are always cheap, and corn is even more affordable, I decided to make a vegan corn chowder 'on the cheap.'

As a main dish or a cup of chowder on the side for a salad or sandwich, this vegan corn chowder recipe tastes savory and sweet with an incredible flavor from the combination of spices, fresh ginger, and lemongrass. 

This soup warms nicely in the microwave or stays hot in a thermos for those who pack lunches. 

How to Grill Corn

First, I love corn cooked on the grill! Slightly charred corn brings an added smokiness to the chowder. I also love that corn can be grilled beforehand and keeps its smoky flavor.

But grilled corn is optional for this vegan corn chowder recipe. Frozen corn or drained can work well with this recipe as well. 

1. Remove the husks and silk from the corn on the cob.
2. Place the corn in a Ziplock bag or another refrigerator safe container.
3. Add the juice of 2 limes, a handful of chopped cilantro, and 2 teaspoons of your favorite hot sauce (or skip the hot sauce if you don't like spice).
4. Shake the contents in the bag with the corn, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
5. Once the corn is marinated, prepare the grill by preheating it to 500 degrees. Although most recipes for grilled corn suggest leaving on the husks, you have marinated the corn, which prevents it from drying out.
6. On the other hand, taking the husks off also gives the ears of corn beautiful charred grill marks. 
7. Place the corn on a hot grill because you don't want the grill to heat up while the corn is on the grill. If you don't have a temperature gauge, a quick tip is to wait about 10 minutes to preheat the grill. 
8. Then, cover the grill, occasionally turning the corn for about 15 minutes, rotating to ensure all sides of the corn are grilled. 

If you love grilled corn, though, you have to try charred corn salad and Mexican street corn salad.

Vegan Corn Chowder Soup Ingredients

• Garlic: I prefer fresh garlic when available. When combined with onions, garlic brings warmth and richness to soups.
• White Onion: White onions are slightly sweeter and a bit milder in taste than yellow onions. They're a good choice for dicing and serving raw on sandwiches, salads, in fresh salsas or cooked into soups.
• Celery: Celery is an essential flavor base made from humble vegetables such as onions, celery, and garlic in soups.
• Fresh ginger: Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and can calm an upset stomach. We love the heat it adds to this corn chowder soup recipe for its sweet flavor.
• Lemongrass paste or fresh lemongrass: Sometimes, lemon grass stalks are challenging to find. They are found in the produce section of the grocery store. However, lemongrass paste is readily available when fresh packages of herbs are in the grocery store.
• Corn on the Cob: Corn on the cob is in season and beautiful this year. I love the taste of summer corn.
• Organic Vegetable Broth: I love the rich taste vegetable broth gives to a soup recipe.
• Nutritional Yeast: Nutritional yeast has a cheesy taste but it also adds creaminess when cooked with the other ingredients in the soup.
• Baking Potatoes: I like baking potatoes for their sturdy structure and creamy texture.
• Red Pepper Flakes: Red pepper flakes give a mild heat to the soup and balance out the sweetness,
• Garlic Powder: Garlic powder is made from real, dehydrated garlic, which is then ground to various levels of fineness. Most labeled garlic powder is actually coarse-ground garlic, while true garlic powder is ultra-fine
• Onion Powder: Although dried onion is just the onion flesh, onion powder can also include dehydrated onion skins and roots. Onion powder is three times more potent than dried onion
• Cumin: Cumin is earthy and provides a warm flavor to the ingredients in the soup.
• Plant-Based Milk (I used oat milk): I like oat milk for its creaminess and naturally thick texture.
• Roma tomatoes: Roma tomatoes have fewer seeds and are hot up well when added to soups and stews.
• Kale: I love kale in soups because it remains former than other greens like spinach or collard greens.

Corn Chowder Soup Ingredient Substitutions

• If you've bought pure garlic powder, then it's pretty easy to substitute it for fresh cloves. One clove of garlic equals about ⅛th of a teaspoon of garlic powder – not much, so it's worth starting small and tasting as you go!
• Yellow onion is a substitute for white onions.
• Fennel often substitutes celery in recipes; however, fennel tastes like licorice, so if you don't like this flavor, skip the fennel and celery.
• Use ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger for every 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger called for in a recipe.
• Lemon or lime zest is a substitute for lemongrass, which is often difficult to find.
• Choose canned or cooked frozen corn.
• Use Yondu mixed with water instead of vegetable broth.
• Miso paste or soy sauce (Tamari for a gluten-free option) substitutes for nutritional yeast.
• Any type of potatoes work in this recipe.
• The only difference between garlic powder and granulated garlic is the granule size. While granulated garlic is coarsely ground to a sand consistency, garlic powder is finely ground to a flour consistency.
• To substitute onion powder, use grated fresh onion, shallots, fennel bulbs, scallions, garlic powder, onion salt, or celery.
• Coriander is used as a substitute for cumin.
• Any unsweetened, unflavored plant milk can be used for this soup recipe.
• Try grape tomatoes instead of Roma tomatoes.
• Collard greens or spinach substitute kale in this recipe.

Optional Garnishes

• Reserved Grilled Corn
• Green Onions plus Chives
• Limes
• Cilantro

Crock Pot, Instant Pot, and Stovetop Directions

I truly love my crockpot. I used the crockpot at least twice a week when I taught school.

Although many people prefer the Instant Pot, my crockpot never disappoints. I provided Instant Pot and stovetop cooking instructions to make preparation easy regardless of my preference. 

Also, I posted two possible options for the corn chowder; eat it as is, or take a couple of cups of soup and blend to add back into the chowder to make it thick and creamy.

Again, the soup is oil-free, gluten-free, and nut-free, so the vegetable provides the ticker option for the soup, using potatoes and corn as the thickeners. 

Crockpot Instructions

1. Grill corn for 10 minutes, on medium heat, rotating it every few minutes
2. Let cool, and cut kernels off the cobs; set aside one cup of corn for garnish
3. Add the first 13 ingredients: onion, garlic, celery, ginger, lemongrass, potatoes, corn, nutritional yeast, cumin, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and onion powder, and the vegetable broth to the crockpot ( I have a 6 quart  Hamilton Beach Crock Pot); do not add the remaining ingredients until almost ready to serve.
4. Stir periodically.
5. Cook for 4-6 hours on high, or 8 hours on low
6. 30 minutes before serving, add plant milk, or blend in a small blender cup together; set aside.
7. Add the chopped kale, diced Roma tomatoes, green onions, and plant-milk mixture.
8. Cook for 5 more minutes until kale is wilted.
9. Remove the lemongrass stick if using a stick instead of paste.
10. Serve with reserved corn, cilantro, and chives as a garnish with a wedge of lime.
11. For a thicker soup, use a Hand Blender, and remove 1-2 cups of soup from the crockpot; blend the soup (this way, it is half creamy with chunks of potato and corn); you may also use a blender. Just remove half the soup, blend, and return to the crockpot. Be careful not to burn yourself.
12. Garnish with extra corn, cilantro, green onions,l chives, and a squirt of lime

Instant Pot Instructions

1. Grill corn for 10 minutes on medium heat, rotating it every few minutes.
2. Set 6-qt Instant Pot® to the high saute setting. Add onion, celery, and garlic and cook until the onions are translucent about 2-3 minutes.
3. Stir in potatoes, grilled or canned corn, vegetable broth, lemongrass, cumin, red pepper flakes, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt to taste.
4. Select manual setting; adjust the pressure to high, and set time for 10 minutes. When finished cooking, quick-release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions.
5. Next, add the plant milk blended with the nutritional yeast.
6. Select high sauté setting. Bring to a boil; frequently stirring, until slightly thickened, about 4-5 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add more vegetable stock as needed until desired consistency is reached.
7. Now stir in chopped kale, diced Roma tomatoes, cilantro, and green onions.
8. Remove the lemongrass stick if using a stick instead of paste.
9. For a thicker soup, use a Hand Blender, and remove 1-2 cups of soup from the crockpot; blend the soup (this way, it is half creamy with chunks of potato and corn); you may also use a blender. Remove half the soup, blend, and return to the Instant Pot. Be careful not to burn yourself.
10. Garnish with extra corn, cilantro, green onions,l chives, and a squirt of lime.

Stovetop Instructions

1. Grill corn for 10 minutes on medium heat, rotating it every few minutes.
2. Cut corn kernels from cobs and set aside, and reserve 1 cup for garnish.
3. In a large pot over medium-high heat, add garlic, onion, celery, ginger, lemongrass (paste or stick; if using a stick, remove it at the cooking), cumin, salt, and red pepper flakes, and saute for 1 minute. 
4. Pour the vegetable broth into the pot.
5. Now add potatoes corn. Stir.
6. Bring mixture to boil, then immediately turn heat to low.
7. Stir, cover the pot, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes, stirring periodically.
8. In the last 5 minutes, add the plant milk, diced tomatoes, and kale.
9. Remove the lemongrass stick if using a stick instead of paste.
10. Stir for 5 more minutes.
11. For a thicker soup, use a hand blender, remove 1-2 cups of soup from the pot and blend the soup. Then add it back to the soup pot and stir.
12. Garnish with extra corn, cilantro, green onions,l chives, and a squirt of lime.

Thickening the Soup

Add the plant milk to the chowder at the end of cooking to thicken the vegan corn chowder. Next, if you desire a thicker soup,  puree a couple of cups in a blender and stir them back into the pot.

Recipes FAQs

Tips

• Another way to thicken the soup without adding nuts is to blend 2 Tablespoons of flour, corn starch, or arrowroot powder with eh plant milk before stirring it into the soup. This will thicken the soup without removing any soup from the pot. 
• Do not add the tomatoes, plant milk, or kale until about 10 minutes before serving.
• When freezing soup, measure out individual servings in solo cups and transfer them into a freezer-safe container.
• Thaw soup completely before reheating
• Keep garnish separate and do not freeze in corn chowder
• Add 3 teaspoons of liquid smoke or 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika for a smokey version of the soup.
• Use a vegetable chopper to cut onions and potatoes into equal-sized pieces. This is a huge time saver.
• If chopping vegetables beforehand, place diced potatoes in water to prevent browning. You can just drain before adding to the recipe. 
• The red pepper flakes are optional because they are spicy. If you are sensitive to spice, begin with a small amount and taste before adding more to the recipe. Remember, you can add spice easier than removing it. 
• When using lemongrass sticks instead of paste, cut the stalk in half lengthwise before adding it to the soup, releasing more flavor. Remember, however, to remove the sticks before serving. 

As for those who meal prep, one crockpot, Instant Pot, or pot full of vegan corn chowder feeds you all week long!

Other Great Vegan Soups to Try  

If you love this vegan corn chowder recipe, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you!

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