Vegan Corn Chowder

4.87 from 15 votes

This thick and creamy vegan corn chowder soup is made with nothing but vegetables. Cook this soup on the stovetop, the Instant pot, or in a crockpot; all three cooking methods are included in the recipe. This corn chowder is so delicious and filling you won't believe how fabulous it is—oil-free, nut-free, and gluten-free.

Prep Time20

Cook Time6

Total Time6 20

Course: Soups

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 120kcal

Author: Kathy Carmichael

Ingredients

Soup

2 cloves garlic minced
1 /2 large white onion diced
4 stalks celery diced
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger grated
1 Tablespoon lemongrass paste or 1 stick fresh lemongrass (removed after cooking)
5 ears corn 3 ½ cups canned or frozen corn grilled, kernels removed from the cobs, 1 cup of corn reserved for garnish
4 cups organic vegetable broth
¼ cup nutritional yeast
3 baking potatoes peeled and cut into small identical pieces (cubed)
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 /2 teaspoon cumin

Ingredients Added Right Before Serving

2 cups plant-based milk
1 cup Roma tomatoes diced
2 cups kale chopped

Garnish (optional)

1 cup reserved grilled corn
¼ cup green onions plus chives
4 limes cut in wedges

Other Flavor Options

3 teaspoons liquid smoke or 1 teaspoon smoked paprika to replace red pepper flakes for a smokey taste

Instructions

Marinated Grilled Corn

Remove the husks and silk from the corn on the cob.
Place the corn in a Ziplock bag or another refrigerator-safe container.
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).
Shake the contents in the bag with the corn, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
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
On the other hand, taking the husks off also gives the ears of corn beautiful charred grill mark
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.
Then, cover the grill, occasionally turning the corn for about 15 minutes, rotating to ensure all sides of the corn are grilled.

Crockpot

Grill corn for 10 minutes, on medium heat, rotating it every few minutes
Let cool, and cut kernels off the cobs; set aside one cup of corn for garnish
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; do not add the remaining ingredients until almost ready to serve.
Stir periodically.
Cook for 4-6 hours on high, or 8 hours on low
30 minutes before serving, add plant milk, or blend in a small blender cup together; set aside.
Add the chopped kale, diced Roma tomatoes, green onions, and plant-milk mixture.
Cook for 5 more minutes until kale is wilted.
Remove the lemongrass stick if using a stick instead of paste.
Serve with reserved corn, cilantro, and chives as a garnish with a wedge of lime.
For a thicker soup, use a hand blender. Or, 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.
Garnish with extra corn, cilantro, green onions, chives, and a squirt of lime.

Instant Pot

Grill corn for 10 minutes, on medium heat, rotating it every few minutes.
Set to the high saute setting. Add onion, celery, and garlic and cook until the onions are translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
Stir in potatoes, grilled or canned corn, vegetable broth, lemongrass, cumin, red pepper flakes, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt to taste.
Select the manual setting, adjust the pressure to high, and set the time for 10 minutes. When finished cooking, quick-release pressure according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Next, add the plant milk blended with the nutritional yeast.
Select the 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 until the desired consistency is reached.
Now stir in chopped kale, diced Roma tomatoes, cilantro, and green onions.
Remove the lemongrass stick if using a stick instead of paste.
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.
Garnish with extra corn, cilantro, green onions, chives, and a squirt of lime.

Stovetop

Grill corn for 10 minutes, on medium heat, rotating it every few minutes
Cut corn kernels from cobs and set aside, and reserve 1 cup for garnish.
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.
Pour the vegetable broth into the pot.
Now add potatoes and corn. Stir.
Bring mixture to boil, then immediately turn heat to low.
Stir, cover the pot, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes, stirring periodically.
In the last 5 minutes, add the plant milk, diced tomatoes, and kale.
Remove the lemongrass stick if using a stick instead of paste.
Stir for 5 more minutes.
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.
Garnish with extra corn, cilantro, green onions, chives, and a squirt of lime.

Video

Notes

Another way to thicken the soup without adding nuts is to blend 2 Tablespoons of flour, corn starch, or arrowroot powder with the 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 10 minutes before serving.
When freezing soup, measure 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
For a smokey version of the soup, add 3 teaspoons of liquid smoke or 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika.
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. 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.

Nutrition