This vegan corn chowder is smooth, calming, and creamy. It has hints of smoky spice and herby notes from the thyme and fresh chives. This soup is rich in flavor but low in fats, making it perfect for weight loss and maintaining heart health.
Corn chowder is the BEST chowder!
Vegan corn chowder is a creamy, hearty soup that only requires a few ingredients, and not a lot of time to make. It’s the perfect meal when you’re in a pinch and need dinner on the table quick.
I know when a lot of you hear chowder, you may be thinking of seafood chowder. Something like clam chowder maybe?
Chowder is actually a creamy stew based off of corn, potatoes, and milk. Seafood isn’t actually the deciding factor in whether soup is a chowder or not. It’s more of a textural thing.
And corn chowder is definitely not just a vegan thing. Long before I went vegan, I enjoyed corn chowder with loads of heavy cream and butter. It certainly can be a rich and (not so healthy) dish, but this version is just the opposite.
In fact, if you leave the coconut milk out or substitute with light coconut milk, it’s actually great for weight loss. So yes, I love this soup even more now.
The best part is I can hardly taste the difference between this, and the creamy dairy rich soup it once was. It’s just as indulgent tasting, and just as satisfying, but no where near as bad for you.
Win, win, win!
Water or broth vs. oil
One of the best tips I know for keeping a meal light is to limit the amount of oil you add to the dish. Oil is such a fundamental ingredient in modern day cooking. We use it to sauté our vegetables, bake moist muffins, and grease our pans. Oil tends to find its way into almost all of our meals, and it’s the most concentrated source of fat we have.
There’s about 20 olives in just 1 tbsp of olive oil, so you can see what I mean when I say concentrated.
I know there are diets out there like Keto or Paleo that celebrate the use of certain oils and fats in our diet. I agree, certain healthy fats are essential and an important nutrient for the human body… But, you don’t need nearly as much as these diets emphasize.
I could go on and on about nutrition and macro / micro nutrients forever. It probably wouldn’t be the most exciting thing in the world, so I’ll leave it to this: eating whole, unrefined carbohydrates is NOT bad, and will NOT make you fat. Period.
This country has it out for the carb and has for decades, but it hasn’t done ANYTHING to help our weight loss whatsoever. I mean, Keto has been around since the 60’s, and our people are still getting heavier, sicker, and more depressed. It’s much more complicated than carb vs. fat, since truly, all carbs are not created equal.
This soup uses unrefined ingredients and plenty of vegetables to boost your metabolism. I cook all of the vegetables in broth or water to avoid the heavy addition of refined fats from certain oils. This leaves you feeling lighter and more energized after a meal vs. tired and ready for a nap.
I never realized how much heavy fats affected my energy level until I cut them out. I definitely recommend you give it a try for at least a week and see how you’re feeling. It certainly won’t hurt to try.
Frozen corn ain’t the end of the world
It can be a largely debated topic. Frozen ingredients, or fresh?
I like to say, if fresh is in season then of course, use it!
That being said, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with frozen or canned vegetables. Using canned or frozen corn will save you time, and sometimes that’s the most important factor in making dinner. We’re all pressed for time more than anything else, so there’s no judgment AT ALL for using frozen corn.
Somedays, I just feel proud for making dinner at all instead of caving and ordering takeout.
We have to pick and choose our battles. If you’ve decided to make a home cooked meal over fast food, you’ve already won.
Use what works for you, and you’re golden.
So many variations
Before you ever even throw this soup in the blender, it looks beautiful!
So many textures, so many vegetables, and so many smells.
If you don’t have a blender or immersion blender on hand, you don’t really need to worry about blending it at all. Sure, it may not have a chowder-like texture, but it will still be an absolutely delicious soup.
You can also add different herbs or seasonings to the soup to put your own spin on it. I love to add curry powder and chickpeas on occasion to spice it up and add a little Indian flare.
Even just adding a couple of pinches of red pepper flakes will kick it up a notch and add so much interest to the soup.
This recipe is a good base corn chowder, so play around with it to your heart’s content!
Is soup your side, or your main?
How will you be serving this soup? Are you going to add anything to the soup itself, or will you be serving it alongside another dish?
Soup is the perfect dish for playing both entrée and side. It works well with others, but also can stand on its own and shine like a star.
Whether you’re serving this soup with bread or a sophisticated sandwich, I want to see it! Snap a couple of pictures of your meal and use #alderspirit or tag me @alderspirit so I can’t miss your post.
Drop a message in the comments below, or feel free to reach out to me personally and ask any questions you may have. I’d love to chat.
Vegan Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic 12 g
- 3 stalks celery 110 g
- 1 medium yellow onion 300 g
- 1 medium bell pepper 145 g
- 2 lb yellow or white corn kernels 900 g (approx 8 – 10 corn cobs)
- 2 medium yukon gold potatoes 230 g
- 4 cups vegetable broth (or) 4 tsp vegan bouillon + 4 cups water 944 ml
- 1 tsp thyme (or) 5 fresh sprigs, stripped
- 1½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1 14 oz coconut milk
Garnish
- thyme, fresh
- chives, fresh
- black pepper
- reserved corn
- reserved bell pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients: If using fresh corn, removes the husks and wash. Boil in a large pot of water for 10 minutes. Remove from the water and slice off the corn kernels with a sharp knife. Mince the garlic, and finely dice the onion, celery, and bell pepper. Peel and cube the potatoes.If using bouillon, prepare the broth by mixing 4 tsps of bouillons with 4 cups of water. Set aside.Open the can of coconut milk (if using) and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, bring 1/4 cup of water to a simmer over high heat. Add the onion and celery to the pan and cook for 3 – minutes or until the onion begins to turn translucent. (add water ass needed during the cooking process to prevent sticking, 1/4 cup at a time)
- Add the garlic and bell pepper to the pan, cooking for an additional 3 – 5 minutes.
- Add the corn, potatoes, thyme, and vegetable broth to the pan. Bring to a simmer, then turn the heat to medium low. Cover the pan and cook the vegetables for 25 minutes, removing the lid to stir ever 5 minutes. (the broth should still be simmering during this process)
- Transfer the contents of the pan to a blender. Blend on medium speed, for 30 seconds. You don't want to puree it to oblivion, so watch the process and stop blending once the desired texture is achieved. You may also use an immersion blender at this point if you don't have a stand alone blender.
- Pour the contents of the blender back into the saucepan. Add the salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, turmeric, and coconut milk to the pan, stirring to combine. Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings as you'd like.
- Serve immediately. Garnish with freshly chopped chives, thyme leaves, and black pepper. This soup will keep in the fridge for 5 – 7 days.
Notes
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