Vegan Corn Chowder

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This easy, 9-ingredient, hearty vegan corn chowder is one of our all-time favorite soups! It’s made without any cream, butter, or flour, and it’s super creamy and flavorful.

Plus, it’s made with ingredients you likely have on hand, anyway! It can be blended smooth, or left chunky, depending on what you prefer. And, in case you need another reason to make this recipe, it’s vegan and gluten-free.

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What is corn chowder?

Corn chowder is a thick, cream-based soup that uses corn as a main ingredient.

Traditionally, it’s made with corn, onion, celery, milk or cream, butter, flour, and sometimes includes extra ingredients, like potatoes, bacon, or chicken, just to name a few.

Is corn chowder vegan?

No, as you probably already guessed from the previous paragraph, corn chowder is traditionally not vegan! As mentioned above, it’s usually made with milk, cream, and butter. 

Luckily, with all the vegan substitutes available today, making this recipe vegan is incredibly easy!

Is this corn chowder gluten-free?

Yes, it’s made without flour! We didn’t use a flour alternative, we just eliminated the ingredient from the recipe entirely.

Is vegan corn chowder easy to make?

YES, it’s super easy to make.

This recipe has only 3 steps, plus garnishing. Easy peasy.

How to make vegan corn chowder

To make this vegan corn chowder, we replaced…

• Cream with full-fat coconut milk. Coconut milk is thick, and provides a slight sweetness to the recipe, as well as richness and creaminess due to its high-fat content. It really is an incredible substitute for heavy cream in so many recipes! We also used Yukon gold potatoes to make this vegan corn chowder even creamier.
• Whole milk with plant-based milk. For this recipe, we recommend cashew or almond milk.
• Butter with olive oil (or vegan butter). You won’t even know the difference!

What is this vegan corn chowder made of? 

This corn chowder recipe is made of:

• Olive oil (or vegan butter)
• Onion
• Garlic
• Yukon gold potatoes
• Leeks
• Corn
• Vegetable broth
• Cashew milk or almond milk (or homemade with Almond Cow). If you decide to get the Almond Cow, you can get a small discount of $15 OFF with the discount code “NATALYA” at checkout!
• Full-fat coconut milk
• Salt & pepper

Tips for the best vegan corn chowder

You can either blend the entire soup to make it super creamy, or you can blend half the soup, and leave the rest chunky for texture. It totally depends on your preference!

The key to making this corn chowder sweet, thick, and creamy is the combination of potatoes, full-fat coconut milk, and cashew milk. This makes for a chowder-y consistency without having to use butter and flour.

Make sure to use canned full-fat coconut milk. Don’t replace it with light coconut milk or coconut milk from a carton. This is what helps make the chowder rich and creamy! Replacing it with something else will yield different results.

While we recommend using fresh corn cut off the cobs, you can definitely use canned corn or frozen corn.

Don’t skip the garnish! We used roasted baby corn, chives, dill, and fried corn to garnish. They add so much extra flavor and texture to the soup. Trust us, don’t skip it!

FAQ

How to store vegan corn chowder

You can store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Can you freeze vegan corn chowder?

Yes, you can! All you have to do is let the corn chowder cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container, and store it in the freezer for up to 2 months.

When you’re ready to serve it, let it defrost in the refrigerator, then reheat on to stovetop or microwave until it’s at your desired temperature!

Can you make vegan corn chowder ahead of time? 

If you’d like to make this dish ahead of time, you can make it one or two days in advance. We don’t recommend making it too far ahead, as there are ingredients like garlic and onion that are best when served immediately after cooking.

As mentioned above, though, you can also freeze it for up to 2 months, so if you’d like to make it really far ahead, that option works as well!

How long does vegan corn chowder last? 

This chowder lasts up to 3 days, in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container in the freezer. 

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag your photos with @healthiir on Instagram!