This creamy potato corn chowder is chock-full of veggies, super satiating, and the perfect comfort food! Gluten-free, Soy-free.

The weather has been absolutely FRIGID in Las Vegas lately, even snowing a few times?! It’s no blizzard like some of y’all across the states have been experiencing, but it’s out of the norm for here. And because of it, I’m craving ALL of the soups and stews!

I’ve had this idea on my to-make list for a bit, but when my parents came into town last week I thought it was the perfect thing to make after their drive through the icy southwest. One: I love a corn chowder, two: I love root veggies, especially in the winter! So, adding potatoes and carrots was a no-brainer. I went with my old faithful – raw cashews – to make this luxuriously creamy.

Though I’m using cashews, there is no pre-soaking involved! Blending them with a couple cups of the hot soup – twice – breaks them down really nicely, and they thicken the soup further when added back to the pot. Now, my folks LOVE a peppery soup, but since I’m writing for the masses here I’ve taken the measurement down a tad, but please – as always – adjust the seasonings to your liking.

Substitutions & Tips:

• Vegan butter – this is for sautéing the veg, but if you are avoiding oil, use vegetable broth instead.
• Yellow onion – white onion will also work here if that’s what you have on hand.
• Yukon gold potatoes – I prefer yellow/gold for this recipe because they are so creamy and starchy. Plus, they have a more subtle flavor than red or russet potatoes.
• Sweet corn – I used frozen corn here, and I do recommend sweet corn for the most full flavor of corn in the soup.
• Nutritional yeast – this is an easy way of giving the soup a savory flavor boost, bordering on cheesy flavor. If you’d rather use some vegan cheddar shreds instead, go for it!
• Raw cashews – as mentioned before, this is a super-easy way to get a very creamy chowder. If you are allergic to nuts, you can use 1 cup (235 ml) full-fat coconut milk instead of the cashews and non-dairy milk (but still blend).
• Blender vs. Immersion blender – because I add the cashews to the soup to blend, a pitcher blender makes more sense here. If you used the coconut milk instead of the nuts, you can use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup mixture.

If you love soups like this, check out the ones below!

• Roasted Cauliflower Tomato Soup
• Winter Bisque with Crispy Sage & Shallots
• Broccoli Cheddar Soup
• Best Vegan Soups