This creamy soup 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!
Vegan Potato Corn Chowder
This creamy soup is chock-full of veggies, super satiating and the perfect comfort food! Gluten-free, Soy-free.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) vegan butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 pounds (907 g) Yukon gold potatoes, chopped
- 5 cups (575 g) sweet corn kernels (I used frozen)
- 1/4 cup (20 g) nutritional yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 3 cups (710 ml) vegetable broth
- 1 cup (235 ml) unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1/2 cup (70 g) raw cashews
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- Optional, diced green onion for topping
Instructions
- In a large pot, over medium heat, melt the vegan butter. Once the pot is hot, add onion and carrots, and stir to coat in the fat. Sweat the veggies by sauteing with the lid on the pot, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
- Next, add the potatoes to the pot, and a pinch of salt to help draw out some of the moisture, stirring to combine the veggies. Saute for 3 minutes, then add the corn kernels, nutritional yeast, onion powder, paprika, and parsley to the pot. Stir until everything is coated in spices.
- Add vegetable broth to the pot, cover with lid and increase stove temperature to high, until the mixture is boiling. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through.
- When the potatoes slide off of an inserted fork easily, carefully transfer 2 cups (473 ml) of soup to a blender, along with non-dairy milk and cashews. Blend for 30 seconds, then let sit for 3 minutes before blending for another 30 to 60 seconds or until completely smooth, with no small cashew bits remaining.
- Return creamy veggie mix to the pot and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and adjust any other seasonings to your liking. Serve soup while hot and top with green onion and additional cracked pepper. Enjoy!
Notes
- Vegan butter - 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.
- 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 gives the soup a kinda 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).
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6Amount Per Serving: Calories: 389Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 0mgCarbohydrates: 57gFiber: 7gSugar: 12gProtein: 11g
