Southwestern Vegan Corn Chowder

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Sweet summer corn and poblano peppers are simmered up with Southwestern spices and a touch of coconut milk to make this cozy vegan corn chowder.

Has anyone else been craving summery soup lately? I certainly have, and corn chowder is pretty much the ultimate summery soup.

I’ve made a few corn chowders over the life of this blog (my red curry version and my red lentil version), and I think this is the reason I’m so fond of them: corn is a perfect excuse to eat soup in the summer.

Yeah, you can use frozen corn and make this any time of year, but with fresh summer corn you get a bit of sweetness and a tiny bit of crunch that the frozen stuff doesn’t have.

Also, I think this is my favorite of the corn chowders. Southwestern spices and a little kick from poblano peppers are pretty perfect for seasoning up a bowl of creamy corn soup, and with that little bit of potato in there, I find it’s perfect for making a meal of.

What You’ll Need

Olive oil
Onion
Poblano pepper
Red bell pepper
Garlic
Spices (cumin, ancho chile powder, paprika, oregano, and cayenne pepper)
Vegetable broth
Light coconut milk
Fresh or frozen corn kernels
Red potatoes
Lime juice
Salt and pepper
Fresh cilantro and chopped scallions (optional, for serving)

How to Make Vegan Corn Chowder

Start by heating up your oil in a large pot on the stove. Once it’s hot, add the onion, poblano pepper, and bell pepper. Cook the veggies for a few minutes, until they start to soften up. Now add the garlic and spices, and cook everything for just a minute, until it becomes very fragrant.

Now stir in your broth, coconut milk, lime juice, corn, and potato. Bring the soup up to a simmer and let it cook for about 20 minutes, until the corn and potato are tender.

Season your soup with some lime juice, salt, and pepper. Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with scallions and/or cilantro, and dig in!

Vegan Corn Chowder Tips & FAQ

If fresh corn isn’t in season, just substitute frozen.
Is this soup spicy? Possibly! Poblano peppers can vary quite a bit in the amount of heat they pack. If you’re nervous about that, or just not into heat in general, sub a green bell pepper.
Is this soup gluten-free? Yes, it is!
Prefer a creamy corn chowder?When the soup has finished cooking, blend up a small amount with an immersion blender or a regular blender.
Leftover storage: Leftovers of this soup will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for about 3 days.

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5 from 4 votes Print

Southwestern Corn Chowder

Sweet summer corn and poblano peppers are simmered up with Southwestern spices and a touch of creamy coconut milk to make this cozy vegan corn chowder.

CourseSoup CuisineAmerican Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 25 minutes Total Time 40 minutes Servings 4 Calories 342 kcal Author Alissa

Ingredients

1tablespoonolive oil
1medium onionchopped
1medium poblano pepperchopped
1red bell pepperchopped
3garlic clovesminced
1tablespoonground cumin
1teaspoonancho chile powder
1teaspoonpaprika
½teaspoondried oregano
¼teaspooncayenne pepper,or to taste
3 ½cupsvegetable broth
1(14 ounce or 400 ml) canlight coconut milk
3cupsfresh corn kernels,about 5-6 ears
1medium red potato,diced
Salt and pepper,to taste
2tablespoonslime juice

For Serving

Fresh cilantro
Chopped scallions

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Coat the bottom of a large pot with oil and place it over medium heat.
When the oil is hot, add the onion, poblano pepper, and bell pepper. Sauté everything until the peppers are softened and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic, cumin, ancho chile powder, paprika, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Continue to sauté everything until the mixture is very fragrant, about 1 minute more.
Stir in the broth, coconut milk, corn, and potato. Raise the heat and bring the liquid to a simmer.
Lower the heat and allow the soup to cook until the corn and potato are tender, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Take the soup off of the heat and season it with salt, pepper, and lime juice.
Ladle into bowls and top with cilantro and scallions. Serve.

Nutrition FactsSouthwestern Corn ChowderAmount Per Serving (1.5 cups)Calories 342Calories from Fat 149% Daily Value*Fat 16.5g25%Saturated Fat 10.5g53%Sodium 700mg29%Potassium 938mg27%Carbohydrates 42.4g14%Fiber 6.6g26%Sugar 9.3g10%Protein 11.5g23%Calcium 40mg4%Iron 5.4mg30%* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.