Southwestern Vegan Corn Chowder

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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📖 Recipe

Print Pin

5 from 4 votes

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.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 342kcal

Author Alissa

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1 medium poblano pepper chopped
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 3 ½ cups vegetable broth
• 1 (14 ounce or 400 ml) can light coconut milk
• 3 cups fresh corn kernels, about 5-6 ears
• 1 medium red potato, diced
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons lime 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.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 42.4g | Protein: 11.5g | Fat: 16.5g | Saturated Fat: 10.5g | Sodium: 700mg | Potassium: 938mg | Fiber: 6.6g | Sugar: 9.3g | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 5.4mg