This creamy vegetable chowder is pure comfort in a bowl! Made with a medley of veggies simmered in a creamy, herbed white wine broth, it’s hearty, flavorful, and surprisingly easy to make. Pair it with a crusty piece of bread for the coziest winter dinner ever.
During the colder months of the year, my philosophy is soup, all day, every day. I can’t get enough of it! The only real decision is which soup to make. I have so many vegan soup recipes, but this creamy vegetable chowder is a new favorite. It has everything I love about my classic vegetable soup and vegan potato soup. It's creamy, hearty, packed with veggies, and bonus — it's really easy to throw together!
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It’s actually surprisingly simple to make a luxurious, creamy dairy-free soup. And no, we’re not using cashews today — we’re using coconut milk! Full-fat coconut milk is the base for my vegan clam chowder, vegan cream of mushroom soup, and vegan cream of broccoli soup, and it makes a great base for this creamy vegan vegetable chowder, too!
If you’re looking for a hearty, comfort-food soup to warm you up when it’s chilly out, look no further. A big batch of this cozy vegan chowder will keep you warm all winter long!
Ingredients You'll Need
Below you'll find a list of ingredients in this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including the amount of each ingredient.
- Vegan butter. Most stores sell this near the regular butter, in the refrigerated section. You could substitute a neutral oil if you don't have any vegan butter on hand.
- Onion.
- Carrots.
- Celery.
- Garlic.
- Dry white wine. Varieties like chardonnay, pinot grigio, and sauvignon blanc work well in this recipe. Be sure to run your brand through Barnivore before you buy, since they're not all vegan.
- Flour. I've only tested the recipe with all-purpose wheat flour, although I suspect other varieties like gluten-free all-purpose flour and whole wheat pastry flour will work.
- Vegetable broth.
- Coconut milk. We're using canned full-fat coconut milk. Don't use the type of coconut milk sold in cartons for drinking — these products are heavily watered down and often contain flavorings.
- Potato. The recipe calls for a russet potato, which is the type normally used for baking. A couple of red or yellow potatoes could be substituted, if that's what you have on hand.
- Green beans.
- Herbs. You'll just need some dried thyme and a bay leaf.
- Frozen peas.
- Frozen corn.
- Lemon juice. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor.
- Salt and pepper.
How It's Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Step 1: Sweat the veggies. Cook diced onion, carrots, and celery in some melted vegan butter, until they start to soften. Add minced garlic and cook everything for about another minute.
Step 2: Simmer the wine. Stir in the white wine and let it simmer for a few minutes, until most of the liquid has cooked off.
Step 3: Add the flour. Sprinkle it over the veggies, then stir everything up and cook it for about a minute.
Step 4: Simmer. Slowly add the broth while stirring, followed by the coconut milk, potato, green beans, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and let it simmer for a bit.
Steps 5 & 6: Finish the soup. Stir in the thawed frozen peas and corn, then simmer the soup for an additional minute to heat them through. Remove the pot from heat, take out the bay leaf, and add lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Step 7: Blend. This is totally optional! If you'd like to thicken the base, just blend a small amount using an immersion blender or by transferring it to a regular blender.
Step 8: Serve. Your vegetable chowder is ready to enjoy! Ladle it into bowls and dig in.
Variations
- Spicy vegetable chowder. Add a little cayenne pepper or your favorite hot sauce. I like Crystal and Cholula with this soup.
- Add savory herbs. Throw in a sprig of fresh rosemary while the soup simmers, add some dried sage, or finish the soup with finely chopped fresh sage.
- Make it cheesy. Stir in some shredded vegan cheddar cheese when the soup has a few minutes left of simmer time, or add some nutritional yeast for cheesy flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
I think so! Try swapping out the wheat flour with rice flour or an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend. I haven't tried this myself, but I've heard from readers that have used these flours as thickeners in similar recipes.
I couldn't taste the coconut at all, but if you're particularly sensitive to the flavor you may want to use another dairy-free milk. Use a variety that's thick and rich, like a heavy cashew milk. Read my guide to dairy-free milk if you need help choosing one.
Leftover vegetable chowder will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about three days. I don't recommend freezing this soup, as it can lead to separation.
More Vegan Soups
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Vegetable Chowder
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 2 medium celery stalks, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 (14 ounce/397 ml) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 medium russet potato, scrubbed and diced (½ inch)
- 1 cup fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat, then add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook the vegetables for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften. Add the garlic to the pot and cook it with the vegetables for about a minute, stirring constantly, until very fragrant.
- Add the wine to the pot and bring it to a simmer. Let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until most of the liquid has dried up.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir well to coat the veggies. Cook the mixture for about a minute, stirring constantly.
- Drizzle in the broth while stirring. Once all of the broth has been added, stir in the coconut milk, potato, green beans, thyme, and bay leaf. Raise the heat and bring the liquid to a boil, then lower the heat and let the soup simmer until the potato and green beans are tender, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the peas and corn. Let the soup simmer a minute or so longer, just to heat up the veggies you just added.
- Remove the pot from heat and remove the bay leaf. Stir in the lemon juice, then season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
- Optional step: Blend a cup or two of the soup if you'd like to thicken the broth. You can transfer it to a blender, or just briefly blend it in the pot using a hand blender. Always use caution when blending hot liquids.
- Ladle into bowls and serve.
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Fantastic soup. My 3 favorites are this one Tuscan Kale and the Cabbage.
Yummy
Love your recipes! Thank you. I always add beans. ;-)