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Bowl of Red Lentil Corn Chowder with spoon.
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4.91 from 11 votes

Red Lentil Corn Chowder

My red lentil corn chowder is rich, hearty, and loaded with spicy Southwestern flavors! It’s super easy to make and a delicious way to use up fresh summer corn — but it works just as well with frozen when it’s out of season.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 418kcal
Author: Alissa

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ red onion, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ jalapeño pepper, minced (optional)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ancho chile powder
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 ¼ cups split red lentils
  • 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 (14.5 ounce/411 gram) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup fresh corn kernels, about 2 ears
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper hot sauce, or to taste
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Optional Toppings

  • Chopped fresh cilantro
  • Chopped scallions
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Coat the bottom of a medium pot with the oil and place it over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion. Sweat the onion for about 5 minutes, until it starts to soften, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the garlic, jalapeño, cumin, ancho chile powder, and oregano. Sauté the mixture with the onion for about one minute, stirring constantly, until the garlic and spices become very fragrant.
  • Stir in the vegetable broth and lentils. Raise the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil, then lower the heat and let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils begin to soften but are not yet fully cooked.
  • Stir in the coconut milk, diced tomatoes, and corn. Bring the soup back to a simmer and let it cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender and the lentils are very soft. You can add some water or additional broth to the pot if the soup gets too thick at any point.
  • Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the lime juice and hot sauce, then season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Ladle into bowls and top with toppings of choice. Serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 418kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 973mg | Potassium: 1046mg | Fiber: 20g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 717IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 8mg