Creamy Corn Chowder (from the Simply Delicious Vegan cookbook)
This creamy corn chowder is oil-free, gluten-free, and (of course) vegan! It’s an easy, cozy, flavorful, and HEALTHY plant-based dinner option, and leftovers can be frozen for later – making it ideal for busy weeknights or weekly meal prep! The recipe is from the new cookbook by Caitlin Shoemaker (creator of From My Bowl!): Simply Delicious Vegan.
It’s winter on our side of this big blue ball, and this vegan corn chowder has arrived just in time to warm our shivering souls. And this corn chowder isn’t just vegan – it’s oil-free, gluten-free, chock full of whole plant foods, and every bit as delicious as it is nutritious.
The recipe I’m gushing about comes from the amazing new cookbook Simply Delicious Vegan by Caitlin Shoemaker (the genius behind the blog From My Bowl!). We’ve been making and enjoying Caitlin’s recipes for some years now, and while we both make vegan food that’s cozy and comforting – she has this incredible healthy twist to all her really exciting recipes!
So, if you’re looking to add to your arsenal of healthy AND delicious recipes in the new year, we highly recommend checking out her book (along with this recipe we’re sharing today!).
Why We Love This Vegan Corn Chowder:
- It’s SO easy to make – a total no-brainer for a busy weeknight where the last thing you want is a complicated process to follow.
- The recipe requires just 10 simple, easy-to-find ingredients.
- This soup is cozy and comforting but also BURSTING with healthy plant-based goodness to make you feel amazing. This is a constant standard in all of Caitlin’s recipes, and the soup we’re sharing today does NOT disappoint.
- It’s oil-free, gluten-free, and refined sugar free, making this soup recipe awesome for all kinds of dietary preferences or allergies.
How to Make Creamy Corn Chowder Vegan AND Oil-Free
As Caitlin notes in her book, traditional corn chowder is often made with dairy-based cream and thickened with crackers.
Caitlin puts a vegan AND healthy twist on this classic by using a thick and lucious cashew cream with starchy gold potatoes that create the incredible hug-in-a-bowl texture we all know and love.
Oil-Free Tips and Tricks
Okay, that’s the vegan part. But what about the oil-free part? Doesn’t soup-making have to consist of lots of browning and sauteing and don’t we need oil for that?
Here’s where Caitlin’s book really stands out: She has INCREDIBLE tips for practical oil-free cooking. Honestly, I learned a ton from this cookbook about oil-free cooking. (Not that I’m 100% ditching the oil anytime soon, BUT now I know how to answer your questions a bit better about adapting recipes for an oil-free diet.)
For this particular recipe, Caitlin allows the natural sugar in the corn itself to brown the kernels in a hot pan, then deglaze it with a bit of vegetable broth which helps you loosen and scrape up all those delicious pieces of caramelized corn. I was a bit skeptical at first, but I can now say this trick worked like a charm!
Then, she has you saute the onions and celery in the vegetable broth. Easy, simple, incredibly effective.
We can’t wait to make more recipes from this book, like Caitlin’s Homemade Snickers (on page 200-201), the Chipotle Jackfruit Enchiladas (on page 174-175), and that Curried Chickpea Salad (on page 92.)
All-in-all, we highly recommend checking out Caitlin’s new book Simply Delicious Vegan!, ESPECIALLY if healthier cooking is something you’re hoping to get better at this year. And don’t forget to check her out on Instagram and Youtube for even more healthy vegan recipes!
Leave a comment and let us know if you try this or any of the recipes from this cookbook! We hope you enjoy this creamy corn chowder as much as we did. Cheers, friends!
Creamy Corn Chowder (from the Simply Delicious Vegan cookbook)
Ingredients
- 4 cups 565 g sweet corn kernels (from about 5 ears)
- 4 cups 960 ml low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1/2 yellow onion diced
- 1 rib celery diced
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or more to taste
- 1 pound 455 g gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 4 medium)
- 1/2 cup 120 ml Cashew Cream (from the Simply Delicious Vegan cookbook page 211)
- Salt
- Chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- Heat a large nonstick pot over medium heat; when it’s warm, add the corn kernels and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring every 90 seconds. The corn will become translucent and parts of it will brown and stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Deglaze the pot by pouring in 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the broth; use a spoon to remove any pieces of corn that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add the onion, celery, paprika, thyme, and pepper, then saute until the onion is translucent, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the gold potatoes to the pot with the remaining broth and 2 cups (480 ml) water. Raise the heat to high; when the mixture starts to simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Transfer 2 cups (480 ml) of the soup to a high-speed blender. Add the cashew cream to the blender and blend on high speed for 30 to 40 seconds, with the blender vent open to release steam/heat. Pour the smooth liquid back into the pot and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if necessary.
- Transfer the soup to serving bowls and top with chives. Serve warm; leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, or can be frozen for up to 2 months.
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