Dairy Free Corn Chowder
I pulled this recipe for Dairy Free Corn Chowder from a hand-written note in an old recipe box, and it's one of my favorites.
Why You'll Love this Recipe
Soup recipes are great to have on hand for dinner or lunch year-round, and this hearty soup is packed with fresh corn, red potatoes, bell pepper, vegetable broth and great flavor.
Here are the things to love about this creamy corn chowder:
Coconut milk is used in place of heavy cream, and gives this creamy soup a silky texture and savory flavor.
Use sweet corn right off the cob or frozen corn...either will work well in this recipe.
This simple soup is easy to put together and doesn't need hours on the stove.
For the full ingredient list and directions, please scroll down to the recipe card below.
Butter: Unsalted is best.
Onions: Both a yellow onion and a chopped leek.
Celery, Red Bell Pepper, Carrot: Chopped fine for color and flavor.
Potatoes: Red potato or gold.
Leeks: Or use green onions instead (for flavor).
Corn: Sweet corn kernels cut off the cob.
Vegetable Broth: Chicken broth is a simple swap if you'd like.
Seasonings: Miso paste, garlic powder, salt, black pepper.
Bay Leaf: For extra flavor.
Coconut Milk: For a rich flavor in place of heavy cream.
Italian Parsley: Chopped fine for serving.
Step-by-Step Instructions
For the full recipe and instructions, please scroll to the recipe card below.
Cut the vegetables - celery, onion, leek, green, peppers, carrot and cook until soft on medium-high heat.
Add the chopped potatoes.
Add the broth, fresh corn kernels and seasonings.
Gentle simmer for a bit.
Add the coconut milk.
Process a little bit (a cup) in the blender or with an immersion blender for overall creaminess.
Garnish and serve!
Cook the Vegetables
Make this simple corn chowder by adding the onion, leek and celery and cook on medium-high heat heat to a dutch oven until it starts to get soft, about 5 minutes.
Be sure to stir the bottom of the pan to scrape any bits, this is where much of the flavor is.
Add the chopped green and red pepper along with the carrots and continue cooking another 5 minutes or so until soft. Make sure the mixture doesn't brown.
Continue with the recipe by adding the vegetable broth and other ingredients.
Tips for Using Fresh Corn
You can use sweet summer corn for this recipe, but frozen corn works great for this recipe too.
Here's some tips for cutting fresh corn off the cob:
Remove all the green outer leaves of the corn first, including the silky strings as best you can, then wash the ears and dry them with a clean kitchen towel.
Stand the corn cob ear up in a large bowl or cutting board with the bottom (larger end) down.
Cut the kernels off from the top to the bottom with a sharp knife, working on one side at a time.
Cut downward, as close to the base of the corn as you can.
The corn kernels are now ready to use
Can I use frozen instead of fresh corn?
Yes, it will be great, too! If you can, buy organic frozen corn and follow the recipe as normal.
Can I add protein to the soup, if so, what kind?
Yes! Cooked, shredded chicken would be delish, and so would grated cheddar cheese. Cooked and crumbled bacon would also taste amazing on this soup.
How do I store leftovers?
Store this hearty soup in an airtight container and it'll keep in the refrigerator for several days.
Dairy Free Corn Chowder
This Dairy Free Corn Chowder is loaded with fresh vegetables and great flavor, easy too!
Course: Soup
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients
▢ 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
▢ 1 medium Onion, chopped
▢ 1 Leek washed, dried, chopped (white part only) Can use 2 green onions instead
▢ 2 Celery, washed, trimmed, sliced thin
▢ 1 small Green Pepper, chopped fine 1/4 cup chopped
▢ 1 small Red Pepper 1/4 cup chopped
▢ 1 Carrot, large, washed, peeled, cut in thin slices about 1/2 cup
▢ 4 Potatoes, red or gold, washed, peeled, cut in 1" pieces about 3 cups
▢ 4 cups Vegetable Broth, low sodium
▢ 5 ears Corn, kernels removed from cob about 3 cups
▢ 1 tablespoon Miso Paste, white (mellow)
▢ ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
▢ 1 ½ teaspoons Salt
▢ ½ teaspoon Lemon Pepper
▢ 1 Bay Leaf
▢ 1 tablespoon Flour
▢ 1 teaspoon Water
▢ 1 cup Coconut Milk, refrigerated, unsweetened
▢ ¼ cup Italian Parsley, chopped, for serving
Instructions
COOK THE VEGETABLES
Melt the olive oil In a large dutch oven or heavy-bottom pot.
Add the onion, leek and celery and cook on medium high heat until soft, about 5-6 minutes. Stir the mixture from the bottom so it does not brown.
Add the chopped green and red pepper and carrots, and continue cooking on medium high heat for another 5 minutes or until soft, stirring occasionally so the mixture doesn't brown. Add the potatoes, and stir to combine.
Add the vegetable broth, corn, miso paste, garlic powder, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Stir the mixture to combine. Simmer on medium heat, stirring occasionally for 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.
Combine the flour and water in a small bowl to make a paste and add it to the mixture. Stir together until combined. Add the coconut milk, and continue to cook on medium heat for about 5 more minutes.
Using a measuring cup, pull one cup of soup from the pot and process until smooth in a blender, then return it to the pot. Continue to cook on medium heat for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove bay leaf and garnish each bowl with chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
To prepare fresh corn, remove all the green outer leaves of the corn first, including the silky strings as best you can, then wash the ears and dry them with a clean kitchen towel.
Stand the corn cob ear up in a large bowl or cutting board with the bottom (larger end) down.
Cut the kernels off from the top to the bottom with a sharp knife, working on one side at a time.
Cut downward, as close to the base of the corn as you can.
The corn kernels will come right off and are ready to use!