Vegan Corn Chowder
Creamy and delicious, this Vegan Corn Chowder with fresh, frozen, or canned corn is 100% dairy-free and super easy to make with a handful of wholesome everyday ingredients!
Creamy, cozy, and packed with sweet corn and tender potatoes, this Vegan Corn Chowder is everything you want in a bowl of soup — without any dairy!
Made with simple whole-food ingredients and ready in about 45 minutes, it’s perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep, or using up summer corn. Fresh, frozen, or canned corn all work beautifully.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
Customizable (nut-free, nightshade-free, etc.)
One-pot simplicity
Naturally gluten-free & oil-free option
Freezer-friendly
Ingredients Notes
In this recipe, aromatics, red bell pepper, potatoes, corn, herbs, and non-dairy creamer are simmered and lightly pureed into a luxuriously creamy and flavorful soup!
- Corn – We love using fresh corn when it’s in season (late summer – early fall), but canned and frozen corn can also be used for convenience.
- Aromatics – These include onion, garlic, bell pepper, and celery, which add tons of flavor and texture. Feel free to add extra of anything!
- Potatoes – We love the addition of potatoes, as they add creaminess and bulk to the chowder. Feel free to use your favorite – russet, yukon gold, white, or red, all work well. Even a white sweet potato would be delicious! We peeled ours, but you can leave the skin on for extra fiber (just be sure to scrub them well before using)!
- Cream base – This recipe calls for Vegan Cream made with raw cashews for richness, but you can easily switch it up with canned coconut milk or cream for a nut-free option.
How To Make Vegan Corn Chowder
Making plant-based corn chowder is easy as can be!
Prep the Cashew Cream (if using): Soak ¾ cup raw cashews in warm water for 5–10 minutes. Drain and blend with ¾ cup fresh water until ultra-smooth. Set aside. (Skip if using coconut milk.)
Sauté the aromatics — Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil (or ¼ cup water for oil-free) in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, celery, and red bell pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, then add minced garlic, thyme, and smoked paprika. Sauté another 2 minutes until fragrant.
Simmer — Add corn, cubed potatoes, bay leaves, and 4½ cups vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover partially, and simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender. Stir in the cashew cream (or coconut milk) during the last 5 minutes.
Blend for creaminess — Remove from heat and discard bay leaves. Let cool slightly. Transfer 2–3 cups of soup to a blender and purée until smooth (or use an immersion blender). Stir the purée back into the pot. For a thicker chowder, blend up to half the soup.
Season & serve — Taste and adjust salt & pepper. Ladle into bowls and add your favorite toppings.
Total Time: 45 minutes | Serves: 4–6
Why This Works
- Blending part of the soup creates natural creaminess without flour or thickeners.
- Potatoes help bulk it up and make it more filling.
- Add 1–2 Tbsp nutritional yeast at the end for extra “cheesy” savoriness.
Serving Suggestions
Toppings bar ideas:
- Coconut Bacon or tempeh bits
- Fresh chives, parsley, or green onions
- Red pepper flakes or hot sauce
- Shredded vegan cheese
- Crumbled crackers or toasted bread
Pair with: Crusty Artisan Bread, cornbread, or a simple House Salad.
Storage & Freezing
Refrigerator: Up to 5–6 days in airtight containers. Great for meal prep!
Freezer: This soup freezes beautifully for up to 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove (add a splash of broth if needed). Note: texture may thicken — stir well.
Adjusting For Dietary Restrictions
- Nut-free → Use coconut milk or just blend more of the soup.
- Nightshade-free → Swap red pepper for carrots, omit paprika, and add nutritional yeast. See more about nightshade-free restrictions and recipes!
- Oil-free → Water sauté using 1/4 cup of water.
- Lower carb → Reduce potatoes and add more celery/zucchini.
More Easy Vegan Soups!
- Vegan Mushroom Soup
- Creamy Celery Soup
- Vegan Tomato Basil Soup
- Vegan Cauliflower Soup
- See all vegan soup recipes on TSV!
If you try this easy soup recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
Print Recipe
VEGAN CORN CHOWDER
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 – 6 1x
Description
Creamy and chock full of veggies, this Vegan Corn Chowder is 100% dairy-free and easy to make with a handful of simple, everyday ingredients!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or 1/4 cup water
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 – 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 2 celery ribs (or green bell pepper), diced
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 8 ears of corn, shucked (or 6 – 7 cups frozen or canned)
- 1lb. potatoes (any regular or sweet), cubed into 1/2 inches*
- 3/4 cup raw cashews or 1 can (14oz) coconut milk or cream
- salt + pepper, to taste
To garnish, optional
- chopped fresh parsley, chives, or green onions
- red pepper flakes
- a sprinkle of smoked paprika or nutritional yeast
- Coconut Bacon
- shredded vegan cheese
Instructions
Cashew cream: If using cashews, soak 3/4 cup of raw cashews in warm water for 5 minutes. Drain. Puree the cashews with 3/4 cup of water. Set aside. If using canned coconut milk, skip this step.
Saute: In a large dutch oven, heat oil/water over medium heat, add onion, celery, and red bell pepper, saute for 7 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, and optional smoked paprika after 5 minutes.
Simmer: Add the corn, potatoes, bay leaves, and vegetable broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover askew, and simmer for 15 minutes (or until potatoes are fork-tender). Add the vegan cream or coconut milk 5 minutes before soup is done. Remove from heat.
Puree: Let chowder cool a few minutes and remove the bay leaves. Transfer 2 – 3 cups of the soup to a blender and puree (or use an immersion blender right in the pot). Add back to the soup, stir well, and season to taste with salt and pepper. For a thicker soup, puree up to half. Soup will thicken upon standing.
Serve: Ladle into individual bowls and top with your favorite toppings.
Serves 4 – 6
Notes
Store: Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 5 – 6 days. If you want to freeze it, we recommend putting it in an airtight container and freezing for up to 2 – 3 months. Let thaw before reheating.
*The potatoes can be peeled or unpeeled. Leaving the peel on with add more nutrition, just be sure to scrub them well before using.
Add savoriness at the end of cooking by adding 1 – 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast. It will add a ‘cheesy’ flavor. Or sprinkle a little on top of your individual serving.
Adjusting Dietary Restrictions
- Nightshade-Free: Replace the red bell pepper with 2 diced carrots or omit it altogether. Also, skip the paprika and add 1 – 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast for an extra savory flavor.
- Nut-Free: Substitute coconut milk or cream in place of the cashew cream. You can also skip all of these and puree half of the soup, creating a thick and creamy chowder.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Category: Entree, Soup
- Method: Simmer
- Cuisine: American, Vegan
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So delicious! I made it with the coconut milk since we have a nut allergy in the family. I also added a jalapeño to the mirepoix and used a vegan chicken broth substitute rather than veggie broth.
The garnishes definitely added a nice touch, will absolutely be making this again!
So glad you enjoyed the corn soup. Thanks for sharing, Mary!
This is too good! I am on my third bowl. I replaced the celery for carrots and left out the bell peppers and added extra garlic and onion and it was SO good, will make often, and also really quick and easy
Sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing!
WOW — this is amazing! I’m taking it to potluck tomorrow. Can’t wait!
Wonderful! I hope everyone enjoyed it too. Thanks for sharing Renae!
I have made this several times and love it. It is easy to make, delicious and filling. I amp up the seasoning a little.
Tastes great! I used my hand blender this time, and in my opinion, the soup looks prettier if you remove some of the soup and purée it in the blender. The hand blender makes it look chunky and not as appetizing.
This chowder is amazing! I absolutely love soups/stews but my husband would rather walk through a million Legos than eat soup… Until I made this one yesterday. He loved it so much he ate the one leftover bowl today. Thanks so much, this will be going in our weekly rotation.
I am not vegan myself but I cook vegan soups for my Quaker meeting’s post-meeting Simple Lunch (about 40-50 people) periodically. Lentil soup is all well and good but sometimes you get tired of the same set of ingredients each week, even with each person’s subtle variations. I decided to try this one, and it was absolutely perfect. I made two massive pots and probably had 2.5 gallons left over, which is a testament to its popularity. The cashew cream was easy to make and really added creaminess and sweetness without distracting from the soup’s other flavors.