Description

This hearty and creamy Corn Chowder is packed with fresh sweet corn, tender Yukon Gold potatoes, and a blend of flavorful spices. Enhanced with a creamy cashew puree and brightened with fresh lemon juice, this chowder offers a comforting, vegan-friendly twist on a traditional favorite. Garnished with chives and served with optional sour cream, it is perfect for a warming lunch or dinner.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

6 ears fresh sweet corn, husks and silks removed
2 tablespoons butter or vegan butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
5 cups water
4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, chopped

Spices and Seasonings

2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
2 teaspoons sea salt
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 bay leaf
Pinches of cayenne pepper
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Creamy Additions

⅓ cup raw cashews
1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice

For Garnish and Serving

Chopped chives
Sour cream or vegan sour cream, optional

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Instructions

Prepare the Corn: Slice the kernels off the corn cobs and use the back of a chef’s knife to scrape the milky liquid left on the cobs. Snap the cobs in half and set aside.
Sauté Vegetables: Heat the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, celery, and red bell pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes until softened.
Add Garlic and Liquids: Stir in the chopped garlic, then add water, chopped potatoes, Old Bay seasoning, sea salt, dried thyme, smoked paprika, bay leaf, cayenne pepper, freshly ground black pepper, and the corn cobs. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
Remove Cobs and Bay Leaf: Take out and discard the corn cobs and bay leaf. Add the fresh corn kernels and milky liquid scraped from the cobs back into the pot.
Simmer Chowder: Continue simmering for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the flavors meld together.
Blend Cashews: Transfer 2 cups of the soup into a high-speed blender, add the raw cashews, and blend until creamy and smooth.
Finish Chowder: Stir the creamy cashew mixture back into the pot. Add fresh lemon juice and adjust seasonings according to taste.
Serve: Garnish with chopped chives and serve with dollops of sour cream or vegan sour cream if desired.

Notes

For a more traditional corn chowder, omit cashews and blend 2 cups of the soup until smooth. Return to pot and stir in ½ cup heavy cream. Simmer gently over low heat for 5 minutes to slightly thicken and mellow the flavor.
Use vegan butter and sour cream substitutes to keep the chowder vegan.
If raw cashews are unavailable, use soaked cashews for easier blending.
The Old Bay seasoning provides a classic flavor profile but can be substituted with a combination of celery salt, paprika, and black pepper if needed.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 220 kcal
Sugar: 6 g
Sodium: 550 mg
Fat: 8 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 32 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 6 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg