Description
A hearty and creamy Corn Chowder made with fresh sweet corn, Yukon Gold potatoes, and a blend of aromatic spices. This comforting soup is thickened with cashews for a vegan twist, finished with fresh lemon juice, and garnished with chives. It’s perfect served warm with optional sour cream or vegan sour cream for extra richness.
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
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- Pinches of cayenne pepper
- ⅓ cup raw cashews
- 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Garnish & Serving
- Chopped chives, for garnish
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Sour cream or vegan sour cream, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the corn kernels: Slice the kernels off the corn cobs, then use the back of a chef’s knife to scrape off the milky liquid left on the cob. Snap the cobs in half and set aside.
- Sauté the vegetables: Heat the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and red bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until softened. Then stir in the garlic.
- Add liquids and spices: Pour in the water and add the chopped potatoes, Old Bay seasoning, sea salt, dried thyme, smoked paprika, bay leaf, cayenne pepper, several grinds of black pepper, and the corn cobs. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
- Remove solids and add corn kernels: Remove and discard the corn cobs and bay leaf from the pot. Add the sliced corn kernels along with the milky corn liquid back into the pot. Simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
- Blend and enrich the chowder: Transfer 2 cups of the soup into a high-speed blender. Add raw cashews and blend until creamy. Stir this creamy mixture back into the pot. Then stir in fresh lemon juice and adjust seasoning to taste.
- Serve and garnish: Ladle the chowder into bowls and garnish with chopped chives and freshly ground black pepper. Add dollops of sour cream or vegan sour cream if desired for extra creaminess.
Notes
- For a more traditional corn chowder, omit the cashews. After pureeing 2 cups of the soup, add it back to the pot with ½ cup heavy cream. Stir in lemon juice and gently simmer over very low heat for 5 minutes, stirring often until slightly thickened and mellowed.
- If you prefer thicker chowder, you can add more cashews or cream to reach the desired consistency.
- Use fresh corn for best flavor; frozen corn can be substituted but may alter texture slightly.
- Adjust seasoning such as cayenne and Old Bay according to your spice preference.
- Serve with crusty bread or a light salad for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
