Summer Corn Chowder (Dairy-Free + 10 Ingredients!)

GFGluten Free

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This Summer Corn Chowder is thick, creamy, and full of fresh summer ingredients like Jalapeño, Cilantro, and Red Onions. It’s also Dairy-Free and Vegan!

Sometimes I share the recipes that I make for the blog with friends (because, ya know, no one needs to eat a whole pie in a week). Some recipes, though, are too good to share 😉 This Creamy Summer Corn Chowder was one of those times…it was just too dang good!

close up shot of bowl of corn chowder on wood cutting board

Not only does this Corn Chowder taste amazing, but it’s Vegan, Dairy Free, and made with only 10 ingredients! All of which, by the way, you can easily pronounce and recognize.

inngredients for corn chowder on gray stone background

I will say that this is more of a Summer Corn Chowder than a “traditional” one. I’m all for eating soup year-round, but do like my warm-weather soups to be filled with fresh ingredients. This chowder took a “Tex-Mex” route; it starts with a base of Seared Corn (for extra sweetness) plus some Red Bell PepperRed Onion, Jalapeños, and Cilantro to really boost the flavor profile.

bowls of corn chowder surrounded by corn, limes, and jalapeno pieces

I decided to use Vegan Cream Cheese in place of Dairy Cream for this recipe; a homemade Cashew Cream would work as well, but I really like how the cultured Cream Cheese has the traditional “wang” of dairy and helps to make this recipe taste more realistic.

You know, this Summer Corn Chowder is so hearty, cozy, and satisfying that I think I’ll be eating it all year round! It’s great for Meal Prep or a quick Dinner, but also tasty enough to share with family and friends.

bowl of corn chowder on wooden background

A Few Final Thoughts:

  • I would recommend using Fresh Corn for this recipe, as it sweeter and generally tastes better. However, frozen will also work in a pinch! 
  • Not all Vegan Cream Cheese is created equal (read: some are just plain GROSS). I suggest using one by either Kite Hill or Miyoko’s; both taste very realistic and are also made of high-quality ingredients.
  • If you’re not a fan of spicy foods, be sure to remove all of the seeds from the Jalapeños before adding them to the pot – that’s where all of the heat is! 

bowl of corn chowder on grey stone background

If you’re looking for more fun Summer recipes, you’ll also love these Corn Empanadas and this Instant Pot Black Bean Soup!

Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂

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Summer Corn Chowder

This Summer Corn Chowder is thick, creamy, and full of fresh summer ingredients like Jalapeño, Cilantro, and Red Onions. It’s also Dairy-Free and Vegan!

  • Author: Caitlin Shoemaker
  • Prep Time: 10 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 Minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 Servings 1x
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 5 ears of Corn, sliced off the cob (~ 4 cups)
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
  • 1 small Red Onion, diced
  • 2 cloves of Garlic, minced
  • 1 Jalapeno, diced and seeds removed 
  • ½ bunch of Cilantro
  • ½ tsp Smoked Paprika
  • 4 oz Vegan Cream Cheese*
  • 3 cups Gold Potatoes, diced into small pieces (I left the skin on)
  • 4 cups Vegetable Broth
  • 1 tsp Salt, or to taste
  • Optional: Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

  1. First, prep all of your veggies. Separate the Cilantro stems from the leaves and finely chop them; save the leaves to garnish the soup at the end of the recipe.
  2. Add the Corn to a large non-stick pot over Medium-High Heat. My Corn was very juicy so I did not need to add any water to get this “started”, but if your Corn is dry, add 1/3 cup of Water to the pot as well to get things going. “Sear” the Corn for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure that all sides are evenly cooking. The Corn will gradually become brown around the edges, and you may have some brown marks on the bottom of the pot – don’t worry though, this is creating flavor!
  3. Next, “de-glaze” the pot by adding 1/2 cup of Water to it; this will remove the brown marks on the bottom of the pan. Add the Bell Pepper, Red Onion, Garlic, Jalapeño, Cilantro Stems, Garlic, and Smoked Paprika to the pot; reduce the heat to medium and sauté until the Onion is translucent.
  4. Add the Vegan Cream Cheese to the pot and mix it in with the veggies until it is evenly distributed. Then, add the Gold Potatoes and Vegetable Broth, stirring well.
  5. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until the Potatoes are tender.
  6. Transfer half of the soup into a Blender and carefully blend until smooth and creamy; return this to the pot, then mix well.
  7. Divide the soup into bowls, then top with Cilantro leaves and a squeeze of fresh Lime. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Notes

  • I suggest using a Vegan Cream Cheese by either Kite Hill or Miyoko’s; both taste very realistic and are made of high-quality ingredients.
  • If you do not have access to Cream Cheese, blend 2/3 cup of Soaked Cashews with 1 cup of Vegetable Broth until smooth to create a “Cream”; add this with the rest of the Vegetable Broth according to recipe instructions.
  • If you have a Nut Allergy you can substitute half of the Vegetable Broth with either Coconut or Soy Milk – just add extra Salt to taste to compensate for this!

Keywords: corn chowder, vegan corn chowder, summer corn chowder, jalapeno corn chowder, summer soup

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This Summer Corn Chowder is thick, creamy, and full of fresh summer ingredients like Jalapeño, Cilantro, and Red Onions. Great for Meal Prep or an easy dinner, it's also Dairy-Free and Vegan! #cornchowder #vegan #dairyfree #plantbased #veganchowder #summersoup #soup #summer #corn via frommybowl.com

About the Author

Hey there, I’m Caitlin! I make easy-to-follow, wholesome, and budget-friendly vegan recipes that are mostly gluten-free and refined sugar-free. I’m also an avid yogi, love the great outdoors, am chocolate-obsessed, and enjoy eating almond butter straight off of the spoon.

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Comments

  1. So good! Made it a few times already. This time I blended a block of tofu and a tbs of tamarind into it and it’s amazing!!

  2. I’ve made this 3 times in the last 10 days, it is that good!!! Didn’t change a thing, it’s perfect as is!

  3. I really enjoyed this! Since developing a milk allergy, I have missed “creamy” soups. Putting half in the blender gave it a great texture! I used canned corn because it’s what I had on hand and added some salt because, I love salt- 🙂 but look forward to trying it with fresh corn. Yummers! Thanks for a great recipe!

    1. You’re so welcome, Amanda! I love how the corn adds that classic creamy flavor 🙂

  4. Made this a second time for the family tonight. Huge hit. Even picky teenager ate all of theirs. I used the whole, seeded jalapeno and it was just spicy enough, not too much. I challenge any non vegan to find anything bad about this wonderful soup! It’s even better with all the fresh summer corn on the cobb we can get now. We add a dollop of non-dairy sour cream to each bowl and it’s so yummy.

    1. We really enjoyed this! I was a bit unsure about the cream cheese after trying it (we did Miyoko’s and it tastes nothing like “real” cream cheese) but it all came together so well and was delicious! We seeded the jalapeño to make it toddler friendly but I bet the added heat is perfect. I’ve already sent the recipe to several plant based and dairy struggling friends.

  5. This was freaking delicious! I left out the jalapeños cause I’m a spicy weenie but my boyfriend and I totally loved this. Amazing with some sourdough buttered toast on the side 😀 can’t wait to try more of your recipes!