This healthy Corn Chowder recipe utilizes fresh sweet summer corn and coconut milk to make a simple vegan one-pot dinner that comes together in 30-minutes or less.
Although traditional chowder recipes are full of heavy ingredients, this lightened up vegan Corn Chowder is naturally creamy from the coconut milk, potato and corn.
Everyone in your household will love this warm, comforting and sweet bowl of soup all year round. The recipe calls for fresh corn, but you can use frozen to make this anytime of the year.
Is corn healthy?
Corn is a starchy vegetable, so it gets a bad reputation. If you’ve been fearing corn, now is the time to stop. It actually has some nutrition benefits that make it part of a healthy diet.
One medium ear of corn has:
- 90 calories
- 3 grams protein
- 1 gram fat
- 19 grams carbohydrates
- 2 grams fiber (10% daily value)
Not to mention that sweet corn has two antioxidants– lutein and zeaxanthin–both of which promote vision and brain health.
Corn is most known for its abundance of insoluble fiber [Related: 12 High Fiber Foods For Athletes]. This type of fiber not only helps to keep you regular and the digestive system working properly, but it also feeds the good bacteria in your gut.
Lastly, sweet corn has micronutrients, like B vitamins, iron, and potassium.
How to make Healthy Creamy Corn Chowder
Most types of chowder are creamy because they contain fatty ingredients, like butter, heavy cream and cheese. This healthy Corn Chowder doesn’t have any of those high-fat foods.
Instead, it’s creamy from the coconut milk, as well blending the potatoes and corn. As a matter of fact, you can make this soup entirely vegan if you leave out the sour cream.
Here are the steps to make this healthy corn chowder in one pot:
- Cut the kernels off the ear of corn and set aside.
- Heat a large pot over medium heat and add oil, corn, potato, onion, pepper and garlic and sauté for a few minutes.
- Add the coconut milk, Greek yogurt (if you’re using it), broth and salt to the pot and bring to a boil. Whisk the ingredients together for a few minutes. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook for 25-30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
- Use an immersion blender to pulse the soup, so that it’s chunky. You don’t want it to be perfectly smooth, but blending it gives it some texture.
- Add toppings, like sliced jalapeño, sour cream, Greek yogurt, cilantro or lime juice.
What to serve with this soup
You can eat this corn chowder all on its own or serve it with some sides, like a crusty bread, crackers or salad. Below are some recipes that will pair nicely with this corn chowder:
- Baked Lime Tortilla Chips
- Peach Panzanella Salad
- Spring Strawberry Salad
- Charred Shishito Peppers
- Everything Crackers
How to store it
This soup will last 5-7 days in the fridge, or you can freeze it. The most important part about freezing is to make sure you use an air tight container.
A gallon-sized freezer bag works well. Push all the air out of the bag to avoid freezer burn. If you feel like air will get in, double bag the soup. Lay it flat in the freezer, so it’s easier to store.
When you want to defrost it, run the bag under warm water until it’s able to fit in a pot. Then heat over medium heat on the stovetop until it’s defrosted.
How to use frozen corn (instead of fresh)
Maybe you’ve stumbled upon this recipe in winter, when corn isn’t in season. You can absolutely use frozen corn instead of fresh in this recipe. The cooking method will be exactly the same. Sub in frozen corn for fresh in a 1:1 ratio.
Healthy Vegan Corn Chowder
This healthy Corn Chowder recipe utilizes fresh sweet summer corn and coconut milk to make a simple one-pot dinner that comes together in 30-minutes or less.
Ingredients
- 3 ears corn (can also use 3 cups of frozen corn)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 small white potato chopped into cubes
- 1/2 small white onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic diced
- 1 small jalapeño diced (use 1/2 if you don’t like spice)
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (optional, leave out if you're vegan)
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- salt and pepper to taste
Optional Toppings
- sliced jalapeño
- cilantro
- lime juice
- Greek yogurt or sour cream
Instructions
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Cut the kernels off the ear of corn and set aside.
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Heat a large pot over medium heat on the stovetop and add oil, corn, potato chunks, onion, garlic and jalapeño and sauté for 5-7 minutes.
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Add the coconut milk, Greek yogurt (if you’re using it), broth and salt to the pot and bring to a boil. Whisk the ingredients together for a few minutes. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook for 25-30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
-
Use an immersion blender to pulse the soup, so that it’s chunky. You don’t want it to be perfectly smooth, but blending it gives it some texture.
-
Add toppings, like sliced jalapeño, sour cream, Greek yogurt, cilantro or lime juice.
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