Soupy Sundays: Hearty Vegan Corn Chowder

I can't seem to stop posting soup recipes with corn in them.  My excuse is that it's the summer and fresh corn is just so affordable and wonderful right now.  Although, to be honest, I used half fresh corn and half frozen corn in this recipe.

This corn chowder is heartier than the Summer Corn Chowder recipe I posted based on Gwyneth Paltrow's Corn Chowder from My Father's Daughter.

I wanted to give one of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Recipes a try, and his corn chowder just called out to me.  I love the recipes because they're incredibly familiar and simple and really leave room for you to add your own flair.

This chowder is very hearty on its own, and you could also add some shrimp (cooked for a few minutes in the soup until it turns pink) or cooked chicken at the end.  I made the soup vegan by using olive oil instead of butter and one cup of vegetable stock and 2 cups of almond milk instead of regular milk.  The result still tastes rich and creamy, but the saturated fat and cholesterol that usually accompany corn chowder are happily absent.



Hearty Vegan Corn Chowder (Makes 4 servings)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped and leaves removed and reserved
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 Tablespoon fresh thyme, minced (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon whole wheat flour
1 cup vegetable stock* (I used homemade, but low-sodium store-bought versions work)
2 cups plain almond or soy milk**
1 medium russet or Yukon Gold potato, peeled and chopped into small cubes
2 cups fresh or frozen corn (about 2 ears of fresh corn - and keep the cobs)
2 green onions

*You can add chicken stock instead of vegetable stock if you like, but go for the low-sodium version.
**This recipe originally called for 3 cups of 1% milk instead of the stock/almond milk mixture.  Feel free to use regular milk if you want to add dairy to the dish.  You can also use butter instead of olive oil if you like.

1.  Saute the onion, celery, and carrot in the olive oil over medium heat until the vegetables are soft and start to brown.  Stir in the thyme and the salt and stir to coat the vegetables.  Add the flour and stir the vegetables for a few minutes.

2.  Add the stock, stirring constantly so the soup doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.  The stock mixture will start to thicken and become smooth.  Add the milk and potato and stir to combine.  If you used fresh corn, add the cob(s) to the mixture at this point (they'll make the soup even creamier). Cook until the potatoes are just tender, about 10 minutes.

 

3. While the soup is cooking, chop the celery leaves.  Trim the ends off the green onions and thinly slice the white and green parts.  When the potatoes are tender, stir in the corn, celery leaves, and onions.

4.  Transfer about 1/4 to 1/3 of the soup to a blender and blend on high speed until the mixture is smooth. The more you blend, the thicker the soup will become.

5.  Add the blended mixture back to the pot.  Bring the soup back to a boil and serve.

Serve hot.  This soup goes well with a fresh green salad and a great piece of bread.

One serving:

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 371 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 200 Calories from Fat 52

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 5.7g 9%

Saturated Fat 0.7g 3%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 415mg 17%

Total Carbohydrates 34.7g 12%

Dietary Fiber 5.1g 21%

Sugars 8.6g

Protein 5.4g

Vitamin A 61% • Vitamin C 34% Calcium 18% • Iron 12%