What’s all the fuss about – with this chowder thing?
Well, this is the creamiest vegan sweetcorn chowder I’ve come across – see what you think. Although it’s sweetcorn based there are so many other delicious elements to this wonderfully nutritious and satisfying soup. But is it really a soup or is it a chowder – the experts will weigh in no doubt: but tasty it is! Wikipedia says “vegan versions are often made using corn! Often cream-based – it can be thickened with flour” – I prefer not to though. It is considered a type of soup, but “never pureed” or so they say.
How to get started with this easy “beast” of a soup!
It’s really just a question of chopping or blitzing all the veggies and tossing them in the pan. Make sure to keep stirring as you add. Start with onions, then carrots, then potatoes, finally red peppers & of course the sweetcorn. Some people suggest actually using corn cobs: but I think that would be mad when frozen supersweet corn is just as good.
Finishing the chowder off in style with these key ingredients
What really adds the punch and the creaminess to this is the soya or oat yogurt and coconut milk. You can also add blitzed cashew nuts instead of the coconut milk if you prefer. Cashews have more protein & general nutrition than coconut milk so they’re a good substitution. Then of course it’s a little stock and a few spices to give it some edge.
The final trick to get it over the line to creamy dreamy heaven.
Taking out some soup and blending it in a nutribullet or similar high speed blender is clever trick. It adds body without compromising the flavour as flour or other thickeners can do. It adds taste depth AND body. Don’t blend too much – just enough. Don’t forget to adjust the liquid level so it’s not too thick – but not too runny. Just right is the winner for this creamiest vegan sweetcorn chowder!
Creamy Vegan Sweetcorn Chowder
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- put a large pan on a low heat with a tablespoon or so of cold pressed olive or rapeseed oil. Then chop finely or blitz the onion and add to the pan.
- Blitz or crush the peeled garlic - add to pan and stir
- Chop finely or blitz the carrots and add to the pan and stir in
- Chop finely or blitz the red pepper and add to the pan - stirring it in.
- chop the sweet potato into 1cm or smaller cubes and add to the pan and stir in
- finely slice the celery sticks - add to the pan and stir in
- Add the thyme, paprika, & chilli flakes and stir in
- add the sweetcorn kernels and stir in. Just as they are if frozen
- now or earlier if you have time, blitz the soaked cashews with the water ready to add.
- add in the yogurt, blitzed cashew nuts, nutritional yeast and mix well
- then add the 500g of boiling water from a kettle and bring the whole mixture to the boil - stirring well, and adjust it to a lowish heat so it's just bubbling at the surface when covered with the lid.
- cook gently until the sweet potatoes and carrots are tender, but don't over do it. It will take much longer than in boiling water as the temperature is considerably lower than pure boiling water. Expect 20 to 25 mins.
- Once it's cooked enough, take 400g of the soup out of the pan using a ladle so you get enough of the juice. Then take another 100g of just the juice/liquid. Transfer to a nutribullit style smoothie maker or a standard blender/food processor and get it as fine as you can. Tip back into the chowder and rinse whatever blender device you used with another 100g of water and add that back too.
- This should give you a really nice thickish creamy soup with loads of texture & body. If it's too thick, then add some more water but be careful not to overdo it. Using the quantities given it was perfect for me, but sometimes the water content of vegetables etc can vary, so don't be afraid to adjust it to your preferences. Err on the side of caution though as too thin will not be good - and it can't be undone.
Notes
- As always, don't be a slave to the recipe - experiment! If you think it needs more salt, add some! Ditto chilli flakes.
- Don't like celery? Don't add it - use something else or add more of the other things.
- Alternatively, if you've got 3 sticks of celery that will go to waste if you just use 2 as in the recipe - chuck it all in! This is just my version of what works - make it yours by adjusting it to your taste.
- Pretty much all recipes are just outlines to follow - not strict rules. There's a few - like hummus where you can't stray too far or it doesn't work - but most savoury stuff is pretty flexible - so don't be timid - extrapolate! Not an order though - just a friendly suggestion..... Cakes & bread are different though and you do need to be precise - the ratios can be critical for the right final effect.
