Vegan Corn Chowder

Creamed corn was a staple in our pantry growing up. My mom loved to make corn chowder out of it, or use it as a sauce for chicken, vegetables or rice. I remember when I tried to go vegetarian in high school, my mom would just feed me creamed corn. It’s funny looking back to those days and remembering how limiting I thought not eating meat was.

My desire to cut meat out of my diet stemmed from watching videos of slaughter houses in my agriculture class, but my several attempts to become vegetarian were derailed mainly because I didn’t understand that transitioning to a plant-based diet takes an entire kitchen transformation. I didn’t have the ability to do that as a teenager, nor did I really have any agency in the family kitchen.

As a vegan in my adult life I have come a long way from creamed canned corn. I’ve really learned to love and appreciate all plant foods especially in their raw, whole forms. No other foods have as much variety in taste and spice than plants.

Corn chowder is often made non vegan with dairy as it's creamy ingredient. Luckily, there are many, many things that can be made vegan and creamy - including this delicious vegan corn chowder. The coconut milk, potato, cauliflower and nutritional yeast add to the creaminess and chunkiness of this soup. The apple cider vinegar gives it a little tang. You can garnish with coconut bacon or tempeh bacon - which is what's pictured above as a garnish. I have also included my tempeh bacon recipe below.

This delicious, hearty and filling Vegan Corn Chowder recipe is specifically for Instant Pot, however the procedure is pretty much the same with a regular pot - you'll just need to cook it for much longer, like 45 minutes to 90 minutes. Enjoy!

*Ingredients:

*I typically only eat local and/or organic ingredients, so please assume that all ingredients listed are organic when applicable.

Vegan Corn Chowder

coconut oil or vegan butter

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, chopped

2 x 16 oz bags of corn

1 potato, chopped

1/2 c chopped celery

1/2 cauliflower, chopped

1/4 c mushroom, chopped

32 oz vegetable broth

1 x 13.5 oz can of coconut milk

13.5 oz water or dairy-free milk of choice

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (add more to increase tanginess)

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp turmeric powder

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

Salt or choice (I use Himalayan pink salt)

handful of chopped green onions to garnish, or cilantro, or parsley

Optional: black pepper

Tempeh Bacon

coconut oil, or vegan butter

8 oz tempeh, thinly sliced

2 tbsp liquid smoke

2 tbsp maple syrup

salt to taste

Vegan Corn Chowder Procedure:

1. Set Instant Pot to sauté and sauté the onions and garlic with coconut oil or vegan butter for about ten minutes or until the onions are translucent.

2. Add the vegetable broth, potatoes, cauliflower, mushrooms and corn.

3. Add the coconut milk, water, apple cider vinegar, and smoked paprika.

4. Mix the ingredients with a spatula or spoon.

5. Set Instant Pot to pressure cook for ten minutes.

6. After it is finished cooking, open the Instant Pot and stir the ingredients.

7. Add the nutritional yeast (more to increase thickness) and then salt to taste.

8. Top with tempeh bacon and garnish of choice.

This recipe makes 6-8 servings. Serve and enjoy!

Tempeh Bacon Procedure:

1. In a pan add coconut oil or vegan butter and set your stove top to medium/high.

2. Add the sliced tempeh to the pan and spread them out.

3. Pour the maple syrup evenly onto the tempeh slices.

4. Pour the liquid smoke evenly onto the tempeh slices.

5. Add your salt - at first, just a few pinches.

6. Use a spatula to flip the tempeh so that the other side can be cooked.

7. Turn down the heat. When the tempeh is browned, it is finished.

8. Salt to taste.

9. Serve and enjoy!

-Nissa Tzun, Solidarite Kitchen