Sweet Potato Corn Chowder

This Sweet Potato Corn Chowder is hearty enough to be a main course with a hunk of crusty bread to sop up all the goodness, but can also be eaten as part of a larger meal with a sandwich or salad.

Easy to make the day of, but also may be prepped ahead and kept in the fridge for several days or in the freezer for longer.

This chowder is quickly becoming one of my favorite cozy vegan soup recipes and I think it will be one of yours, too!

Ingredient notes and substitutions

Sweet potatoes ~ Peel them and remove any blemishes. Dice them into small bite size pieces. The smaller the dice, the quicker they will cook.

Butternut squash may be used instead of sweet potatoes. Red or gold potatoes may be also be used, but it will result in a little different flavor profile.

Corn ~ Fresh summer sweet corn from your local farm or farmer’s market is the best when it’s season. Otherwise, use frozen sweet corn which can be found all year round and is a staple in our house!

Other veggies ~ Onions, celery, and red bell pepper bring flavor, color, and extra nutrients to round out the soup. Finely dice all of these.

You can add a poblano, jalapeño or serrano pepper, if you like a little heat, like in my Spicy Summer Corn Soup.

Want even more veggies? Small cauliflower florets would be a tasty addition to this chowder recipe, like in my Sweet Potato Cauliflower Soup.

Broth ~ Low-sodium vegetable broth is my go-to so we can control how much salt we add later. If you have regular broth, not low-sodium, that’s fine…just taste before adding extra salt to see if you even need any.

Milk ~ I like coconut milk for this corn chowder. It’s thick and rich. Any unsweetened, non-dairy milk will do.

Flour ~ A couple tablespoons of flour help to thicken the broth and make a lovely creamy base. Gluten-free flour may be used.

As an alternative, you can purée half of the soup either with an immersion blender in the pot or by transferring it to a counter top blender and then carefully transferring back to the soup pot.

Spices and herbs ~ Herby thyme, smoked paprika, and earthy turmeric all complement the flavors of this sweet potato corn chowder well. Salt and pepper is a must for seasoning just about anything. And a little pinch of cayenne give a nice subtle kick to balance the sweetness, but is optional.

Rosemary or oregano would be good alternatives for the thyme, if you prefer. Chili powder and cumin could also be used instead of smoked paprika and turmeric.

Nutritional yeast ~ This brings a savory, somewhat cheesy flavor to the vegan chowder. It’s optional, but highly recommended.

Sauté the onions, celery, and pepper until tender.

Add the spices, herbs, and flour and stir well until fragrant.

Add the sweet potatoes and broth, bring to a boil, then decrease heat and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender.

Add the corn, milk, and nutritional yeast and heat through.

Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Serve garnished with sliced green onions and chopped fresh thyme, if desired. A slice of vegan garlic bread on the side is always a good idea, as well!

~ Dice the sweet potatoes into small bite size pieces. The smaller the dice, the quicker they’ll cook.

~ Stir the flour into the sautéed veggies until no lumps remain before adding any broth.

~ Bring the soup to a boil for a few minutes to activate the thickening power of the flour before decreasing the heat to a simmer.

~ If you like an even thicker soup base, purée half of the soup with an immersion blender. Alternatively, you can transfer half of the soup to a blender, purée, and then carefully transfer back to the soup pot.

~ On the flip side, if you find the soup too thick, add a bit more broth or milk and stir well.

~ Always taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.

FAQs