Corn Chowder / Southwestern Corn Chowder – Vegetarian Soup

Southwestern Corn Chowder Soup makes for delicious wholesome meal. It has a perfect combination of sweet, hot, and a little bit of sour flavors. This is a vegan / vegetarian recipe of corn chowder. It is perfect soup for both summer and winter. You can use fresh corn or frozen corn whatever is available with combination of flavorful vegetables and make this wholesome and delicious soup.

 

How to manage Heat of the Soup?

I prefer to make corn chowder in southwestern style because my family and I enjoy spicy soup. Spicy red chili or red chili powder, bell pepper, poblano pepper, and jalapeno pepper (or chili peppers) added in a proper proportion gives desired heat to this soup. You can increase, decrease, or completely skip the spiciness of the soup according to your liking. Deseed these peppers and add to the soup to lower the heat of the soup. You can also completely skip adding spicy jalapeno, red pepper, and chili peppers if you do not eat spicy.

 

Creaminess of the Soup

You can use heavy cream, or whole milk, or sour cream, or extra butter, or crème fraiche, or coconut milk (if you like coconut flavor for vegan soup), or vegan sour cream (to make vegan soup) to make this soup. I personally avoid using heavy cream because it makes the soup bland and my family prefers spicy soup. You can blend some butter in the soup and make it richer. But adding butter is optional, the soup tastes just as good without butter. You can add whole milk or crème fraiche or sour cream at the end of the soup making process. These ingredients makes soup rich, creamy, tasty, and a wholesome meal. You can skip all these dairy products and add coconut milk or vegan sour cream instead and make this soup completely vegan.

 

Corn – The Main Ingredient

It is no brainer that corn is the key ingredient of a corn chowder / southwestern corn chowder soup. You can use fresh corn. Fresh seasonal corn has delicious sweet flavor. So if you are using the fresh corn use it promptly so you can take advantage of the yummy taste of the fresh corn.

If you do not have fresh corn, you can use frozen corn. I would recommend using frozen corn instead of canned corn for better flavor. Rinse of the frost on the kernels and then follow the recipe given below.

 

Vegetable Broth

You can either use home made or store bought vegetable broth / stock.

Click the link below to know how to make vegetable broth at home.

Home made Vegetable Broth / Stock Recipe

 

How to make Southwestern Corn Chowder?

Making Southwestern corn chowder is easy. It makes for amazingly cozy dinner, or a wholesome lunch, or you can eat as a comfort food. Please enjoy vegetarian corn chowder recipe given below.

This recipe serves / makes– 4-6 bowls depending on the size of your bowls.

Preparation Time – 10 minutes

Cooking Time – 30 – 40 minutes

 

Necessary Ingredients

• 6 – 8 fresh corn on the cobs or 5 – 6 cups of fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 2 – 3 cups of chopped or diced (small cubes) red potatoes (whatever potatoes are available to you)
• 1 large or 2 small finely chopped red onion
• 1 poblano pepper (optional) – if you do not like spicy remove the seeds and ribs of the poblano pepper
• 1 chopped (small pieces) green bell pepper or capsicum 
• 1 chopped (small pieces) red bell pepper
• 1 grated jalapeno pepper or green chili (completely optional – do not add if you do not want spicy soup).
• 3/4 cup or 1 cup of finely chopped celery ribs
• 1 tablespoon of cooking oil of your choice ( I prefer to use extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil)
• Salt according to taste
• 1/2 or 1 teaspoon of red chili powder (add or skip according to your taste)
• 1 teaspoon of grated  or minced garlic or garlic paste
• 4 – 5 cups of vegetable broth (home made or store bought)
• 2 – 3 cups of water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 – 2 table spoons of unsalted butter cut into small pieces (butter is optional. Skip adding butter for the vegan option)
• 1/2 cup of finely chopped cilantro (coriander leaves)
• 1/4 or 1/2 cup of heavy cream or crème fraiche or sour cream or whole milk or Greek yogurt or coconut milk (for vegan soup) or vegan sour cream (for vegan soup)
• 1 tablespoon of lime or lemon juice
• Black pepper powder according to your taste
• Grated cheese (of your choice. I use sharp cheddar), thinly sliced green onion, cilantro (coriander) leaves and/or a tiny pinch of chili powder for garnishing.

 

Recipe

• In a deep pan or a pot, warm the cooking oil of your choice at low or medium flame.

• When the oil is hot enough add bay leaves and minced or grated garlic. Once it starts shimmering, add onions, potatoes, red and green bell peppers (capsicum), poblano peppers (optional), jalapeno pepper (chili pepper or red chili sliced- Optional), celery, corn, salt according to your taste and 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder. Cover the lid and keep stirring every few minutes. Let the vegetables cook.

• Cook until the onions are tender and potatoes have softened. This will take about 8 – 10 minutes.

• Keep stirring the vegetables. Now add broth and water and stir properly.

• Bring the mixture to boil at medium or high heat. Then reduce the heat let the soup simmer. Simmer the soup for like 15 – 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. 
• If you are not a fan remove the bay leaves with the help of your tongs or ladle. 
• Carefully take about 3 cups of the soup and add butter (butter is optional) in a blender. Crush it in a blender. Please be careful as the soup will be very hot. Handle it gently.

• Add the crushed blended mixture to the pot in which you are cooking your soup. Stir well.

• Now add your choice of dairy or non dairy option to make the soup creamy. Add crème fraiche or whole milk or heavy cream or sour cream or Greek yogurt or coconut milk or vegan sour cream. I add whole milk if I don’t have these fancy options at home.
• Stir the soup well and let it cook for another 2 – 3 minutes at low or medium flame.
• Add lemon or lime juice.

• Stir well and let the soup simmer. Keep stirring.
• Add salt and pepper according to your taste.

• Taste your soup and add chili powder or salt or pepper to adjust the taste according to your choice.

• Garnish the soup with grated cheese (of your choice. I use sharp cheddar), thinly sliced green onion, cilantro (coriander) leaves and/or a tiny pinch of chili powder.
• Delicious, creamy, and fulfilling southwestern corn chowder soup is ready to eat / serve. Eat it immediately and you can store your left over soup in refrigerator and use it within 3 – 4 days.

 

Tips

• Some poblano pepper, jalapeno peppers, green chili, or red chili are very spicy. You can remove the seeds and ribs of these peppers to make it less spicy. Skin of these peppers provides amazing flavor. But if you do not like spicy you can add one of these peppers or completely skip adding these peppers. The soup will taste equally good.
• To make this soup creamy as mentioned above there are variety of dairy options. But I personally avoid using heavy cream. I use either sour cream or whole milk.
• To make the soup vegan, avoid adding butter. You can add vegan sour cream or coconut milk (if you like the flavor of coconut milk).

 

Click the link below to know how to make vegetable broth at home.

Home made Vegetable Broth / Stock Recipe

 

Click the link below to know how to make Thai clear soup With Tofu and Vegetables

Thai Clear Soup with Tofu and Vegetables

 

Click the link below to know how to make Carrot soup

Carrot Soup Recipe

 

 

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