Heart-warming Poblano Corn Chowder is creamy, vegan and full of summertime flavor. Corn, potatoes, and poblano peppers with Mexican spices, in a creamy vegan base. Easy to make and deliciously addicting. Video.
Here’s a cozy fall soup that highlights end-of-summer veggies. I love the chilly nights of September-perfect for soup making. Leftovers get repurposed into midweek lunches and somehow it feels nourishing and satisfying- the gift that keeps on giving!
Why You’ll Love This!
- Impressive, yet simple! This creamy soup has beautiful, brightly colored ingredients and garnishes that make it just as tasty to look at as it is to eat. What’s even better is that the method is simple and can be prepared in just over 30 minutes.
- This is a one-pot recipe. All of the ingredients go into the pot, making cooking and clean-up a pinch! You will need the blender for the corn, but once poured into the pot, it gives the soup a rich, creamy texture.
- Use up your late summer vegetables. Bell pepper, poblano peppers, and corn give this corn chowder a distinct late summer feel that is perfect for making the most of the season’s produce while welcoming in warm comfort food.
- It is so, so comforting! As we welcome in a colder season, it’s once again time to bring soups back on the menu! We love this particular recipe in late summer and early fall because it’s bright, veggie-ful and not too heavy. A comfort food soup that will leave you feeling energized and vibrant!
- This recipe is full of healthy ingredients. Did we mention this soup is full of veggies?! In addition to a bounty of fresh produce (onion, bell peppers, poblano, potatoes, corn), this Poblano Corn Chowder is bursting with fragrant spices that are high in antioxidants.
What Is Corn Chowder?
This nourishing soup originates from North America and is a staple dish for transitioning from summer to fall. Between August and October corn is at its very best, and usually its sweetest! In fact, using sweet corn will complement the savory vegetables and potatoes in corn chowder, offering a rich complexity of flavor.
Corn chowder is known for its rich and creamy texture that comes from a traditional base of potatoes and corn. Onions and/or leeks are typically used for their aromatic flavor. And it is common to use butter or bacon to layer in a fat component. We use olive oil to make this a lighter variation of corn chowder that we think fits the late summer season just right!
This creamy soup recipe is almost always prepared with a variety of warming spices that enhance its comforting qualities. In our version, we use cumin, coriander, oregano, and bay leaf.
As a beloved dish at the heart of American cuisine, this soup is meant to be enjoyed with friends and family on chilly evenings. Let this cozy soup bring you feelings of nostalgia and warmth.
Poblano Corn Chowder Ingredients
- Olive oil: This warm, earthy oil will sauté the veggies. But it also adds a subtle hint of fat that adds to the comforting nature of this dish. Olive oil is known for being very grounding, which is exactly the kind of feeling we need when heading into a new season.
- Onion: Diced onion provides an aromatic base for this soup. When sautéed, onions give off a caramelized flavor that helps bring out the sweetness in the corn.
- Red bell pepper: Of all the red bell pepper colors, red bell pepper is the sweetest! It is the perfect complement for the spicier poblano peppers.
- Poblano peppers: The poblano peppers make this variation of corn chowder a bit more toasty, peppery, and spicy. The spice mellows out when cooked, so the soup comes together with a subtle bit of heat that adds to the warm flavor.
- Garlic cloves: Garlic adds another layer of aromatic flavor, making this dish the best kind of savory!
- Potatoes: Use yukon, red, or baby potatoes for this recipe. They provide a subtle sweetness in flavor, but are essential to the soup’s texture. Spoonfuls of potato give each bite a hearty feel. Because of that, this dish can be enjoyed completely on its own! If you really love creamy texture, use a spoon or fork to gently mash some of the potatoes in the pot.
- Veggie broth: You can use vegetable broth or water with broth base or bouillon cubes. Broth helps cook the vegetables and potatoes to perfection, and it adds a bit of salty, savory flavor.
- Salt and pepper: Added with the potatoes, broth, and other spices to bring out all of the rich flavors.
- Spices: Cumin, coriander, oregano, and bay leaf are added for warm, grounding, savory, sweet, earthy, and nutty flavors.
- Corn: Our recipe calls for 4 cups of corn kernels. If making this recipe in late summer or early fall, we recommend using freshly cooked corn for optimal flavor. But when you’re in a pinch (or if enjoying throughout the colder seasons) you can use frozen (thawed) or canned corn.
- Milk: Use regular, soy, almond, or oat milk. The milk is blended with half of the corn to create a creamy sauce that is then stirred into the soup.
- Garnishes: Serve your Poblano Corn Chowder with cilantro, lime, sour cream, or anything else you’d like! Fresh cilantro and lime brighten up the soup to give it that late summer feel.
How to Make Poblano Corn Chowder
Sauté the vegetables. Heat olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat heat. Add the onion, cooking for 3-4 minutes until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat to medium and add the bell pepper, poblano peppers, and garlic. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until fragrant.
Add the potatoes, broth, and spices. Add the potatoes, broth, salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, oregano, and bay leaf. There should be enough liquid to cover the potatoes. If not, add a little more. Cover the pot and bring to a gentle simmer, cooking until the potatoes are tender. This should take about 10 minutes.
Layer in the corn. Divide the corn into two halves. Place half of the corn in a blender with the milk. Blend until silky smooth.
Pour into the soup pot. Add the remaining corn and stir.
Taste. Taste and adjust the salt to your desired preference. Add a squeeze of lime, if needed.
Serve. Serve the corn chowder with lime wedges and cilantro, and a dollop of sour cream for extra richness if you like.
Expert Tips
- Control the level of heat: Poblano peppers become milder when cooked, but every once in awhile there is a spicier batch. If you prefer the soup to be less spicy, carefully remove the seeds before chopping the poblano. If you want extra spice, add red pepper flakes along with the rest of the spices when preparing the soup.
- Get creative with mix-ins: Take a look around your kitchen for any ingredients that might go well in this soup! Fresh, chopped tomatoes, green onions, beans, and even cheese like cotija would make tasty additions.
- Use frozen or canned corn if you don’t have fresh. If using frozen corn, leave the bag out to thaw beforehand. You can even place the frozen corn in the fridge the night before.
Storing & Reheating
Store the soup in an airtight container or glass jar with a lid. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to a week. You can also freeze this recipe for 2-3 months.
To reheat, add the soup to a saucepan over medium heat until warm all the way through. You can also heat the soup in the microwave for a few minutes.
What to Serve it With
FAQs
Yes! You can make this recipe 1-2 days in advance. Once made, cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Reheat the chowder in a large pot over medium-low heat until warm all the way through.
This recipe can be frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat by letting the soup thaw in the fridge first. Then reheat on the stovetop in a large pot over medium-low heat until warm.
Waxy potatoes are best! They have a medium level of starch and are subtly sweet. We love using Yukon Gold potatoes, but baby and red potatoes work well here too.
No. The skins on the potatoes help to make this soup even more rustic. They are flavorful too!
Traditionally, chowder is made with cream and flour to create a thick and rich texture. We simply blend half of the corn with milk to create a creamy consistency that’s still light and healthy.
Love this recipe? Please let us know in the comments and leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below the recipe card.
Poblano Corn chowder VidEo
Poblano Corn Chowder
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 10 cups 1x
- Category: soup
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Heart-warming Poblano Corn Chowder is creamy, vegan and full of summertime flavor. Corn, potatoes, and poblano peppers with Mexican spices, in a creamy vegan base. Easy to make and deliciously addicting.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- one onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1–2 large poblano peppers, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 3 cups potatoes, diced- yukon, baby, red, or peeled
- 3 cups veggie broth (or use water and 2 teaspoons broth base or boullion cubes)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups corn (divided)
- 2 cups milk (regular, soy, almond, oat) I used soy milk and loved it.
Garnish with cilantro and lime, optional sour cream
Instructions
- In a large pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium high heat. Saute onion, 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Lower heat to medium, add bell pepper, poblano peppers and garlic, saute 4-5 minutes until fragrant. Add potatoes and broth and salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, oregano and bay leaf. You should have just enough liquid to cover potatoes- if not, add a little more. Cover and bring to a gentle simmer, until potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes.
- Place half of the corn in a blender with the milk. Blend until silky smooth. Pour this into the soup pot, along with the remaining half of corn. Simmer for a few minutes until heated through.
- Taste and adjust the salt to taste. Add a squeeze of lime, if needed.
- Serve with lime wedges and cilantro, and a dollop of sour cream for extra richness if you like.
Notes
Soup will keep up to 4 days in the fridge, or freeze for later.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ¼ cup
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 11.2 g
- Sodium: 691.1 mg
- Fat: 4.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 31.5 g
- Fiber: 4.1 g
- Protein: 6.2 g
- Cholesterol: 1.2 mg
Just lovely! I added quite a bit of lime juice and a squeeze of honey for depth of flavor. Huge thanks for this and all that you do.
So happy you enjoyed Julia!
Delicious with a very complex flavor. Tastes like it was made by a real chef! I could eat this soup often! It is corn season here, and I got potatoes and poblanos at my CSA farm this week, so I was set to go. Really fantastic flavors!
Perfect Marci! So glad you enjoyed.
I just love chowder soups whether it be clam, corn, fish, or vegetable chowder with poblano corn ,potatoes, and bell peppers too. So yummy!!!
Me too! Perfect for fall coming on.
This chowder turned out so delicious! Will become a regular.
Great to hear Ann!
Absolutely delicious! Very easy to make 🙂 thank you!
So glad you gave it a try Esther!
Can coconut milk be used?
Sure, give it a try!
Absolutely delicious! Thanks for all of the great recipes you share with the world.
Really appreciate hearing this!
Really good!
Just super. Used low sodium chicken broth. Topped with Mexican Crema. Not a fussy recipe. Will be making this often.
Happy to hear!
Absolutely delicious! I prefer it a big thicker so i added a little cornstarch and added healthy sausage. This was not necessary though; this dish lends to many ” “add in” options. 🙂
Glad you enjoyed Doris!
First time making churn chowder… This recipe is so good!
thanks so much for letting us know Daniela so glad you enjoyed!
This recipe is so full of flavor! Thank you for sharing. I have been making it about once every two weeks for months.
Great to hear!
Hosted an oyster toast and served this soup. It was a perfect compliment. Lots of flavors and texture. Delicious!!
Glad you enjoyed this Debi!
Hi, long time fan here. I’m curious if there’s a brand of soy milk you prefer. Thank you!
Hi Debbie! I always look for organic, non-gmo, with nothing else added. Just soy beans and water. Trader Joe’s has one. 🙂
Do you use coriander seed or ground coriander?
Ground coriander.
Really tasty. I added a little turmeric to pop the color a bit, and a good sized New Mexico chili for a bit more heat. I also blended in some potato starch to thicken a bit more. I am thinking to add some shrimp for protein, to make it a complete meal, with a garlic butter toasted baguette. Great recipe. Thanks.
Perfect Joseph! Love your additions!