Sweet corn and poblano peppers make the dreamiest summer chowder-creamy, gently smoky, and finished with fresh lime and cilantro. Dairy-free. Video.
Sweet corn and poblano peppers were made for each other. This creamy Poblano Corn Chowder brings them together with tender potatoes, red bell pepper, warm spices, and a bright finish of lime and cilantro.
Instead of relying on heavy cream, we blend some of the sweet corn with plant-based milk to create a naturally creamy broth that’s rich and silky without feeling heavy. It’s one of my favorite soups for that delicious transition from late summer into fall, when fresh corn is still abundant but the evenings are starting to cool.
This was another winning recipe. I made it as written sans one of the poblanos. My wife doesn't like spicy. I used some Aleppo flakes in my bowl. This was a great warming chowder for a chilly January night. Thank you so much for all your wonderful recipes.
Why you’ll love this Corn Chowder Recipe
Creamy without heavy cream. Blending some of the sweet corn with plant-based milk creates a silky, creamy broth that feels comforting without being overly rich.
Made in one pot. This easy corn chowder comes together in just over 30 minutes, with minimal prep and cleanup-perfect for a weeknight dinner.
Celebrates late-summer produce. Sweet corn, poblano peppers, red bell pepper, and potatoes make the most of the season’s bounty, while lime and cilantro keep everything fresh and bright.
Cozy, but not too heavy. It’s the perfect soup for that transition from late summer into fall-hearty and satisfying, yet still vibrant and veggie-packed.
Corn Chowder Recipe Ingredients
- Corn: The star of the chowder! Fresh summer corn is especially delicious, but frozen or canned corn works year-round. Some of the corn is blended with milk to create the creamy broth.
- Poblano peppers: Add earthy, subtly smoky flavor and gentle heat that mellows as the peppers cook.
- Potatoes: Yukon Gold, red, or baby potatoes add heartiness and help naturally thicken the chowder.
- Red bell pepper: Adds sweetness, color, and a nice contrast to the earthy poblanos.
- Onion and garlic: Create the savory, aromatic base of the soup.
- Milk: Unsweetened plant-based milk ( soy, oat, or cashew) – Whole milk works too. It’s blended with some of the corn to create a creamy broth without heavy cream.
- Vegetable broth: Use a flavorful vegetable broth or bouillon. Chicken broth works too if the soup doesn’t need to be vegetarian.
- Spices: Cumin, coriander, oregano, and bay leaf add warmth and savory depth.
- Olive oil: For sautéing the vegetables and building the flavorful base of the chowder.
- Cilantro and lime: Add a fresh, bright finish that balances the creamy, savory flavors.
- Optional garnishes: Sour cream, extra cilantro, scallions, avocado, or cheese are all delicious on top.
How to Make Corn Chowder
Sauté the vegetables. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. 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.
Corn chowder Tips
- Adjust the heat. Poblanos are generally mild, but their heat can vary. For a milder chowder, remove the seeds and membranes before chopping. For more heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a jalapeño.
- Blend just enough. Blend only a portion of the corn with the milk, leaving plenty of whole kernels in the soup. This creates a naturally creamy broth while keeping lots of texture.
- Don’t overcook the potatoes. Simmer just until fork-tender so they hold their shape. For an even thicker chowder, gently mash a few potatoes against the side of the pot.
- Finish with lime. Add fresh lime juice at the end rather than while the soup simmers. That little burst of acidity brightens the sweet corn and creamy broth and really makes the flavors pop.
- Fresh corn is wonderful, but not essential. When corn is in season, use it! Otherwise, frozen corn works beautifully-there’s no need to wait for summer to make this chowder.
Storing & Reheating
Store the soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze this recipe for 2-3 months.
To reheat, add the soup to a saucepan over medium heat until it is warm throughout. You can also heat the soup in the microwave for a few minutes.
What to Serve with Corn Chowder
Here are some of our favorite pairings; my favorites are the classic cornbread or cornbread muffins.
Love this recipe? Please let us know in the comments and leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below the recipe card. For another delicious corn recipe, try our Fresh Corn Fritters!
Poblano Corn chowder VidEo
Creamy Poblano Corn Chowder
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 10 cups 1x
- Category: 30 minute Dinner, easy dinner idea, Soup, vegetarian comfort food, weeknight dinner
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten Free, Gluten-Free, high fiber, Vegan, Vegetarian
Description
This Corn Chowder recipe 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 small – yukon, baby, red, or peeled
- 3 cups veggie broth (or use water and 2 teaspoons broth base or boullion cubes)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups corn (divided), fresh or frozen.
- 2 cups milk (whole milk, soy milk, cashew, almond, or oat). I used soy milk and loved it.
Garnish with cilantro and lime; optional sour cream
Instructions
- Saute. 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.
- Simmer. Cover and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat until potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes, depending on size.
- Blend half the corn. 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 corn kernels. Simmer for a few minutes until heated through.
- Season. 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
Leftover corn chowder will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.
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
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 overnight first. Then reheat on the stovetop in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat until warmed to 145F.
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.
This is now one of our favourites. I can’t get poblano peppers so substitute with a little liquid smoke. It tastes great!
Glad you made it work Stephanie!
Young and aging in our family love this recipe! It is light, flavorful, refreshing and cooks up nicely. Thank you for this fresh, end-of-summer recipe!
Great to hear Amy!
Delicious September recipe. I couldn’t find poblano peppers so I used two chipotle peppers in adobo sauce from the can; it’s very spicy, which I love, but next time maybe just one would do. I used almond milk. Since I used fresh corn, I might cut down the added liquid a bit to make it thicker. Will make this all winter with frozen corn!
Love that you are playing around with it Jennifer. Appreciate your review, so helpful!
I didn’t care for the milk, so I added some of the broth from the previous step to the blender. The original is good but fantastic with fresh summer corn and unpeeled new potatoes in bigger chunks.
Sounds great Doreen! Happy you enjoyed.
Fabulous recipe, loved it!. Not easy to find poblanos in my country (NZ], but added a couple of drops of smoke essence and some chili, so delish.
Have recently discovered your amazing site!
Hi Steph, So glad you enjoyed! Appreciate your helpful comment.
This soup is amazing and so easy to put together. Love everything I have made from this website. Perfect vegan/vegetarian dishes! Thank you so much.
So happy you are enjoying Karen!
This was another winning recipe. I made it as written sans one of the poblanos. My wife doesn’t like spicey. I used some Aleppo flakes in my bowls. This was a great warming chowder for a chilly January night. Thank you so much for all your wonderful recipes.
Perfect Jim, happy you both enjoyed!
Can’t wait to try this recipe. I have some hominy that I think would work well. Thanks!
Love to hear what you think Christina!
A nice soup that ticked off my fav ingredients
Glad you enjoyed this on Arti!
This chowder is so good. Will be made on the repeat. Thanks so much for all you share!!!
Thanks Barb! Appreciate hearing this. 🙂
I made this poblano corn chowder in July. Just as the peppers were coming out of the garden and I bought fresh corn from the farmers market.
Absolutely Delicious!!!
I have a new pile of peppers from the garden and look forward to making a new batch.
It freezes very well and does not loose flavor or texture.
Wonderful to hear Darlene!
Have you tried using coconut milk? I’d love to not use dairy if possible?
Hi Peggy, Yes this one is made with soy milk. We also have Coconut Corn Chowder with coconut milk. Coconut and corn are quite complimentary flavors.
This was wonderful! I can’t remember the last time I had a soup this good. I followed the recipe closely and made the milk (almond milk) in my Almond Cow so everything was very fresh!
Glad you gave it a try Jan! Your notes are super helpful.
Great recipe but I would suggest, if using corn that has cobs, after cutting off the kernels to cut the cobs into sections and simmer for 15-20 mins with the broth. Yes, you’re using a separate pot but the taste is elevated with the corny goodness. My go to seasoning is Emeril’s Creole Essence. And I’ll add a white fish or salmon to it as well.
Love using the cobs for broth! Appreciate your notes, very helpful.
I made this wonderful corn chowder soup over the weekend.
Great taste much better than with bacon in my opinion. I added some shrimp which made it even tastier. Don’t omit the squeeze of lime. So good.
Great to hear Fiona!
Is it possible to be addicted to poblanos? Put them in any recipe and I will make it. Good soup and the lime really brings a nice contrast.
Glad you enjoyed this one Heather!
We love this recipe! It’s one of our favorite soups.
So glad it is a hit!
this is so divine, that my husband and I rated it number one for the new recipe for the year for us….we also have family members that are gluten and dairy free. It is absolutely so delicious that it is hard to stop eating it!!! Thank you!
Yay, wonderful to hear you are enjoying Jean! Appreciate your review. 🙂
So tasty and easy to make! Thanks for this one. Definitely a repeater!
Excellent to hear! Thanks for the review.
This was absolutely delicious and quick enough to make on a workday. I cooked exactly as written (using frozen corn and oat milk) with my own addition of baby spinach when I added the corn. I look forward to making with garden peppers and fresh corn this summer!
Glad you enjoyed Becca! Garden veggies will be divine!