Budget Recipe: Vegan Corn & Potato Chowder (made with canned corn and potatoes!)

Vegan Corn and Potato Chowder

Sometimes you just want a cozy, hearty bowl of soup that won't break the bank, without going to the store, or spending all day in the kitchen. That was me this morning. I just returned home from a road trip. I am still unpacking, and have to head back to work today...but I really wanted a warm, creamy soup to pack up and take with me. I didn't have time to go buy groceries, and I didn't have a lot of time, so I looked through my cupboards and fridge to see what I could come up with...and this chowder was born.

No fresh produce in here. That's right, I used canned corn and canned diced potatoes. If you've never leaned into canned potatoes, both for ease of use, and price (the ones I used were $.88 per can), you may consider adding a few cans to your cupboard, or even your emergency kit. They are awesome for camping, as well! They come whole, sliced, and diced. All work well in different applications, but I generally prefer the sliced for fried potatoes and in stews, and diced for pot-pies and soups.

I also used dijon mustard, vegan mayo, and vegan butter in this soup! The mustard gives it a bright tang and depth of flavor, which a heavy chowder normally wouldn't have. The mayo gives it a silky, creamy texture. The added fat from the mayo and the vegan butter just gives it a great smooth mouthfeel. So this soup is hearty and creamy, without feeling too rich or heavy.

This recipe yields a lot, and I did it that way on purpose so I could pack up leftovers all week. Speaking of leftovers, this one also tastes great ladled over a bowl of leftover rice!

You can just eat it as is, or you can dress it up with whatever floats your boat! The soup itself is pretty neutral in flavor, so you can spice it up, as I did here, with a sprinkle of chipotle powder or cayenne on top with a drizzle of hot sauce. You could also go with fresh green onions or cilantro as garnish. Or even a swirl of vegan sour cream, imitation bacon bits, and fresh chives. You really can't mess it up!

YIELD: About 12 servings (a large pot, perfect for making ahead and having leftovers all week)

6 cups vegetable broth*
3 (15 ounce) cans yellow corn, drained, divided
3 (15 ounce) cans diced potatoes, drained, divided

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 tablespoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons prepared dijon mustard

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

1/2 cup vegan mayo

1/4 cup vegan butter

salt and additional pepper to taste

*I use veggie broth cubes added to water. Saves space and money!

To a large pot, add broth, 2 cans corn, 2 cans potatoes, garlic, parsley, onion powder, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

Using an immersion blender (or carefully transferring to a table top blender in small batches) blend until smooth. 

Once smooth, stir in remaining can of corn, remaining can of potatoes, mustard, nutritional yeast, mayo, and butter. Stir to melt and combine.

Enjoy!