Feel the summer vibes with this delicious, vegan, and easy summer corn chowder. Packed with fresh sweet corn, seasonal and colorful veggies, and smoked tofu, it’s the ultimate comfort food for those sunny days.
Why This Recipe Works
Bursting with sweet corn, vibrant green and red bell peppers, hearty potatoes, celery, and smoky tofu cubes, this corn chowder is a must-try this summer! We just can’t get enough of it around here!
I’ve made this corn chowder so many times and the recipe always works like a charm. Plus, it’s easy to prepare for a larger crowd of people and it’s a real crowd-pleaser!
So let’s talk about why you will love this recipe! First, of course fresh sweet corn – it just screams summer and it’s loaded with natural sweetness. Paired with vibrant red and green bell pepper and celery, it makes such a delicious meal.
But that’s not all! Potatoes make the chowder super filling and add a comforting heartiness. And let’s not forget about the smoked tofu that takes this corn chowder to the next level. The crispy smoked tofu cubes add depth of flavor and a delicious smokiness.
Vegan cream cheese makes this chowder super creamy without being high on calories. It’s perfectly creamy, flavorful, and filling.
Plus, it’s super easy to make, and you’ll have it ready to enjoy in no time. The recipe comes together in just a little over half an hour! It’s the perfect meal for warm summer evenings or whenever you’re in the mood for a healthy and comforting meal that’s bursting with flavor. And it’s a fantastic way to use up those delicious fresh summer corn cobs.
We like to enjoy it as a main dish alongside some crusty bread, but it could also be a great starter for a summer dinner party with friends and family.
So grab those fresh summer corn and give this creamy and vegan summer corn chowder a try! Trust me, you will be craving it all year round!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Potatoes – you need three medium-sized potatoes for example Yukon Gold potatoes, red potatoes, or russet potatoes.
- Corn – fresh summer corn on the cob.
- Vegetable Broth – I like to use organic vegetable broth without added sugar or flavor enhancers or my homemade paste for vegetable broth made with fresh veggies and herbs.
- Vegan Cream Cheese – use your favorite brand.
- Spices – salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and a bay leaf.
- Smoked Tofu – it gives this dish the perfect smoky flavor. You could replace it with firm tofu if you can’t find smoked tofu, but it won’t be the same.
- Bell Peppers – I used a red and green one.
- Celery
- Red Onion – it’s mild taste is perfect for this recipe.
- Garlic
- Lime – fresh lime juice adds a nice tang and perfectly balances out the flavors.
- Cilantro & Green Onion – to sprinkle the corn chowder before serving.
How To Make This Recipe
1. Step: First, heat a large pot of water and cook the corn cobs for 10 minutes. Let them cool down. Then place the tip of the corn cob into the hole in the middle of a bundt pan and cut off the corn with a large knife. This is such an easy and mess-free way to do this!
2. Step: Cut the tofu into small cubes.
3. Step: Finely chop the red onion and dice the bell pepper. Also mince or finely chop the garlic.
4. Step: Cut the potatoes into small cubes and dice the celery.
5. Step: In a large pot, heat some oil and pan-fry the smoked tofu cubes until browned and crispy. Then, add the onion and cook for 2 minutes. Next, add the garlic and cook for another minute.
6. Step: Then add the vegetables and the smoked paprika and salt. Stir well and cook for 2-3 minutes on high heat.
7. Step: Add the corn, vegetable broth, the vegan cream cheese, and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
8. Step: Discard the bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with green onion and the fresh cilantro. I like this corn chowder best with roasted rusty bread.
Tips & Tricks
- Smoked tofu adds such a nice smokiness to this dish. However, it can be hard to find sometimes. So if you can’t find it, you could replace it with firm or extra-firm tofu and add 2 teaspoons of soy sauce or tamari while cooking it. Besides, you could also add a splash of liquid smoke.
- If you love sweet corn as much as we do, you could also enjoy this summer corn chowder alongside my vegan cornbread.
Storing
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, the corn chowder will last 3-4 days.
Freezing
This corn chowder freezes well. Make sure to let it cool down completely before freezing it in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Variations
Frozen or Canned Corn
This recipe is best with fresh summer corn on the cob! However, you could also use frozen or canned corn for this recipe when fresh corn isn’t available. Use 4 cups of corn.
Lighter
Replace the vegan cream cheese with unsweetened almond milk.
Spicier
Add one finely chopped jalapeño together with the red onion.
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I Love To Hear From You!
I hope you like this summer corn chowder as much as we do around here.
If you give it a try, I’d love to know what you think about it. Just leave me a comment and a star rating below. Your comments really make my day!
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Sina
Summer Corn Chowder
Equipment
- 1 chopping board
- 1 knife
- 1 large pot
Ingredients
- 6 ears of corn
- 7 oz smoked tofu
- 1 small red onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- 3 medium-sized potatoes
- 2 stalks celery
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup vegan cream cheese
- 1 bay leaf
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- fresh cilantro, to serve
Instructions
- First, heat a large pot of water and cook the corn cobs for 10 minutes. Let them cool down. Then place the tip of the corn cob into the hole in the middle of a bundt pan and cut off the corn with a large knife. This is such an easy and mess-free way to cut corn off the cob!
- Cut the tofu into small cubes.
- Finely chop the red onion and dice the bell pepper. Also mince or finely chop the garlic.
- Cut the potatoes into small cubes and dice the celery.
- In a large pot, heat some oil and pan-fry the smoked tofu cubes until browned and crispy. Then, add the onion and cook for 2 minutes. Next, add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Then add the vegetables and the smoked paprika and salt. Stir well and cook for 2-3 minutes on high heat.
- Add the corn, vegetable broth, the vegan cream cheese, and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
- Discard the bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with green onion and the fresh cilantro. I like this corn chowder best with roasted rusty bread.
Notes
- Smoked tofu adds such a nice smokiness to this dish. However, it can be hard to find sometimes. So if you can’t get ahold of it, you could replace it with firm or extra-firm tofu and add 2 teaspoons of soy sauce or tamari while cooking it. Besides, you could also add a splash of liquid smoke.
- If you love sweet corn as much as we do, you could also enjoy this summer corn chowder alongside my vegan cornbread.
- Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, the corn chowder will last 3-4 days.
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