This Dairy Free Corn Chowder with Coconut Milk is light, smooth, and creamy. Using potatoes, coconut milk, basil, and sweet summer corn, this flavorful vegan soup tastes delicious whether served hot or cold, and effortlessly comes together in one pot.
Every season is soup season in our house, and summer soup recipes like our Corn Chowder with Sausage or Corn Gazpacho (as featured on milk.org), may be our favorite summer recipes. This dairy-free corn chowder with coconut milk is no exception.
Made using fresh corn, chunks of potato, and jalapeño peppers, this dairy-free recipe is light, smooth, and bursting with sweet flavors made prominent with basil and coconut milk. It's a creamy vegan corn chowder made smooth using an immersion blender, it gives the soup a luxurious texture that resembles the use of cream – except it doesn't use cream.
Why You’ll Love This Corn Chowder Recipe
- It's dairy-free: Most chowders use heavy cream or milk to achieve a creamy base. Light and refreshing, our corn chowder involves blending all the ingredients including coconut milk and potatoes to make the ultimate creamy base ideal for those who are dairy-free or just want a lighter chowder recipe.
- It's a quick and easy soup: Any recipe that involves tossing ingredients into one pot and cooking it is a win in our books and this vegan corn chowder does just that. A simple soup recipe that cooks itself, this corn chowder with coconut milk is an easy summer dish that may just be in your rotation once corn season hits.
- It's good hot or cold: While we wouldn't label this soup as a gazpacho, this corn chowder recipe tastes just as good hot as cold. There's something about the sweetness from the corn that plays well no matter the temperature, making this a comforting and refreshing recipe both ways.
Serve our Dairy-Free Corn Chowder with Coconut alongside our House Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette, Sweet Coleslaw Recipe, or Coconut Crème Brûlée (Dairy-Free).
Ingredient List
- Corn: Fresh corn is best if still in the husks, but if the corn isn't fresh, then frozen is perfectly fine. Use a sweet corn variety.
- Shallots: fresh shallots are slightly sweet when cooked, making them a good option over onions in this delicate soup.
- Garlic: fresh garlic cloves, minced.
- Potatoes: since the soup is blended, we use russet or Yukon gold potatoes, which absorb the liquid and thicken the soup.
- Jalapeño peppers: for heat to give a sweet and spicy flavor to the soup. If you want more heat, include the seeds.
- Vegetable stock: an inexpensive way to add a lot of flavor to the soup. For even more corn flavor, warm the broth with the cobs after the kernels have been removed.
- Coconut milk: use full-fat or premium coconut milk. It provides creaminess and richness to the soup.
- Limes: use fresh limes for brightness.
- Basil: optional for garnish.Pairs well with the corn and gives another hint of freshness to the soup.
- Olive oil: extra virgin olive oil or your preferred cooking oil.
- Salt and pepper: kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Recipe Variations and Modifications
- Bacon: while this soup is vegan, if you are not vegan, bacon is a wonderful addition to the soup, adding a smokey, savory flavor. Chop and crisp the bacon as the first step in the recipe.
- Coconut milk: if you don't have coconut milk, heavy cream is a great alternative.
- Gazpacho: believe it or not, this soup tastes amazing whether it's served hot or cold. For a cold version, cook the soup as per the recipe instructions, then chill the soup in the fridge. We also suggest blending the soup in a high-powered blender for an extra-smooth consistency. Serve the chilled soup with a swirl of coconut milk and a few leaves of basil.
Recipe Steps: How to Make Dairy-Free Corn Chowder with Coconut Milk
1. Grill the corn.
Preheat your BBQ or a grill pan on medium heat. Arrange the corn on the grill and cook for 10-12 minutes, rotating every 2-3 minutes, until charred all around. Once cool enough to handle, cut the corn kernels from the cobs.
2. Cook the vegetables.
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sauté shallots for 1 minute, then add garlic, jalapeño, potato, basil, and all but 1 cup of corn. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes until the peppers are softened.
3. Add coconut milk and broth and blend.
Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and add the coconut milk and lime juice. Simmer for 30 minutes then remove from the heat and blend with an immersion blender to reach your preferred consistency. Season the chowder with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Garnish the chowder.
Serve the soup immediately garnished with a spoonful of reserved kernels and a few sprigs of basil.
Chef's Tips
Add even more corn flavor: instead of tossing the cobs after removing the kernels, add them to the vegetable stock and heat for 10 minutes to infuse the corn falvor into the stock.
Safety first: always remove soup from the heat before blending to prevent splatters and potential burns.
Make Ahead, Storage, and Freezing
Make ahead: we prefer to make soup the day before serving as it tends to have more depth of flavor when reheated. This soup can be made up to 3 days in advance.
Storage: store leftover corn chowder in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove over medium heat until hot.
Freezing: corn chowder can be frozen to be enjoyed throughout the year. Allow leftover soup to cool to room temperature before transferring it to freezer-safe containers. Store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Recipe FAQs
Fresh and frozen corn is best for this soup. If using canned corn, ensure that it is well-drained and that it is a sweet variety, such as peaches and cream.
Basil, dill, chives, cilantro, tarragon, thyme, and parsley are all great herbs that can be added or used as garnish for the soup. Spices such as cumin, curry, white pepper, and red pepper flakes can be used to spice up the soup.
Yes, we often add celery and carrots to the soup for additional vegetables and nutrition, however, bell peppers, fennel, sweet potatos and zucchini make nice addtions.
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Recipe Card
Dairy Free Corn Chowder with Coconut Milk
Ingredients
- 5 ears corn grilled and kernels removed (about 5 cups)
- 1 large shallot diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 large potato russet or Yukon gold, peeled and diced
- 2 jalapeño peppers seeds removed and diced
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 can coconut milk 13.5oz/400ml
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- ½ cup basil leaves roughly torn + additional for serving
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your BBQ or a grill pan on medium heat. Arrange the corn on the grill and cook for 10-12 minutes, rotating every 2-3 minutes, until charred all around. Once cool enough to handle, cut the corn kernels from the cobs.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sauté shallots for 1 minute, then add garlic, jalapeño, potato, basil, and all but 1 cup of corn. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes until the peppers are softened.
- Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and add the coconut milk and lime juice. Simmer for 30 minutes then remove from the heat and blend with an immersion blender to reach your preferred consistency. Season the chowder with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve the soup immediately garnished with a spoonful of reserved kernels and a few sprigs of basil.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Additional Information
Mitch says
A friend of min served up your Coconut Corn Chowder the other night and I asked her where she got the recipe! Delicious!
Chef Sous Chef says
Thanks Mitch. What a nice compliment!
Leanna says
This looks delicious, love the addition of the jalapenos. Pinned to my soup board.
chefsouschef says
Thanks Leanna! The jalapeño definitely adds a great kick to the soup. Thanks for sharing!