Roasted Poblano Corn Chowder

Thickened with potatoes and coconut milk, this vegan roasted poblano corn chowder is a smoky and spicy soup recipe that’s hearty enough for a meal.

Every week that I still get corn in my fruit and veggie box or I see those husks lined up at the grocery store, I have an endless summer on the brain.

But then it hits me. This won’t last forever. That means I am trying to eat as much corn as I can before the season is over.

I absolutely love September because it is the best of everything from zucchini to peppers to tomatoes to corn. And nothing gets better than that!

Even just roasting a sheet pan of these vegetables gives me so much joy.

As we shift toward fall, one thing I am getting very excited about is soup. I’ve missed simmering a big pot of veggie soup on the stove and having lots of meals and leftovers without much effort.

With all this corn, I’ve been working on this corn chowder recipe for a while. It turns out smoky and spicy with poblano peppers.

This soup will give you all the feels that you might be craving post Labor Day when summer is unofficially over. This is the appropriate send off.

Yes. This Is A Vegan Corn Chowder.

Traditionally, corn chowder is thickened with a combination of butter and flour along with potatoes and milk or half-and-half.

For this soup, I use light coconut milk instead. And I puree about 75% of the soup in a blender once it has finished simmering. Both result in a thick hearty soup that doesn’t require using any dairy.

Why Roasting The Poblano Pepper And Corn Is A Must!

Lately, it’s become my thing to roast corn in the oven. The kernels end up caramelized and it really brings out their corny and buttery flavor—minus actual butter.

Roasting enhances the corn and peppers more than could ever happen just sautéing and simmering them in a pot of broth.

Also, you can roast the corn and the poblano pepper at the same time.

Can You Use Frozen Corn?

Yes. While slicing fresh corn off the cobs is always best, I know you might be craving this soup and you can’t find ears of corn.

One ear of corn is about 3/4 – 1 cup of kernels. This recipe calls for 4 ears of corn, so I would aim for around 3-1/2 cups.

If you use frozen corn, make sure to thaw it before you put it on the sheet pan to roast.

The Ingredients

• Corn: Again, it’s best to use fresh corn, but canned corn or frozen corn (thaw it first) are fine.
• Poblano pepper: These peppers are smoky and spicy, which makes them perfect for soups.
• Potatoes: I like Yukon Gold potatoes because they do a great job thickening the soup.
• Onions: This corn chowder recipe calls for a chopped white onion.
• Garlic: Three minced garlic cloves sauté with the onions and potatoes.
• Coconut milk: A can of light coconut milk makes the soup silky once you puree it.
• Olive oil: You need olive oil for roasting the corn and poblano pepper and for sautéing the onions and garlic.
• Scallions: Garnish the soup with sliced scallions.
• Salt & pepper: For soup, always taste it as it cooks and adjust the seasonings as necessary.

How To Make Roasted Poblano Corn Chowder

1. Roast the corn and poblano pepper. Toss the corn and the pepper with olive, oil, salt and pepper. Then spread the corn across a sheet pan and put the pepper on a piece of foil to roast right on the rack.
2. Peel the poblano. When the pepper is roasted, put it in a bowl and cover. Wait 10 minutes before rubbing off the skin, deseeding the pepper and chopping it.
3. Sauté the onions followed by the potatoes and garlic in a pot on the stove.
4. Start simmering. Add the corn, peppers, coconut milk and veggie broth to the pot and simmer for 10 minutes or so until the potatoes are tender.
5. To serve, divide the soup into bowls and top with sliced scallions.

What To Serve With Corn Chowder

This soup is so lovely and creamy that I like having a hunk of crusty bread on the side to dunk into it.

The soup is very filling and definitely works as a main dish.

Try These Other Hearty Fall Soups

Vegan Poblano White Bean Chili
Tomato Carrot Lentil Soup
Tuscan Ribollita Soup
Minestrone Soup
Slow-Cooker Lentil Tortilla Soup
Hearty Vegetable Soup

Roasted Poblano Corn Chowder

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Paige Adams
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 45-50 minutes
• Total Time: 60-65 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4
• Category: Soup
• Method: Roasting
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

Print Recipe

---

Description

Thickened with potatoes and coconut milk, this vegan roasted poblano corn chowder is a smoky and spicy soup recipe that’s hearty enough for a meal.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 4 ears corn, shucked
• 1 poblano pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1–1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 white onion, roughly chopped
• 2–3 Yukon Gold potatoes, diced (about 1 cup)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1–14 ounce can light coconut milk
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced
• Flaky sea salt and black pepper

---

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Slice the kernels off the ears of corn. On a sheet pan, toss the kernels and the whole poblano pepper with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Brush any corn off the poblano pepper and remove it from the pan. Spread the corn into an even layer across the pan.
3. Place the sheet pan in the oven with the poblano pepper next to it on a piece of aluminum foil right on the rack. Roast the corn and the poblano pepper for 30 minutes. Flip the poblano pepper to the other side halfway through roasting. The corn should be bright yellow and golden. (Reserve 1/3 cup corn for garnish.) The pepper will be wrinkled and bubbled.
4. Put the pepper in a bowl and cover it. Wait 10 minutes before rubbing off the skin using a towel. Remove the seeds and roughly chop the pepper.
5. In a large saucepan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sauté the onions until they start to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Then add the potatoes and continue sautéing for another 2-3 minutes. The potatoes should begin to break up. Add the garlic, cooking for 30 seconds more until fragrant.
6. Add the corn and peppers to the pan with the coconut milk, vegetable broth and 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a simmer for 10-12 minutes until the potatoes are tender and cooked through.
7. Carefully transfer 75% of the soup to a blender to puree. Then pour it back into the pan to reheat as necessary.
8. Divide the soup into bowls and garnish with the reserved corn and sliced scallions. Season to taste with flaky sea salt and black pepper.

---

Notes

You can use 3-1/2 cups canned or frozen corn kernels. Make sure to thaw the corn before roasting.

Keywords: corn chowder recipe, vegan corn chowder, poblano corn chowder