Description
This vegan Instant Pot Corn Chowder is simple, healthy, and utterly divine. Make from frozen or fresh corn, this hearty meal is great for meal prep!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 pounds (4 cups) frozen or fresh corn (+ 2 cups reserved for topping, optional)
- 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, diced (see note 1)
- 1 medium sweet or white onion, diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 cups broth (see note 2)
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 14.5 oz can coconut milk (see note 3)
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
Instructions
Instant Pot Directions (see note 4):
- If your Instant Pot or pressure cooker has a saute function, saute your onions for about 4 minutes or until translucent. Add a splash of water every so often to keep it from sticking. Add the garlic and saute another minute, then hit ‘cancel.’
- Add in your corn, potatoes, broth, smoked paprika, and the onion and garlic if you haven’t already. Give it a good stir, then bury the bay leaf (I don’t stir it in because sometimes they can break, making them hard to remove later). Close the lid and set the pressure valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure or hit pressure cook for 6 minutes.
- After the timer goes off, release the pressure valve carefully (I do it with a wooden spoon) and let the pressure release completely. If you have an Instant Pot, wait until the pressure button has clicked down (if you have another brand pressure cooker, this may look different so please consult your manual). Open the lid carefully and set aside. Remove the bay leaf and discard.
- Stir the soup, then stir in the nutritional yeast and coconut cream.
- Using an immersion blender, blend up most of the soup. I like it with some chunks still, but you could blend it all if you like. If you’d prefer to blend your soup smooth in a blender, you can, just be very careful when transferring it as the soup is incredibly hot.
- Serve up your soup and, if desired, finish it off by adding the extra steamed corn, some crunchy tortilla strips (see article above for my quick recipe), and some cilantro or parsley!
- Refrigerate leftover soup in an airtight container up to 5 days in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 3 months.
Stove Top Directions
- Start by sauteing your onions in a large pot. Add a splash of water (like a tablespoon) if they start to stick. Saute for about 3 minutes or until translucent, then add the garlic and saute for another minute. Add your potatoes, smoked paprika, bay leaf and broth and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Now add your fresh or frozen corn. I recommend thawing your corn before cooking, but if you haven’t, you can just cook it a little longer. Cook the soup until the potatoes are soft and the corn is cooked through. Remove the bay leaf and discard.
- Stir the soup, then stir in the nutritional yeast and coconut cream.
- Using an immersion blender, blend up most of the soup. I like it with some chunks still, but you could blend it all if you like. If you’d prefer to blend your soup smooth in a blender, you can, just be very careful when transferring it as the soup is incredibly hot.
- Serve up your soup and, if desired, finish it off by adding the extra steamed corn, some crunchy tortilla strips (see article above for my quick recipe), and some cilantro or parsley!
- Refrigerate leftover soup in an airtight container up to 5 days in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Note 1: I used Yukon gold potatoes for creaminess. They are optional, but highly recommended as they give the soup a thick and hearty texture. I did not peel my potatoes because gold potatoes (and similarly red potatoes) have a thin, more delicate and easily blended skin than russet potatoes. Everything blended very well with my immersion blender, but you can peel your potatoes if you like.
- Note 2: For the liquid for this soup, I used water with Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base, which is essentially stock concentrate. You add a couple spoonfuls of this paste to hot water and whisk it until dissolved. It’s delicious (they have several vegan flavors including vegetable and mushroom), tastes just like chicken broth, is more economical than cartons of ready-made broth, and is super delicious. You can substitute carton vegan chicken broth, or vegetable broth. Water will also work but you’ll probably need more seasoning.
- Note 3: Finally, I added a can of coconut milk right before I blended and it made it super creamy, rich, and luscious. I promise it does not make the soup taste like coconut! You can leave it out (though you’ll miss the rich creamy texture), or use any other cream-like substance such as cashew cream or vegan heavy cream.
- Note 4: This recipe is VERY easy to make in the Instant Pot or any other electric pressure cooker. If I mention specific buttons, they apply to my Instant Pot, but you should have equivalent buttons if you have another brand of pressure cooker. Please consult your manual.
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Pressure Cooker, Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Vegan, Oil-Free, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Sugar-Free, Soup, Corn Chowder