This ultra creamy vegan corn chowder soup is the best summer corn soup! Made with a few simple ingredients for a satisfying dairy free corn chowder that you’ll want to make again and again.

Overhead close up shot of a white bowl of creamy corn chowder topped with sliced green onions and chopped parsley. On a white background with an angled wooden soup spoon in the bowl.

This ultra creamy corn chowder soup is 100% going to be our go to sweet corn soup for the summer.

Corn on the cob is one of those signature produce items that definitively signals the start of summer.

As soon as it hits the produce shelves it really feels like the warm weather season is here to stay. Which, if you’re from the PNW, is saying a lot. We wait oh-so-patiently for the warm summer sun (sometimes well into the month of July) while the rest of the country is doing cannonballs at the lake and cooling off with frozen treats.

But now that the 4th of July has passed, I think it’s safe to say that summer is HERE! And the time for (ultra creamy!) corn soup is here with it.

45 degree angle shot of a white bowl of creamy corn chowder topped with sliced green onions and chopped parsley. On a white background with an angled wooden soup spoon in the bowl. Surrounded by a second bowl of chowder, and scattered pieces of herbs and corn kernals.

Why you’ll love this ultra creamy vegan corn chowder soup

Easy to make, vegan, & gluten free too. I encourage you to celebrate the start of summer with us and this simple soup!

This corn chowder is:

Ultra creamy
Vegetarian, vegan, dairy free, & gluten free
Light and savory
FULL of summer flavor
Satisfying
Simple to make!

Overhead shot of a white bowl of creamy corn chowder topped with sliced green onions and chopped parsley. On a white background with an angled wooden soup spoon in the bowl. Surrounded by a smaller bowl filled with corn, and scattered pieces of herbs and corn kernals.

Ingredients

This sweet corn soup is made with just a few simple plant based ingredients combined for the best summer flavors. It’s also versatile, so if you don’t have the exact ingredients listed, I’ll provide some substitution options as well.

Raw cashews – Cashew cream is probably my all time favorite dairy free dairy replacement. If you don’t have cashews, don’t feel like making cashew cream (been there!), or have a cashew allergy, you can substitute with a different non dairy milk. My two favorite alternatives are Oatly’s full fat oat milk, or Nutpods dairy free creamer (the original plain flavor). In general, anything other than cashew cream will be on the thinner side, so expect a bit of a thinner broth if making that swap.
Olive oil
Yellow onion
Celery
Garlic
All purpose seasoning
Paprika
Nutritional yeast – Commonly used in a lot of vegan recipes for it’s flavor boosting super powers. Nutritional yeast has a savory, nutty, and slightly “cheesy” flavor profile that adds a bit of umami to this soup! If you don’t have any don’t sweat it, just leave it out.
Dry mustard – Dry mustard is just ground mustard seeds. It also adds a little extra oomph of flavor to the soup, but can be substituted with regular dijon mustard, or omitted.
Bay leaf
Yukon gold or red potatoes
Vegetable broth – If you would like your soup to be thicker you may want to reduce the broth from 4 cups to 3 cups.
Fresh or frozen corn – There’s not doubt that fresh summer corn is amazing in this soup, but frozen corn also works very well. One bonus of using fresh corn is that you can add the cobs to the broth while the soup simmers for some extra flavor.
Salt + pepper

45 degree angle close up shot of a super creamy bowl of corn chowder with a spoon dipping in. On a light background next to a second bowl of creamy corn chowder.

Close up shot of a spoon lifted out of a bowl of super creamy vegan corn chowder. On a light background.

How to make this ultra creamy vegan corn chowder soup

To make this corn soup recipe you’ll need:

A large soup pot
Heat proof bowl for soaking the cashews
Blender for the cashew cream and blending the soup

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Soak the cashews

If using cashew cream for the creamy base of this soup, you’ll want to soak the raw cashews before blending. In a heat proof bowl, pour enough just boiled water to cover cashews. Set aside to soak for at least 30 minutes.

Step 2: Make the rest of the soup

In a large soup pot, heat 2 tablespoons avocado oil over medium heat and add diced onion, celery, and garlic. Saute for about 5 minutes, until veggies are soft and just barely starting to caramelize.

Add all purpose seasoning, paprika, nutritional yeast, dry mustard, and bay leaf and cook for about a minute or so, stirring constantly, to release the flavor in the spices.

Add diced potatoes to the pot along with the broth and bring to a simmer. If using corn from corn on the cob add the cobs to the stock while it simmers for extra flavor.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender and broth is flavorful – about 15-20 minutes. While the soup is simmering, make the cashew cream if you’re using it.

Step 3: Make the cashew cream

While the soup is simmering, make the cashew cream. Add cashews to a blender along with 3/4 cup just boiled water. Blend, starting on low and gradually increasing speed to high (to avoid messy splatters in the blender container) until cashew cream is completely smooth. This can take up to a minute or two, depending on your blender. Stop to scrape down the sides or add a little more hot water if needed.

Step 4: Finish + serve the soup!

Remove bay leaf and corn cobs if you used them, and add fresh or frozen corn to the soup along with cashew cream (or another non dairy milk), sea salt, and black pepper. Bring back up to a bare simmer and cook for about 5 more minutes, until corn is bright yellow and soup has thickened slightly.

At this point you can either leave the soup as it is or blend part or all of it.

Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired, and serve topped with fresh herbs and green onions.

Enjoy!

FAQ’s + a few notes on this ultra creamy vegan corn chowder soup

While this corn soup is ULTRA creamy, it is more on the brothy end of the spectrum as far as chowders go. For a thicker corn chowder you may want to reduce the broth from 4 cups (1 full quart), to 3 cups.
Cashew cream is probably my all time favorite dairy free dairy replacement. If you don’t have cashews, don’t feel like making cashew cream (been there!), or have a cashew allergy, you can substitute with a different non dairy milk. My two favorite alternatives are Oatly’s full fat oat milk, or Nutpods dairy free creamer (the original plain flavor). In general, anything other than cashew cream will be on the thinner side, so expect a bit of a thinner broth if making that swap.
To use cauliflower instead of potatoes for a lower carb option, swap them for potatoes and keep everything else the same.
This summer corn soup can be enjoyed as is, or you can blend all or part of it before serving!