Potato, Green Chile and Corn Chowder

This versatile, vegan corn chowder recipe blends the flavors of summer with the comfort of fall. It's extremely versatile (spicy or mild; fresh, frozen, or canned ingredients) and totally delicious!

Summer is winding down, which means I've got soup on the brain. A quick peek at my recipe index will tell you that I LOVE soups and stews, and I've been dying to create a new easy soup recipe for fall. 

This corn chowder recipe is the perfect one to share now because corn is still in season, and it's also Hatch chile time here in Texas. So even though it's August... soup's on!

The nice thing about this soup is that it can be made with fresh corn and fresh green chiles, or frozen corn and canned chiles, and it tastes great either way. It's truly an all-season soup that you can enjoy any time of the year.

This corn chowder also falls into the "crowd pleaser" category because it can be easily modified for a range of diets and preferences.

You can make it spicy or mild depending on the type of green chile you use. You can even make it mild AND spicy by using mild chiles and passing a shaker of cayenne to anyone who prefers a little heat.

The recipe I've written is dairy free (using coconut milk instead of cream), although you can use heavy cream if that's what you prefer. I set out to create a dairy free version because of my daughter's dairy allergy, but I discovered that the flavors of this soup blend so well with coconut milk that I actually prefer it to a typical cream-based chowder.

The Best Chiles to Use in Chowder:

I absolutely love green chiles in all forms, the spicier the better. But I understand that not everybody is a spice fan. I'm here to please, so I'm giving you options.

The first time I made this soup, I used fresh Hatch chiles since they are everywhere in Houston. The Hatch chile version was a hit with my husband and I, but it was a little too spicy for the kids.

The second time around, I used canned mild green chiles, and my husband and I added a little dash of cayenne to our bowls to spice things up. That time, we were ALL happy.

You can also try poblano chiles or any other chile you happen to like — just make sure you do a taste test before adding the chiles to the soup so that you can adjust the quantity accordingly.

Prepping the Chiles:

If you're using fresh chiles, roast them first by placing them in the oven under the broiler until the skin is blackened and blistered. Then let them cool in a sealed plastic bag to allow the skin to loosen from the chiles. Peel off the skin and discard, remove the seeds, and chop the chiles.

Green Chile and Corn Chowder

This green chile and corn chowder is an all-season soup that's healthy AND hearty.

4.90 from 28 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 324kcal

Author: Kate

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic diced
• 1 small onion chopped
• 5 c. vegetable broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1.5 teaspoon salt
• 4 large red potatoes peeled and cut into small cubes
• 4 cups corn kernels fresh or frozen
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 handful of fresh cilantro torn
• 1 cup diced green chiles canned or roasted*
• ½ cup canned coconut milk
• 1 lime for serving

Instructions

• In a soup pot, drizzle olive oil and sauté onions and garlic until soft.
• Add broth, salt, potatoes, and bay leaf. Bring to a soft boil.
• Cook until potatoes are just barely cooked through (approx 10 minutes).
• Add corn, paprika, pepper, cilantro, chiles, and coconut milk. Simmer softly for about 5 more minutes, or until corn is tender. Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
• To thicken the soup, remove approx 3 cups of soup to a blender. Blend and return to the pot.
• Serve with a wedge of lime to squeeze over the soup.

Notes

You can use a variety of chiles in this recipe, including Hatch, poblano, or green chiles. Canned chiles work great, too! Just be sure to taste test the heat of the chiles before you add them to the soup. I recommend using mild chiles and adding some cayenne if you'd like to spice things up.

If you're using fresh chiles, roast them under the broiler until the skin is blistered. Then place them in a sealable ziplock bag until cool. Remove the skin and seeds, and dice.

Nutrition

Calories: 324kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 877mg | Potassium: 1132mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 145IU | Vitamin C: 23.2mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 2.9mg