Summer is coming and I’m here for it! Especially because I do not care if it’s 35 degrees Celsius out… I want soup! This soup is perfect in summer and fall when fresh corn is in abundance, but it’s also great any other time of year. High quality frozen corn still makes a phenomenal soup.
If you buy a decent quality corn, you will not be disappointed! Even if it’s the worst, no name brand frozen corn, there’s enough spices and other ingredients to mask the flavour. This soup is amazing.
I love this soup. It’s bursting with flavour and is light enough that you can serve it on the side with a sandwich or other dish, while also being nourishing enough that you could eat an extra-large bowl of it and be totally satisfied. It’s definitely not a traditional chowder full of cream, but it’s also not going to be opposed if you add a healthy dollop of dairy-free cream or coconut milk. The “roux” in the soup is made from the cornstarch and the starches that are released from the potatoes while cooking. They create a thicker soup – and the blended end product has some body to it.
No fresh herbs? That’s okay too! I rarely use fresh herbs. I only have them in summer when my garden is in full swing!
To Prepare:
Heat the oil in a very large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, chili pepper, celery, and carrot. Saute for 5 minutes until beginning to soften and the veggies become translucent.
Add the salt, then cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 – 10 minutes or until completely softened and water has begun to evapourate from the vegetables. Mix the cornstarch and water to create a slurry.
Stir in the cornstarch slurry and stir the soup until well combined. Add in the potatoes and corn.
Add the tomato paste and broth and stir well. Turn the heat up to medium high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Blend half of the soup with an immersion blender before adding the bell peppers and fresh herbs (or dried) and stir well. Simmer gently for an additional 5 minutes to soften the bell pepper (if desired).
Top with additional fresh herbs if desired and enjoy!
Summer Corn and Potato Chowder
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 spicy pepper thai chili, serrano, etc., finely chopped (seeded if desired)
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 1 carrot chopped
- 1 tsp fine sea salt or more to taste
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- ¼ cup water
- 500 g potatoes roughly chopped (¼” – ½” inch pieces)
- 500 g husked corn fresh or frozen
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 large red bell pepper seeded and chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh basil finely chopped (or 2 tsp dried)
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
- coconut or cashew cream to serve (optional)
Directions
- Heat the oil in a very large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, chili pepper, celery, and carrot. Saute for 5 minutes until beginning to soften and the vegetables become translucent.
- Add the salt, then cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 – 10 minutes or until completely softened and water has begun to evapourate from the vegetables. Mix the cornstarch and water to create a slurry.
- Stir in the cornstarch slurry and stir the soup until well combined. Add in the potatoes and corn.
- Add the tomato paste and broth and stir well. Turn the heat up to medium high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
- Blend half of the soup with an immersion blender before adding the bell peppers and fresh herbs (or dried) and stir well. Simmer gently for an additional 5 minutes to soften the bell pepper (if desired).
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