(Vegan) Corn chowder
/Cream Base
½ cup raw cashews
¾ cup water + more for soaking cashews
Soup Base
2 tablespoons oil
1 medium yellow onion , diced
2 celery stalks , diced
3 cloves garlic , minced
½ teaspoon dried thyme
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 ½ cups veggie broth
2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon sea salt , more to taste
Fresh cracked pepper , to taste
4 cups fresh corn , cut off kernels from 4 corn cobs (frozen can be used)
1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (optional)
Cream Base
To prep the cashews, boil water in a small pot and remove from heat. Add cashews and cover for 15-20 minutes. Drain and rinse the cashews and discard soaking water. Place them in a high-powered blender with ¾ cup of water. Blend on high until very smooth. Set aside.
Soup Base
In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat and add onion and celery. Sauté until tender, about 3-5 minutes.
Add garlic and sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant
Now add the thyme. Sauté 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
Sprinkle flour over veggies and stir constantly for 30-60 seconds. This will cook off the raw flour taste.
Stir in broth and add potatoes, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Turn heat up again to medium-high to simmer. Once simmering, turn heat back to medium and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add corn kernels and cook for another 8-10 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender and corn is cooked. Remove bay leaf.
Turn heat to low and slowly stir in cashew cream. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed. Warm for 1-2 minutes and remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice if desired.
Optional: to give the soup base more body, place 1-2 cups of soup in a blender and pulse 2-3 times, then pour back into the pot and stir (you can also use an immersion blender). You can skip the blending if you prefer a chunkier soup.
See note for topping ideas. Enjoy!