Creamy and comforting, Vegan Potato Corn Chowder is easy to make in an Instant Pot. This 30 minute one-pot meal is like a hug in a bowl. But don't worry if you don't have an electric pressure cooker. Stove-top instructions are also provided.
When you're looking for a hearty dinner on a cold night, nothing beats a hot bowl of soup. And if you can make it in your Instant Pot, it's even better since you don't need to stir it or watch it while it cooks.
Whether you are new to pressure cooking or an experienced pro, this recipe is practically fool-proof. And if you've already tried making Vegan Wild Rice Soup, I know you'll enjoy this chowder, too.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- It's ready to eat in 30 minutes.
- It tastes creamy even though it's both oil-free and dairy-free.
- It's a complete one-pot meal.
Ingredients
- Onion
- Garlic
- Carrots
- Celery
- Potatoes (Yukon gold or yellow potatoes work the best in this recipe.)
- Bay leaf
- Dried thyme
- Vegetable broth (Low sodium is preferable.)
- Frozen corn (If you want to preserve some of your summer corn so you can use it in recipes like this soup, check out how to blanch and freeze fresh corn from Food Love.)
- Raw cashews
Organic Unsalted Raw Cashews
- USDA Certified Organic and Non-GMO
- Climate Pledge Friendly
- Store in the freezer to preserve freshness
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Instant Pot instructions
1. Using the Saute function, add the onion with a little water and saute for a couple of minutes until the onion is soft.
2. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds, then add the carrots and celery.
3. Once the vegetables are slightly soft, hit the cancel button. Then add the potatoes, bay leaf, and dried thyme to the Instant Pot.
4. Add in the vegetable broth, and give the mixture a stir. Close the lid, push the manual button, and set the timer for 4 minutes.
5. Once the 4 minutes are up, quick release the pressure. Take this time to process the cashews and water in your blender to make the cashew cream. Once the pressure is released, open the lid.
6. Add the defrosted frozen corn to the soup.
7. Pour in the cashew cream.
8. Stir well, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve. Or you can keep it on the warm function until you're ready to eat the potato corn chowder.
Stove-top instructions
The method for making this soup in a large pot on the stove is similar to the Instant Pot instructions. Saute the vegetables over medium heat, then add the potatoes, herbs, and broth.
When the potatoes are partially soft when pierced with a fork, add the corn. Continue to cook until the potatoes are tender.
Stir in the cashew cream. Then season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
Serving suggestions
This Instant Pot one-pot meal is a complete lunch or dinner on its own. But it's also delicious served with a salad like one of the following:
Storing
Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated on the stove or in the microwave. For best results, do not freeze.
FAQ
Canned full-fat coconut milk, pureed white beans, or pureed silken tofu can all be used in place of the cashew cream. You will need about ½ cup.
Yes, for a nut-free option you can puree Cannellini beans, also known as white kidney beans. You may need to add a little water as you are blending to achieve the consistency of cream.
Russet potatoes are too starchy and will fall apart in the soup. If you don't have yellow or gold potatoes, Red Bliss potatoes are a good substitute.
More vegan soup recipes
And for even more recipes, join the Vegan Mediterranean Diet Recipes Facebook group for support, inspiration, and fun.
If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars! ★★★★★
📋 Recipe
Vegan Potato Corn Chowder Instant Pot Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 6 cups diced yellow or gold potatoes, (about 6 medium potatoes)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups frozen corn, defrosted
- ½ cup raw cashews
- ½ cup water
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Push the saute button on the Instant Pot. Add the onion and a splash of water. Saute for a couple of minutes until the onion is slightly soft.
- Then add the garlic and saute for 30 more seconds.
- Next add the carrots and celery. Saute for another few minutes until the vegetables start to soften.
- Press the cancel button. Add the potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, and vegetable broth to the Instant Pot.
- Give the ingredients a stir to combine. Then close the lid.
- Press the manual (pressure cook) button and set the timer for 4 minutes (on high).
- Meanwhile, combine the cashews and water in a high-speed blender to make the cashew cream. Blend until completely smooth.
- Once the 4 minutes is up, quick release the pressure by turning the valve. Once the pressure has been released, remove the lid.
- Add the corn to the soup and stir.
- Then pour in the cashew cream and stir the soup to combine.
- Add salt and pepper, to taste, and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
This post was updated to include ingredient substitutions. The recipe remains unchanged.
Linda DeWitt
I'm scaling up the recipe to make for a group retreat (60 servings) and would like to make it the week before and freeze it, but your instructions say "for best results, do not freeze". What if I make it and freeze, but wait to add the cashew cream the day of once it's defrosted and warmed up? Would that work?
Amy Katz
Hi Linda, I personally don't like to freeze soups with potatoes because the texture of the potatoes will become grainy.
Gerry
We loved this corn chowder. Simple and very good. I added extra corn.
Lori
This was delicious. I made it exactly as written using my instant pot. Thank you.
Kevin Keener
This is a great and fairly easy to make recipe. I will definitely be making it again soon.
Amy Katz
Glad you enjoyed it, Kevin!
Kim B
This is absolutely delicious! I made it on the stove top and used canned coconut milk instead of cashew cream. Definitely a keeper! Thank you.
Amy Katz
I'm glad it worked out so well on the stove and with coconut milk, Kim!
Megan
The most amazing soup! I have been vegan for four years and miss clam chowder!!! This soup reminds me of it! Creamy and delicious. Can’t wait to make it again today.
Amy Katz
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Megan!
C. De Spain
We’ve had a silly fear of making something in my Instant Pot besides rice and quinoa. We were intimidated and thought we’d mess something up with the extreme pressure. Tonight we finally got over it & made this Vegan Potato Corn Chowder! It turned out so delicious & was fun to make. Thank you, Veggies Save The Day, for sharing yet another amazing recipe & for helping us finally use our IP as intended. You’re THE BEST!
Amy Katz
I'm so happy you enjoyed it! And I'm glad you are feeling more confident using your IP. It's an amazing appliance.
Cecelia
Looks delicious! So glad I found your site :). I recently stocked up on a ton of fresh corn from our local farm stand that I would really like to use, do you think I should add it to the soup before pressure cooking?
Amy Katz
Thank you, Cecelia! I haven't tried this recipe with fresh corn, but I would still add it in at the end and close the lid for a couple of minutes. The soup should be hot enough to quickly cook the corn.
Jamie Balderas
This is my favorite vegan potato corn chowder. It is on our menu often. I really like the texture and flavor of the blended cashews. One extra thing I do when I make this recipe is blend about half of the cooked soup in with the cashew mixture and then add it back to the pot. It makes the chowder thicker and creamier. Another thing I tried the last time I made it (yesterday) was adding some liquid smoke for a bacon flavor, and it was really good! Thank you for this recipe!
Amy Katz
I love these ideas, Jamie! Thanks so much for sharing.
Heidi
Wondering if I could swap out the cashews for white beans? Has anyone tried that? Thanks
Adora
I just got an instant pot today and this was the first recipe I made. It is DELICIOUS!!!! Great introduction to this new device as well. I did not have corn so I simply made the soup without it and it was still so good. Definitely something I’ll come back to if I get sick, it has those warm and nourishing vibes lol. Thank you Amy!!!! Can’t wait to try some more of your vegan instant pot recipes.
Amy Katz
Congratulations on getting an IP, Adora! I'm so glad you enjoyed the chowder.