Coconut Corn Chowder

Make it with BLTs for the ultimate summer meal

I love it when top-rated recipes live up to the hype! This one, which has 5 stars from 4,000+ reviews on the New York Times, is both vegan and gluten free. It will make a perfect addition to your summer repertoire— it’s creamy but not thick, which means that it cools down quickly and won’t raise your body temperature (I consider this a must for a summer soup). Beyond that, it’s refreshing and light, with ginger, shallots, and lime juice adding depth and vibrancy to the otherwise unglamorous potatoes and corn.

You’ll puree half, making the chowder just the right texture, and beyond the green onions and cilantro, you could add more toppings, like chili crisp or sriracha (the original recipe calls for a serrano pepper, which I’ve left out in consideration of little eaters.)

We ate ours with BLTs for the perfect, easy summer meal, but I think this soup could stand alone (as long as you aren’t too hungry)— or a pasta salad or veggies and hummus would go well, too. Either way, make sure to eat it outside!

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Coconut Corn Chowder (adapted from the Spicy Corn & Coconut Soup by Sarah Jampel for the New York Times)
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4-6

For Dietary Restrictions

• Gluten free: this recipe is gluten-free

• Dairy free: this recipe is dairy-free

Kids Can Help

• Scrub corn & potatoes, peel shallots and garlic, open the coconut milk, measure ingredients; older kids can help stir the soup as it cooks.

Ingredients

For the corn chowder:

• 4 cups of corn (from 4-5 cobs, or use frozen)

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 2 shallots

• 3 cloves of garlic

• 1 ⅓ Tbsp (4 tsp) minced fresh ginger (from a 2-inch piece)

• 2-3 small red potatoes

• 2 ½ cups of chicken or vegetable broth

• 1 15-oz can of full-fat coconut milk

• 2 Tbsp lime juice

• 1 ½ tsp salt

To garnish:

• ½ bunch of cilantro

• ½ bunch green onions

Tools

• Large pot with lid

• Cutting board

• Paring knife

• Chef knife

• Medium-sized mixing bowl

• Immersion blender

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Directions

Step 1

Cut the kernels off the corn cobs in long strips, then transfer to a bowl. Holding each cob over the bowl, use the back of a butter knife to scrape off any remaining pieces of corn and juice into the bowl. 

Step 2

Peel and mince the garlic and ginger; peel and thinly slice the shallots. 

Step 3

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat, then add the garlic, ginger, and shallots and sautee for a few minutes to soften. 

Step 4

Wash and chop the potatoes into half-inch pieces, then add to the pot along with the corn and juices. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the coconut milk and the broth. 

Step 5

Bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer, and cover. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Step 6

While the potatoes are cooking, wash, dry, and chop the cilantro and green onions; set aside.

Step 7

Once the potatoes are tender, use an immersion blender to partially puree the soup, leaving some potato chunks intact. (If you don’t have an immersion blender, just blend half of the soup in a regular blender or food processor and return to the pot.)

Step 8

Season the soup with 2 Tbsp of lime juice and 1 ½ tsp of salt; mix thoroughly. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the green onions and cilantro.