This vegan butternut squash chowder is a thick, chunky bowl of roasted squash, sweet potato, and sweet corn simmered with warm cumin and finished with a splash of rice milk. It's the kind of soup that makes the whole kitchen smell like fall, and it's hearty enough to serve as a light meal on its own.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Butternut squash. Roasting it whole in foil first makes peeling and dicing much easier. In a pinch, pre-cut fresh squash from the produce section works too, just skip the roasting step and simmer it a little longer in the broth.
- Sweet potato. Adds body and natural sweetness that balances the savory broth. A red-skinned or Yukon Gold potato can stand in if you're out of sweet potato, though the chowder will be a bit less sweet.
- Corn kernels. Fresh corn cut from the cob has the best flavor in late summer and early fall, but frozen corn kernels work great year-round and save you a step.
- Vegetable broth. Use a good low-sodium broth so you can control the seasoning yourself, or sub in 4 cups of water with 2 vegetable bouillon cubes.
- Cumin and salt-free seasoning blend. These two are what give the chowder its warm, savory depth without leaning on salt. A ground cumin and a salt-free seasoning blend like Mrs. Dash both work well.
- Rice milk. Adds a bit of creaminess without any dairy. Unsweetened soy or oat milk are easy substitutes if that's what you have on hand.
- Parsley and scallions. Stirred in and sprinkled on at the very end, they add a fresh, bright finish to an otherwise rich, earthy soup.
Helpful Tips
Roast the squash while you prep everything else. The whole squash needs about 40 minutes in the oven, which is plenty of time to chop the onion, celery, and sweet potato and get the broth simmering, so nothing about this recipe requires you to stand around waiting.
Thicken the base without any cream. Scooping out a couple of cups of the cooked vegetables, mashing them, and stirring them back in is the classic way to give this chowder body. If you'd rather skip a step, an immersion blender does the same job in seconds: just pulse it a few times right in the pot.
Don't skip the resting time if you can help it. Letting the chowder sit for even 20 to 30 minutes before serving gives the flavors time to meld. It's even better the next day, which makes it a great make-ahead option for a busy week or a holiday meal.
Add the rice milk at the end, off high heat. Stirring it in during the last few minutes of a gentle simmer keeps the chowder from separating or tasting overly starchy. A low simmer for a few minutes is all it needs to warm through.
Taste before you salt. Between the seasoning blend and the vegetable broth, this chowder already has a good amount of savory flavor. Add salt gradually at the end so you don't oversalt a dish that's meant to taste naturally sweet and earthy.
Variations
- Make it extra creamy. Puree the entire pot with an immersion blender instead of just a portion for a smooth, bisque-style soup. Our Creamy Corn Chowder uses this method if you want to see it in action with a different flavor combination.
- Add a smoky note. A teaspoon of smoked paprika or a pinch of chipotle powder stirred in with the cumin gives the chowder a smoky, campfire-like edge.
- Stir in some greens. A couple of handfuls of chopped kale or spinach added in the last five minutes of cooking sneaks in extra nutrition without changing the flavor much.
- Swap in miso for extra umami. A tablespoon of white miso whisked in at the end (the way we do it in our Miso-Butternut Squash Soup) adds a savory depth that pairs beautifully with the sweet potato and corn.
- Make it a chili-chowder hybrid. Stir in a drained can of black beans and a diced jalapeno for more heat and protein.
- Go grain-free or add grains. This chowder is naturally gluten-free as written; if you'd like more heft, a scoop of cooked wild rice or quinoa stirred in at the end works nicely.
Serving Ideas
A big bowl of this chowder is satisfying enough on its own, but it's even better with something to dip or scoop. Warm cornbread or a batch of our Vegan Biscuits are perfect for soaking up the last spoonfuls of broth.
This chowder also makes a wonderful addition to a holiday table. Serve smaller portions in mugs or small bowls as a starter alongside dishes like our Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole, or ladle out full bowls for a simpler, cozy weeknight dinner with a green salad on the side.
Storing & Freezing
Let the chowder cool to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavor actually improves after a day or two, so this is a great soup to make ahead.
This chowder freezes well, though the texture will be a little softer once thawed since the vegetables continue to break down. Freeze in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of extra broth or rice milk if it's thickened up too much.
More Vegan Soups, Stews & Chilis
If you loved this recipe, here are a few more you might enjoy:
Recipe
Vegan Butternut Squash, Sweet Potato & Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash about 1 ½ pounds
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 2 medium celery stalks finely diced
- 1 large sweet potato peeled and diced
- 4 cups vegetable broth or water with 2 vegetable bouillon cubes
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 tablespoon salt-free seasoning blend such as Frontier or Mrs. Dash
- 2 ½ to 3 cups corn kernels fresh (from about 3 medium ears) or frozen, thawed
- 1 cup rice milk or as needed
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- ¼ cup minced fresh parsley or more, to taste
- 2 scallions thinly sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- Partially prebake the squash to make it easier to peel and cut. Wrap the whole squash in foil and bake at 375 degrees F for about 40 minutes, or until you can pierce the narrow end with a little resistance.
- Once the squash is cool enough to handle, cut it in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and fibers. Cut into ¾-inch slices, peel, then dice.
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion and celery and saute over medium heat until the onion turns golden, about 5 minutes.
- Add the sweet potato and vegetable broth. Bring to a slow boil, then stir in the bay leaves, cumin, and salt-free seasoning blend. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Add the diced squash and corn. Continue to cook until all the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes longer.
- With a slotted spoon, scoop out about 2 cups of the solid ingredients, mash well, and stir back into the soup - or simply insert an immersion blender and puree a small portion of the soup right in the pot to thicken the base.
- Stir in enough rice milk to give the chowder a slightly thick, creamy consistency. Season with salt and pepper, then simmer over low heat for 5 more minutes.
- If time allows, let the chowder stand for about an hour before serving, then reheat gently. This soup also keeps well and can be made a day ahead, since the flavor deepens overnight.
- Just before serving, stir in the parsley and garnish each bowl with sliced scallions.
