Vegan Corn Chowder with Quinoa

Comforting and creamy Vegan Corn Chowder with quinoa makes a hearty and filling one-pot-meal any time of year! Instant Pot instructions included.

We're makin' chowduhhhh! Because I'm a believer that soup season is all seasons. We don't discriminate.

Anyone else crave a bowl of steamy comfort food even when it's a zillion degrees out? Tell me I'm not alone here.

I adore this corn chowder especially late in the summer because fresh sweet corn is growing like mad. As is zucchini and bell pepper! So lookie here, this soup is super seasonal. (Side note--I used jalapeños in these photos because they look pretty but this soup is not at all spicy!)

I also love it because it's a complete meal in a bowl. The pinto beans add extra plant protein and fiber, plus it's creamy, satisfying, and packed with veggies. We're in business!

What I'm saying is take a trip outside to your garden and then proceed to face-plant into this chowDUH.

Recipe tips and substitutions

You've got questions, I've got answers! Just promise me you won't omit the corn, ok? She's important.

• Corn: Fresh or frozen works great here, and no need to defrost. I was a real Betty Crocker and boiled local sweet corn for this soup, but Trader Joe's frozen roasted corn (or any frozen corn) would be delish.
• Zucchini: If you don't have zucchini or if you're reading this in the winter when it's out of season and it's not available frozen, you can omit it. Or add more corn if you fancy.
• Liquid: I used water for simplicity's sake plus unsweetened almond milk. Swapping out the water for vegetable broth will add even more flavor. For the milk, you can use cashew, oat, soy, or cow's milk if you're not vegan. I haven't tried this with coconut milk, but it would make it more creamy and may lend a coconut flavor.
• Nutritional yeast: I always get questions about this ingredient. You can find it in a yellow plastic bottle at most mainstream grocery stores. It gives a lovely cheesy flavor and is packed with protein. You can omit it, but I'd add some cheddar cheese in its place!
• Quinoa: Any grain will work here, but be sure to adjust the cooking time if needed (like if you're using rice) and be weary of how much liquid the grain will or won't absorb. For example, if you're using pre-cooked quinoa, you won't need as much liquid.

How to make corn chowder in the Instant Pot

This soup is based on my Vegan Corn and Wild Rice Chowder, which is originally a stovetop recipe. But ever since I laid mouth on my more recent Instant Pot Vegan Cream of Mushroom Wild Rice Soup, I'm tempted to turn every soup into an Instant Pot recipe. It's just so easy!

First, we sauté the onion and garlic in a bit of oil right in the Instant Pot. Then we add everything else except the beans (to avoid mushy beans) and lemon juice and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes. Quick release all that steam, stir in beans and lemon juice, and voila!

You guys...I even made my pinto beans in the Instant Pot. How impressive is that? We often get bags of Ohio-grown Shagbark beans in our CSA box and I was intimidated by them until recently.

To make, I simply combined the cup and half of dried pinto beans I had left in the pantry (be sure to rinse them) with 5 cups of water and a teaspoon of salt. Cook on manual, high pressure for 50 minutes and then natural release for 15 minutes. Drain the liquid.

I put about a cup and half of the cooked beans in the soup once it was done and then froze the rest for future use. So resourceful!

Tips for storing and freezing

Soups freeze super well. Now that I'm pregnant (eeeeek!), I'm already thinking about how magical it will be to have hearty meals like this ready to pull out of the fridge.

• To store: Place any leftover cooled soup in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to four days.
• To freeze: Transfer soup to a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to three months.
• To reheat: Simply thaw soup in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

If you're as big of a corn fan as I am, promise me you'll try my skillet cornbread. I'm actually drooling just thinking about it.

If you make this recipe and love it, please come back and leave a star rating and/or comment letting me know! Your feedback is super helpful for me as well as other readers.

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