If you love soups and chowders as much as I do, you'll go nuts over this hearty and flavor-filled bowl of goodness! Before I became a "born-again eater" through veganism, I was the queen of chowder dishes. The difference now is that I no longer use butter, heavy cream and cheeses to make a rich and creamy consistency. Who knew how useful (and healthful) Cannellini beans could be in preparing a delicious chowder base with potatoes and other veggies?
As with many recipes, one can experiment with a multitude of plant-based ingredients to create phenomenal and super tasty dishes. When it dawned on me that I should try thickening soup with white beans and a blender, it was like a light bulb lit up in my newly-minted vegan brain! It's been so much fun traveling this new and exciting culinary path, and I can't wait to share future soup and chowder recipes with you!
Ingredients:
- 3 or 4 large Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 4 cups vegetable stock or broth
- 1 can Cannellini beans or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
- 1/8 tsp cayenne
- 1/2 tsp Thyme
- 1 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 cup almond milk (I like almond milk because it's creamier, but soy works too!)
- Freshly chopped parsley and oyster crackers for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
Add all ingredients except the milk, parsley and oysters creacks to a large soup pot. Stir well, cover and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer gently, stirring periodically, for 20 to 25 minutes. Cook until potatoes and carrots are fork tender.
Using an immersion blender (also called a stick blender), blend chowder in 4 or 5 short, quick pulses to increase thickness. DO NOT OVER BLEND. You want plenty of chunky potatoes and carrots left in your chowder. This step only serves to give the mixture some thickness. (See Note* below for other blending tips.)
Stir well and remove from heat. Stir in the non-dairy milk, and ladle into soup bowls. Garnish with a sprinkle of parsley and oyster crackers if desired, and serve with some warm bread.
Enjoy!
*Notes: Use caution when blending hot soup on a stove. Keep the blender fully immersed in the chowder to prevent hot splashes outside the pot.
If you do not have an immersion blender, you can also pour 1/2 of the chowder into a regular countertop blender. Hold the blender cap in place and pulse-blend the mixture 4 or 5 times to thicken. Pour the blended mixture back into the pot and stir well to combine with remaining chowder before adding the non-dairy milk.
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