Chowder or soup? I’m still not entirely sure if this is named properly but regardless it is tasty. This Roasted Poblano & Corn Chowder is a great way to warm up on a slightly chilly night. It’s got just the right amount of spicy to go with the sweet corn & hearty potato texture. Add a splash of lime, a little cilantro & some onion & it’s perfect. It’s actually the soup version of one of my favorite tacos. And you know how I feel about tacos!
But the question of whether this is a soup or chowder is really bothering me. I researched the differences between the two & left more confused than when I started. It turns out that over the years the two terms have been used so interchangeably that their own definitions have gotten a bit intermingled. I think there is only one way to solve this. Go ahead and make it and then let me know what you think it should be called.
Roasted Poblano & Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 2 poblano peppers see notes
- 1/2 cup onion, sliced plus more for garnish
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 medium potato about 1 1/2 – 2 cups
- 15 oz frozen corn
- 2 – 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 – 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 lime optional garnish
- 1 handful fresh cilantro optional garnish
- vegan cheddar or feta optional garnish
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Roast the peppers. Turn your oven to broil & place the poblano peppers on a large piece of foil on the highest rack. Cook for about 6 minutes, rotate, cook for another 6 minutes. Rotate again if needed. You are wanting the peppers to blister & blacken on all sides. Remove from the oven & wrap in the foil to cover so they can steam for a few minutes. Set aside.
- Peel & chop the potato into bite size pieces. Dice the onion. Mince the garlic.
- In a large stock pot heat the oil & cook the onion & potato over medium-high heat for about 5-7 minutes until starting to soften. Add the garlic & frozen corn. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the corn mixture for optional topping.
- Add the vegetable stock & coconut milk (see notes). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- While the soup cooks prepare the peppers. Once the poblanos have steamed in their foil tent for a few minutes, remove & gently peel away the charred outer skin. It gets a little messy. Remove the stem & seeds (although I like spicy so I don't remove all of them). Roughly chop & add to the pot.
- Once the potatoes are cooked remove the soup from heat. Transfer half (or all) of the soup mixture to a blender & puree for 1-2 minutes. If you want a pureed soup texture do all. If you prefer a chunkier chowder do half. Make sure to vent the blender a tiny bit when blending so that the hot liquid doesn't explode on you.
- Transfer the blended mixture back to the pot & cook on low for a few more minutes. Add more of the vegetable stock or coconut milk as needed to reach your preferred consistency.
- Serve chowder & top with the reserved corn, sliced onions, cilantro, cheese & a squeeze of lime. Toss in a dash of your favorite hot sauce or jalepeno for added spice.
