Description

Our Panera vegetarian summer corn chowder copycat recipe packs a lot of fresh flavor in every bite. Fresh sweet summer corn, red potatoes, poblano pepper, and a unique blend of spices makes this chowder taste better than the original. Gluten free and vegan friendly.

Ingredients

Scale

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup yellow onion (diced)
½ cup poblano pepper (diced)
½ cup red bell pepper (diced)
1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
¼ cup all-purpose flour or gluten free flour
¼ cup alcohol-free mirin substitute
5 cups vegetable broth
2 cups red potatoes with skins (cut in ¼-inch cubes)
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
4 cups fresh corn (cut off the cob)
¾ cup roasted jalapeño and tomato salsa
¼ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

Instructions

Step: Melt the butter in a large, heavy bottomed soup pot over medium high heat, then saute the peppers and onions for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step: Sprinkle on the flour, and whisk for 2 minutes.
Step: Increase the heat to medium high and slowly pour in the alcohol-free mirin substitute while scraping the bottom with a wooden turner to get the brown bits off. Slowly add ½ cup of vegetable broth and continue scraping until the bottom of the pot is clean.
Step: Slowly pour in the rest of the vegetable broth, whisking to prevent lumps, then add the diced potatoes and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon, cover, and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium low and partially cover. Simmer for 6 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.
Step: Add the dried spices, fresh corn kernels, salsa, and fresh cilantro. Stir, cover, and cook on medium low heat for 8 minutes.
Step: Remove the soup from the heat and pour in the heavy cream and freshly squeezed lime juice. Stir well.
Step: Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro and serve hot.

Notes

For a thicker texture, puree 2 cups of the soup in a blender and stir it back in. For vegan or dairy-free options, substitute butter with vegan butter and heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Soups
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 207 kcal
Sugar: 8 g
Sodium: 1147 mg
Fat: 12 g
Saturated Fat: 7 g
Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
Trans Fat: 1 g
Carbohydrates: 24 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 4 g
Cholesterol: 39 mg

Keywords: Panera copycat, summer corn chowder, vegetarian soup, gluten free corn chowder