Creamy Vegan Vegetable Chowder Recipe

Name: Creamy Vegan Vegetable Chowder
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 1 sweet onion (sliced); 6 cloves garlic (minced); 5 potatoes (diced); 1 sweet potato (diced); 4 carrots (sliced); 2 cups butternut squash (diced); 1 cup sweet corn; 1 teaspoon thyme; 1/2 teaspoon each sea salt and black pepper; 4 bay leaves; 6 cups Vegetable Stock; 14 ounces Coconut milk

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This creamy vegan vegetable chowder recipe is a cozy bowl of plant-based comfort food! Ready in an hour, this delicious chowder is made with sweet potatoes, carrots, butternut squash, onions, potatoes, and herbs in a creamy coconut milk broth.

Enjoy root vegetables and fresh herbs in a delicious and light soup – a perfect autumn lunch or cozy dinner idea. See our step-by-step photos and directions below, and serve with a thick slice of homemade bread, and enjoy!

Want more autumn vegan soup ideas? Try our miso soup with mushrooms, vegan Italian wedding soup, or our favorite Greek white bean soup: our authentic fasolatha recipe!

vegan vegetable chowder recipe with sweet potatoes, carrots, and butternut squash.

Table of Contents

Updates: This recipe was updated 10/9/2025 with new FAQs, new images, and step-by-step photos. I also included some Instant Pot directions as well as ingredient substitutions.

Fall is my favorite season to experience in New England. After a long and hot summer season, I am always ready to enjoy the cool crisp autumn nights and curl up by the fire. This vegan vegetable chowder is the perfect dinner for cozy nights like those!

This tasty fall vegan chowder contains ALL of the vegetables – cooked perfectly for a creamy and plant-based gluten-free chowder that is the coziest bowl. It’s especially loaded with fall root veggies: potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, and onions. It also has some butternut squash for a wonderful natural sweetness and texture.

This Autumn Vegetable Chowder Is:

Hearty
Flavorful
Thick and creamy
Slightly sweet
Loaded with vegetables
Vegan, gluten free, and dairy free

Ingredients You’ll Need

Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!

Extra virgin olive oil
Potatoes: gives this dairy-free chowder heartiness and creaminess
Sweet potatoes: same as above, but with extra natural sweetness
Corn: fall is corn harvesting season, and some farmer’s markets would be perfect in this stew
Onions
Fresh garlic
Butternut Squash: one of my absolutely favorite vegetables!
Herbes de Provence: my favorite spice blend! This French blend has a mix of rosemary, thyme, sage, and savory for a wonderful and complex flavor.
Coconut Milk: I use unsweetened full-fat coconut milk, which I’d definitely recommend over lite coconut milk. The flavor makes this dish super rich and creamy without any dairy.
Salt & Pepper

Additions and Substitutions

Instead of coconut milk, you can use your favorite dairy-free milk or cream. We like cashew cream, which is 1.5 cups hot water blended with 1 cup raw cashews for a delicious creamy broth.

You could add other vegetables to this chowder if desired: parsnips, celery, fresh greens like baby spinach or kale, or different varieties of squash would all be great!

Want a smoky flavor? Add some smoked paprika for a little kick!

Step-By-Step Photos and Directions

a dutch oven with carrots and onions sauteeing for a vegan vegetable stew

Step 1: In a Dutch oven or other heavy soup pot, heat the olive oil over low heat. Add the onion, garlic, and carrots and sauté for 5 or 6 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.

vegan chowder made with potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, carrots, and bay leaves in stew pot

Step 2: Add the potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, corn, thyme, salt, bay leaves, and Vegetable stock to the pot.

a pot of simmering vegan sweet potato and corn chowder with potatoes and bay leaves.

Step 3: Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and simmer on low for 45 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and cooked through.

vegan chowder with root vegetables and coconut milk in a pot.

Step 4: Remove from heat and stir in the coconut milk. Discard the bay leaves.

an immersion blender in a pot of plant based dairy free vegetable chowder

Step 5: Leave the soup chunky, or blend with an immersion blender if desired.

a bowl of dairy free root vegetable soup with vegan veggie chowder and thyme.

Step 6: Serve hot, and garnish with extra black pepper and thyme if desired, enjoy!

Recipe FAQs

What’s in vegan vegetable chowder?

Our version has hearty root vegetables like sweet potatoes, onions, and yellow potatoes, and delicious sweet corn and butternut squash. The broth is made from vegetable stock and coconut milk to give it a rich yet light flavor.

Can you freeze this soup?

Yes! Once the soup has cooked then cooled, you can transfer it to a freezer mag or a mason jar, and freeze for up to 3 months.

How to store leftovers?

If you have leftover soup, store it in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Make It In the Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker

For an Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker Version, Add the olive oil, onion, carrots, and garlic to the pot to saute for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the remainder of the ingredients (except the coconut milk) and Pressure Cook for 6 minutes. Natural release when finished, and discard bay leaves and stir in the coconut milk before serving.

More Vegan Fall Soups You’ll Love!

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