This cozy vegetable chowder is made with a variety of veggies for a soup that is hearty and healthy! This recipe comes together quickly, making it perfect for a weeknight meal.

vegetable chowder
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As soon as the weather starts to cool down, I find myself making soup on repeat. It’s a great way to add lots of vegetables to my meals and soups like this one are so cozy! This recipe is packed with wholesome veggies like carrots, celery, and potatoes, plus a handful of frozen mixed vegetables to make things super simple. It’s the kind of meal you can pull together on a weeknight without any fuss, and it reheats beautifully for lunch the next day.

Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Olive Oil or Butter: Adds richness and helps the vegetables soften and caramelize.
  • Onion, Carrots & Celery: The classic soup base for flavor and texture.
  • Thyme, Garlic, and Smoked Paprika: These spices give the soup a cozy, savory flavor with just a hint of smokiness.
  • Russet Potatoes: These are the key to a creamy chowder. They thicken the soup naturally when blended.
  • Vegetable Broth: Keeps this recipe vegetarian while adding savory flavor.
  • Frozen Mixed Vegetables: This is a quick shortcut to add more vegetables without extra chopping.
  • Cashew Cream or Heavy Cream: Cashew cream keeps it dairy-free, but heavy cream works too. Either one gives this a creamy, hearty flavor.

Tips & Tricks

  • Don’t skip blending a portion of the soup. It gives the chowder that thick, silky texture without adding flour or extra cream.
  • You can use store-bought cashew cream if you prefer.
  • Garnish with parsley, chives, or even a sprinkle of shredded cheese if you’re not dairy-free.
cashew cream

How to Make Cashew Cream

I used homemade vegan cashew cream for this recipe, but you can use heavy cream or storebought cashew cream, if you prefer.

What to Serve with Chowder

This soup is pretty hearty on its own, so you don’t necessarily need to pair it with anything. But if you do want to serve it with a side dish, try it with a crusty loaf of Dutch oven bread, or serve it with a leafy green salad.

How to Store Leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. You can reheat the leftovers in the microwave or on the stovetop. I don’t recommend freezing this soup, as the cream tends to separate when frozen.

Vegetable Chowder

More Cozy Soup Recipes to Try

If you’re looking for other cozy soup recipes, try this vegan corn chowder, vegan pot pie soup, or slow cooker potato soup.

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Vegetable Chowder

Vegetable Chowder

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  • Author: Liz Thomson
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 10 cups 1x
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian
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Description

This cozy vegetable chowder is made with a variety of vegetables for a soup that is hearty and healthy! This recipe comes together quickly, making it perfect for a weeknight meal.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 (10-ounce) bag frozen mixed vegetables
  • 1/2 cup cashew cream or 1/4 cup heavy cream

  • Parsley, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil or butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
  2. Add the onion, carrots, celery and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft and translucent.
  3. Stir in the potatoes, thyme, smoked paprika, and salt and cook for 2 minutes, allowing the starch to start coating the vegetables. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Add the vegetable broth and stir in the frozen veggies.
  5. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender.
  6. Transfer about one cup of the cooked vegetables and two cups of broth to a blender. Carefully blend until smooth, then return the mixture to the pot.
  7. Stir in the cashew cream (or heavy cream) and warm gently over low heat.
  8. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper, if needed.