One-Pot Creamy Corn Chowder
Traditional corn chowder is delicious, but is often low in protein and fiber, making it a less than a meal choice that tends not to keep you full. To make this dish more balanced and filling, I’ve incorporated quinoa and white beans. These two ingredients are great sources of protein and fiber (in addition to numerous vitamins and minerals, making this chowder so much more nutrient-dense).
This recipe is big, with 8 good servings. However, it can easily be halved and leftovers can be frozen. It’s also very customizable if you are avoiding animal products. I’ve added some ideas for swaps and add-ons below the recipe.
Serves: 8 Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
3 Tbsp avocado or olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (regular is fine, too)
1/2 tsp dried turmeric (for color, optional)
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup unbleached flour
3 cups low-sodium bone broth (regular animal broth or veggie broth is okay, but bone broth will give you more protein)
2 cups whole milk
4 cups corn (fresh is best, but frozen is great too!)
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed (make sure to rinse these babies well)
1) In a large pot, toast quinoa over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until you start smelling a nutty aroma and the color starts to darken. If using red quinoa, you may not see a color change.
2) Add oil, onion and bell pepper, and mix everything together. Sautés for about five minutes, until they become soft and translucent. Add garlic, salt, and spices. Sauté for another three minutes.
2) Stir in the flour. Make sure it’s well incorporated. Then add broth 1 cup at a time, thoroughly mixing and waiting until the mixture has thickened before adding more. After all the broth is added, do the same with the milk.
3) Bring the pot to a simmer while stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for 10-20 minutes. The amount of time depends on your preference - do you like your chowder thinner or thicker? The more you cook the chowder, the thicker it will get. So, if you like it thinner, cook it for less time. If you like it thicker, cook it for more time.
4) Once your chowder has reached your desired thickness, turn the heat to low. Add the corn and beans, and cook until everything is heated through.
Serving suggestions:
-Garnish ideas: bacon, shredded chicken, green onions, pumpkin seeds, sprouts, shredded cheese, jalapeños
-To make this dish vegan, sub vegetable broth for bone broth and plant milk (almond would probably be best) for whole milk
-Add whatever sad vegetables are hiding in the back of your fridge to the sauté mix. I usually have some carrots or celery that are in need of eating
-If you like the flavor of corn chowder but hate the chunkiness, just throw this in a blender or use an immersion blender to purée
Estimated Nutrition Facts per Serving:
Calories: 338 Total Fat: 10g Saturated Fat: 1.8g Sodium: 473mg Total Carbs: 52g Dietary Fiber: 10g Added Sugar: 0g Protein: 15g
