Do not underestimate the power of a good chowder to lift your spirits, especially not this vegan chowder recipe. As a creamy, velvety soup, a chowder is one of the best tonics for blueness; it’s a bowl of chunky amazing goodness that will warm and comfort the bellies of all who consume it. And if you make this chow-able chowder, featuring the incredible ingredient that is hearts of palm as a mock clam, you’ll see that it lives up to this esteemed reputation, and then some. So fear not the oncoming clutches of winter and the uncertainties of the world, for they are no match for a delicious and creamy soup like this.
“Alas, what crimes have been committed in the name of chowder!”
– Louis P. De Gouy
Rue the Day
The base of many a creamy soup, including this hearts of palm vegan chowder recipe, is a rue.
Rues are simple enough to make: toast flour in some kind of butter or oil until golden brown. The purpose of the rue is to thicken the soup, as well as impart a creaminess to it, too.
The most basic rue that I used for this vegan chowder recipe is this:
- 1/4 cup melted vegan butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour mix
Additionally, after toasting the flour in the vegan butter, add to the skillet some fatty coconut milk and nutritional yeast. This ensures that the base for your vegan chowder recipe is not only thickening, but also creamy, hearty, and deliciously smooth.
“Chowder breathes reassurance. It steams consolation.”
– Clementine Paddleford
Hearts of Palm, A Vegan Clam?
How could one write this recipe without mentioning the star ingredient: hearts of palm.
These pale scrolls of superb splendor are an amazing addition to this creamy vegan chowder recipe. Not only are they tender and succulent circlets that are easy to prepare and easier to eat, they go perfectly well in this chowder, reminiscent of clams with their subtle brininess and soft meat.
For whimsy, replicate the clam in this vegan chowder recipe by cutting the hearts of palm scrolls into 1/2-inch thick circles, as shown below. The inner circles may fall out, but this is okay. Then, drop the hearts of palm circles in the almost finished chowder and let them heat through, about 5 minutes or so. You don’t really need to cook the hearts of palm, just warm them up.
Also, if you’re looking for another fantastic vegan hearts of palm recipe, check out my category, Everything Hearts of Palm, to discover more there! It’s truly one of my favorite ingredients.
“It is the nature of the strong heart, that like the palm tree it strives ever upwards when it is most burdened.”
– Philip Sidney
A Chowder By Any Other Name Would Be Just As Chunky
One of the defining qualities of the chowder, apart from its rue base, is the texture: there has to be plenty of tender chunkiness packed into each and every bite, otherwise you’ve simply just got yourself a bisque.
While bisques have a time and a place, this vegan chowder recipe is no smooth soup. Embrace the chunk of the carrots, onions, and hearts of palm; the delicious and palpable bites of these ingredients make this hearty soup what it is.
The most difficult aspect of perfecting a chowder is to cook the chunks properly, being careful not to undercook and have crunchy chunks, but also being careful not to overcook into overly soft, degradable chunks.
The trick to a perfect chunk is to test them often with a fork, and occasionally with your mouth. Really, the only chunks in this soup that you’ll need to monitor are the potato and carrot.
Peel a medium-sized Yukon yellow potato, and then dice the potatoes into 1-inch cubes, and then let the small cubes of taters simmer until tender, adding them to the soy milk and coconut rue as you do the sautéed carrots.
Now, carrots can be notoriously difficult to cook properly in a soup. If you follow the instructions – sautéing the carrots for 7 – 10 minutes, and then boiling them for 10 – 15 minutes once the rue has been added (along with the diced potatoes) – a fork should poke into the carrot half-moons with ease, and the texture should be perfect for this chowder. Also, consider slicing the carrots into thinner half-moons, rather than thicker ones. They’ll cook faster this way.
“As the days grow short, some faces grow long. But not mine. Every autumn, when the wind turns cold and darkness comes early, I am suddenly happy. It’s time to start making soup again.”
– Leslie Newman
Creamy Vegan Chowder Recipe: An Overview
This is one of those chunky soups that you simply have to make, especially as the weather gets colder. I found it to be incredibly comforting, truly filling, and a wonderful exploration of hearts of palms potential. And plus, it’s no great effort to make, either.
So next time you have the winter woes, or wish simply to dig into a classic tasting chowder done vegan, then this is exactly the bowl of goodness you need and deserve.
Creamy Hearts of Palm “Clam” Chowder
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoons olive oil or vegan butter
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 cup carrots, cut into thin half-moons (about 2 large carrots)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup vegan butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour, or gluten-free flour mix
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk, lite or regular fat
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 2 – 3 cups unsweetened soy milk
- 1 medium yellow potato, peeled and then diced into 1-inch cubes
- 1 (15-ounce) can hearts of palm, cut the scrolls into ½-inch circles
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
- Dash of black pepper, to taste
- Some saltine crackers, as garnish crumbled over the top
Instructions
- Firstly, sauté the onions, carrots, and garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil or vegan butter in a large soup pot over medium heat, for 7 – 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, melt the ¼ cup of vegan butter completely, and then add the ¼ cup of flour. Cook the flour until it begins to turn a toasty golden brown, about 2 minutes.
- Once the flour has browned, add the coconut milk and nutritional yeast to the skillet, and then stir well and let bubble until it has thickened into a creamy sauce, about 3 minutes or so.
- Now, add 2 cups of unsweetened soy milk to the sautéed veggies in the soup pot, and bring that to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low, and then add the creamy coconut sauce that you just made in the skillet, as well as the diced yellow potato. Stir the chowder until the two are well combined, cover the soup pot with a lid, and let the veggies simmer gently in the chowder until the carrots and diced potato are tender, about 10 – 15 minutes. Stir frequently.
- Lastly, add the hearts of palm circles to the chowder, along with the apple cider vinegar, salt, dried thyme and black pepper. Stir well to combine, and then allow the hearts of palm to heat through, about 5 more minutes of gentle boiling.Note: If you'd like a thinner chowder, add an additional cup of soy milk, but remember to re-season accordingly.
- Serve the chowder in a bowl with some classic saltine crackers sprinkled over top!
Notes
Nutrition
Enjoyed this vegan chowder recipe with hearts of palm? Let me know by leaving a recipe rating and comment before you go!
May you have good food in good company,
That Vegan Nephew
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This was really reminiscent of Grandma Partch’s delicious homemade clam chowder with clams fresh from the beach. The only thing missing was the flowered bowls she served it in. Somehow that briny taste of the ocean was recreated in this recipe and I really enjoyed it.
At what point should potatoes be added??
Hello,
Thank you for mentioning this – I completely spaced it on the potato. Add 1 medium yellow potato (peeled & diced into 1-inch cubes – it will cook more quickly this way) after you add the soy milk & coconut milk rue to the soup pot with the carrots, onions, and garlic. Along with the carrots, the potatoes should become tender in 10 – 15 minutes at steady simmer in a soup pot covered with a lid – (I’ve added this direction to the original recipe now, too).
Good recipe. However my husband and I agree on chopping the palm hearts closer to the size of real clams. Very tasty though.
Great feedback! Thank you, Christine 😉