Slow Cooker Creamy Corn Chowder (Dump and Go!)
This easy slow cooker corn chowder is a breeze to prep, and is a hearty vegetarian and vegan recipe that’s luxuriously creamy without a drop of cream. A surprisingly simple yet delicious dairy free meal to enjoy all year round!

5 star review
“Made this on Sunday, froze the leftovers and am already craving it again so I went ahead and pulled it out of the freezer to have tomorrow. It’s so delicious, creamy, and the color is beautiful.”
– Meredith
About this Slow Cooker Creamy Corn Chowder
If you’re looking for a creamy vegan crockpot chowder that’s easy to make, this recipe is for you!
I personally love simple prep, healthy soup recipes, especially when I can create a lighter version of a normally rich soup, just like this chicken and corn chowder and chicken and corn soup.
It actually took quite a bit of testing to get this particular healthy slow cooker corn chowder exactly right, especially without leaning on cream or butter to lend richness and flavor.
When I finally landed on this dairy free, vegetarian version, I knew I had a winner!
You’ll love that this nourishing soup leans on real, whole food ingredients that you most likely have on hand, so it’s easy to whip up any weekday night.
Plus, it’s a fantastic dump-and-go slow cooker meal that’s perfect for busy days when you don’t have a ton of time to spend on prep.
Visual Guide: How to Make Slow Cooker Creamy Corn Chowder





Process & Tips
Think creamy russet potatoes and rich sweet potatoes combined with aromatics like onion and garlic, crunchy fresh or frozen sweet corn, vegetable broth, creamy and slightly sweet coconut milk, and a dash of white wine vinegar to brighten the dish up.
The trick to this dairy free corn chowder is to use a russet potato for its creamy, starchy qualities, and a sweet potato for its color, sweetness, and nutrients.
After the low slow cooking time all the veggies get blended together to create a creamy consistency without the cream.
And best of all, this meal is great to prepare ahead of time!
I’ve designed this vegetarian slow cooker recipe to be as simple as possible – just dump everything into the slow cooker, and let it cook.
It also stores well in the fridge or freezer and is easy to reheat when you’re ready to eat — check out my notes, below, for tips on freezing for best results.

Prep Tips
Start by peeling and chopping the potatoes, onion, and garlic, and if you’re using fresh corn you will need to cut it off the cob.
Then combine the chopped veggies with the broth and seasonings, and leave everything to cook for a few hours.
Once the potatoes are tender, use an immersion blender to blend everything together, and finally add the coconut milk, vinegar, and remaining corn, and you’re done!
If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a regular blender.
Just carefully ladle the soup, in batches, into a blender and blend until smooth, then return the blended mixture back to the slow cooker.
What to Serve with Corn Chowder
Fresh herbs always elevate a dish, so top this soup with fresh chives and basil work.
Also, if you like a bit of heat, a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce work incredibly well in this recipe.
I love to serve this soup with homemade cornbread, or a simple quick bread like this one-bowl pumpkin bread, but a simple slice of good quality bread would also be delicious!
And if you aren’t vegetarian, you can top the soup with some leftover shredded chicken or crumbled bacon.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions
Russet potato: Creamy and starchy russet potatoes are the key to the creaminess of this soup without added cream.
Sweet potato: While “yam” and “sweet potato” are often used interchangeably, they are actually from completely different botanical families (source). For this recipe look for orange-fleshed sweet potatoes with dark orange-brown skin.
Onion: I love the aromatic & savory depth of flavor that onions add to homemade soups, stews and chowders. You could also use shallot in its place. If you don’t like or can’t have onions, feel free to omit them.
Garlic: I like to use fresh, minced garlic in this recipe, especially since we’re using so few ingredients. But you can also use granulated garlic powder in its place if you prefer.
Sweet corn: While fresh sweet corn is a delicious option in the summer months (when it’s in season and easy to find), frozen & defrosted corn works just as great in its place.
Kosher salt: Look for kosher salt with the regular iodized salt at the grocery store (it has a subtler flavor). Use less iodized salt if that’s what you have on hand.
Vegetable broth: I used low sodium vegetable stock in this recipe. This soup is naturally vegan and vegetarian, but if that’s not a concern for you feel free to substitute chicken stock for the vegetable stock and use traditional butter to finish.
Coconut milk: This is the secret to making a creamy soup without a drop of cream. The coconut milk adds a touch of sweetness that works beautifully with the corn, but you can also use heavy cream in its place if you dairy free is not a concern for you.
White wine vinegar: My trick to lifting up the flavors from a pressure cooker soup is to add a bit of vinegar just at the end of cooking. I used white wine vinegar but you could also substitute red wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, or fresh lemon juice in its place.
Make it Gluten Free + Dairy Free
This recipe is naturally gluten free and dairy free.
How to Store & Freeze
Slow cooker creamy potato corn chowder keeps well in the fridge for up to [3-4 days], in a sealed container.
This recipe also freezes well, stored in a sealed freezer friendly container for up to [2-3 months].
Separation is natural. Simply reheat and stir to bring it back to normal consistency.
This Recipe Is . . .
Dairy FreeGluten FreeNut FreeVeganVegetarian
More Vegetarian Slow Cooker Soup Recipes
The Best Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes
Note: This recipe was originally titled “Slow Cooker Creamy Potato Corn Chowder (Diary Free).” We have updated the post with step-by-step photos, and additional information on substitutions and storage. We’ve also added nutrition information to the recipe card. The original recipe remains the same.

Slow Cooker Corn Chowder (Dump and Go!)
Ingredients
- 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 cups sweet corn kernels (fresh, or frozen-defrosted), divided
- 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1-3 teaspoons kosher salt
- 32 oz low sodium vegetable broth, or chicken broth (if not vegan/vegetarian)
To Add At The End
- 1 cup canned coconut milk, or cream if not vegan/dairy-free
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Optional Toppings
- Chopped basil and scallions, optional
- Hot sauce, optional
Instructions
- Combine the potatoes, onion, 2 cups corn, garlic, salt, and chicken broth in a 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6, or until the potatoes are very tender.
- With an immersion blender, blend until creamy. If you don’t have an immersion blender, carefully ladle the soup, in batches, into a blender and blend until smooth. Return the blended mixture back to the slow cooker.
- Add the coconut milk (or cream), vinegar, and the remaining 1 cup corn, stirring to combine. Taste and add additional salt or vinegar to taste.
- Serve with basil, scallion, and hot sauce if you like.
I am definitely going to try this! I have a batch of your Chicken, Sweet Potato & Kale stew in my slow cooker right now! Love your recipes…thanks so much for posting.
Cheryl, yay, love that stew! I hope you will enjoy this one as well. So glad you’re enjoying the recipes. Thanks for following along! 🙂
Great recipe! Have it going in the crock pot as I write this. Question though- what can I use if I don’t have white wine vinegar on hand at the moment? What substitution would you recommend?
Kate, yay, so glad you’re trying this one! You can really use any acid you have on hand–it cuts through the creamy sweetness just a bit. Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar would also work well. Really anything you have on hand. I hope you enjoy!
I threw in the end of a spring onion, a new potato that I picked up at the farmers market, and a 6 month old bag of frozen corn and it was DELICIOUS! Thanks for a great new recipe that used up bunch of items
Kathie, love that, and love the addition of farmer’s market items, too! So glad you enjoyed. 🙂
Just made this, so delicious! Thank you!
Yay, so glad you enjoyed Laura! 🙂
I just made this last night – it was EVEN more delicious than I expected! Thank you!
Yay, so happy you enjoyed MW!
Made this tonight as my youngest just got braces and isn’t quite ready to chew, family was practically licking their bowls clean!Added in some chopped grilled chicken we had leftover. Delicious and easy summer meal.
Ahhhh, I remember those braces days! Thrilled the family enjoyed and love the option of adding grilled chicken. What a great suggestion. So glad it was a hit!
Made this on Sunday, froze the leftovers and am already craving it again so I went ahead and pulled it out of the freezer to have tomorrow. It’s so creamy and the color is beautiful.
Meredith, yay, don’t you just love having meals in the freezer? So glad you enjoyed! 🙂
Hi Robyn! I made this, and your Tuscan Pumpkin soup this weekend and froze them. My 3 year old is having surgery this week and these are exactly what I was looking for, during his recovery. Of course both my boys had to sneak a wee taste and they loved both of them equally. They send you a big thank you for sharing!
Daniela, sending you and your little guy lots of good thoughts for a speedy recovery! So glad you all are enjoying the recipes! 🙂
Delicious, thank you for sharing! I didn’t have any sweet potatoes, so I doubled the regular potatoes, added a teaspoon of turmeric for color and a bit more coconut cream for sweetness. Subbed veggie broth and boom, vegan corn chowder! This will definitely be a staple in our house – looking forward to trying some of your other recipes.
Katie, I love how you made this your own! I may have to try your version soon! 🙂
I made this and it was a hit! We love it so much that I’m making it again for Christmas Eve. I used red wine vinegar because I didn’t have red and used frozen organic cubed butternut squash also because I was short of time. And it turned out fantastic!
Making this now! 1 question..m how important is it that the can of coconut milk is whole fat? I grabbed lite by mistake.
Brittany, lite will work in a pinch! The soup will be a little less thick and creamy, but will still be delicious!
Made a double batch for our church after service social hour today and it went over great! Actually my husband made it and he said it was so easy. A wonderful vegan soup, thank you for sharing your recipe! Will be making again.
Jan, yay, so glad you and your crew enjoyed this one!
Not paleo, because of the corn, but still pretty yummy!
Made this tonight and had to have a 2nd bowl!!I drizzled some black truffle oil on top, so good.
I did notice that although this recipe is listed as vegan and vegetarian, chicken broth is listed in the ingredients. I substituted veggie broth and it was excellent.
So glad you enjoyed Peggi, truffle oil sounds like an amazing addition. Glad you went with the veggie broth. Cheers!
Wow! I would never have guessed this was dairy-free. I used chicken bone broth and added nutritional yeast to sneak in some extra protein and it was delicious! I might add some shredded chicken next time, too.
Rain, yay, so glad you enjoyed! Yes, sometimes I throw in some boneless, skinless chicken while the chowder cooks, then pull it out, shred, and add back after blending. Cheers!
I made this tonight for my hubby. He is an old fashioned meat and potatoes kind of guy and I’m pretty sure he’s never had coconut milk before. I was somewhat skeptical that this would be any good lol- but I’ve tried 2 of your other recipes and they are absolutely fantastic. Tonight’s testament to your soup is that my hubs went back for thirds. I added some hot sauce, a few scallions and a little spicy garlic grind to the soup this is amazing He said we didn’t even need the salmon I had with it 🙂
Kay, that’s amazing! Love that this was a hit with your hubs. So glad you all enjoyed! 🙂
This looks yummy! Curious! What do you do for a hummus sandwich?
Hi Mary, here’s a link to one of my favorites: https://realfoodwholelife.com/recipes/grilled-hummus-apple-and-caramelized-sandwhiches/
I didn’t have any onions so I added more garlic. Also added liquid smoke, celery salt, garlic salt and smoked paprika. Sprinkled with basil! It was delicious!!
Marilyn, yum, so glad you made this one your own. Sounds absolutely amazing!
I made this tonight for dinner after having it pinned to try for a long time. At the end, I tasted it before adding the coconut milk, and it was already pretty creamy and delicious, so I ended up leaving it as-is. Just wanted to share that in case anyone else doesn’t have coconut milk on hand and still wants to give it a try! Thanks for a fabulous recipe.
Fantastic, Laura, thanks for sharing this tip. So glad you enjoyed!
Hey! This recipe looks great – any way you could put nutrition info up?
Hi Syd, nutrition info has been added!
This was amazing! I used a mix of coconut milk and heavy cream since I love dairy. So satisfying – I top it with cheddar cheese and multigrain croutons along with the green onions.
Alexabdra, yay, so glad you enjoyed this one! A mix of coconut milk and heavy creamy sounds absolutely divine, as does the cheddar cheese and crouton combo. Now I’m hungry! Thanks for the review!
Hello,
This sounds amazing but I have high cholesterol and so can’t use heavy cream or coconut milk. Any suggestions for substitutions?
Hi Angela, you can skip the cream altogether, the soup will still be very flavorful. You could also try an unsweetened non-dairy creamer made with almond milk. Hope that helps!
Yum! Fast to throw together, veggie heavy, and tasty!
Wonderful, so glad you enjoyed, Laura! Thanks so much for leaving a review!
I followed the recipe but cooked it in a on the stove because I wasn’t organized enough to start it before I left for work. I sautéed the onions a little bit first but it all came together pretty quickly. Dumped in a little extra corn because it was in the bag. It was very good. It was a huge hit with my vegetarian daughter and the other non vegetarian family members.
Wonderful, so happy you and your family enjoyed this one on the stovetop. Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Can this be made in the Instapot?
Yes, it can! Check out this version and just omit the chicken and use vegetable stock to keep it vegetarian/vegan. Hope you enjoy!
Hi! Could I use canned coconut cream instead of coconut milk? I want this to come out as creamy as possible, but am worried it might not have enough moisture with no coconut milk. I can always dilute with water if it turns out TOO thick (no such animal!) but curious if you’ve tried it this way.
Also, do you prefer the chowder hot or cold? Planning to store it in the fridge overnight and thinking of just serving it straight from there. Thanks!
I think coconut cream will work, you can always add extra stock if it’s too thick. I like this hot, but you could serve it cold as well. I hope you enjoy!
What if I only have cream style corn?
Hi Nina, I haven’t tested this recipe with creamed corn, but I think it will work. If you give it at try let me know how it turns out!
Hello! I’m going to be getting ready to make this! For the frozen corn all of it must be defrosted right ? Also it says at the end to add the heavy cream (that’s what I’ll be using but dairy free kind ) and the vinegar but it doesn’t say for how long to leave on crockpot after putting those two ingredients in 🙂
Hi Megan, you can use frozen defrosted or just frozen, however if you use frozen it may add a bit of time for the slow cooker to come to temp. You don’t need to leave the crockpot after putting the cream and vinegar in, just stir in and serve. I hope you enjoy!
Wondering can you freeze this soup? If so for how long 🙂
Megan, yes, this soup freezes beautifully for 3-4 months. It separates when it defrosts, but comes back together with stir!
This erecipe is a regular staple for our family of 6. My kids are 6 and under and eat it without complaint. My picky eater usually announces that’s it’s delicious! It’s easy to throw together cause the ingredients are easy staples to keep in stock. Love!
Yay, so happy to hear this one is a hit even with your little ones! Thanks so much for sharing your review!
Made this for dinner last night and had it again for lunch today. So yummy! My husband isn’t a big soup eater and even he enjoyed it. We topped it with bacon, cheese, sour cream and green onions.
Yay, so happy to hear you enjoyed. I love those topping ideas — yum! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts!
Family loved this thank you Robyn! Added a handful of split peas to sneak the nutrients in. So far i haven’t been discovered lol. With cilantro and scallions sprinkled on top, it was perfect 🙂 Have a great day!
Ohhhh, love that idea, thanks for sharing — great way to boost the nutrients + fiber + protein. Brilliant! Thanks so much for leaving a review and so glad you enjoyed. 🙂
Does this have to be blended? I like chunks of potatoes.
Hi Kelly, no, it does not. Feel free to skip the blending part!