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Cajun Corn Chowder Recipe (Vegan and Gluten-Free)
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4.98 from 43 votes

Cajun Corn Chowder

This Cajun Corn Chowder recipe is lightened-up with healthier ingredients (also vegan and gluten-free), full of protein-packed lentils, and seasoned with the best zesty Cajun flavors.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dairy free, gluten free, mardi gras, vegan, vegetarian
Servings: 8 -10 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium white onion peeled and diced
  • 1 green bell pepper cored and diced
  • 2 ribs celery diced
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
  • 6 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes diced into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 (14-ounce) bag frozen corn (or you could also use canned whole-kernel corn)
  • 1 cup red lentils* rinsed and picked over
  • 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (or more/less to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
  • optional toppings: chopped green onions or chives bacon, or oyster crackers, etc.

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat.  Add onion and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add bell pepper, celery and garlic, and continue sautéing for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add vegetable stock, potatoes, corn, lentils Cajun seasoning, thyme and salt.  Stir to combine.
  • Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a simmer.  Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 10-15 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes and lentils are tender.
  • Stir in the coconut milk until combined.  Taste and season with additional salt and/or Cajun seasoning if needed.
  • Serve warm, garnished with your desired toppings.  Or refrigerate soup in sealed containers for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

*Whole red lentils take about 15 minutes to cook.  But if you are using split red lentils, they only take about 7-8 minutes to cook, so I would recommend adding them in halfway through the potatoes' cooking time.
I also like to use a lot of Cajun seasoning in this soup.  But if you don't like much heat in your food, I would begin with 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning, and then you can add more as you would like, to taste.