Chipotle Vegetable Chowder {with Crispy Green Beans}

Savor the last of the summer produce with this comforting, but fresh-tasting chipotle vegetable chowder. It’s creamy, full of flavor, and is topped off with crispy beans for the perfect garnish!

Hello all! How was your weekend? We hit up the local airshow that was here all weekend… plenty of planes to watch, including the USAF Thunderbirds. Anyone ever see them? We have seen them at least 5 times before, but we love planes and it never gets old watching them perform!

We only have a few days left of August, folks. Where did the month summer go?! Yesterday my Facebook feed was inundated with first-day-of-school-photos and today it feels like fall. WHAT is happening? We are still supposed to have plenty of summer days ahead of us! ?

Speaking of all the summer days we have ahead of us, I told you all that you won’t see any fall recipes on this blog until it’s actually fall. So, why am I sharing a chowder recipe with you? Well, it uses summer veggies…. and I don’t consider soups and chowders to limited only to fall and winter. In fact, summer is my favorite time to make them since there’s plenty of fresh produce available! 

Chipotle Vegetable Chowder

I’m pretty sure this is my new favorite chowder.. and I have quite a few. Last year I shared a summer vegetable chowder, which is very similar to this one, but flavored with pesto. I have a vegan corn chowder that is simple to make and happens to be one of the most popular recipes on this blog! I also have a basic corn and potato chowder recipe that is super old and needs some serious photo updating!

So, back to the chipotle vegetable chowder. I think it’s my new favorite because chipotle. You probably all know by now how obsessed I am with anything chipotle-flavored. This chowder is no exception. It has the perfect amount of smoky heat, it’s creamy, comforting, but fresh-tasting from all of the summer produce. 

I’ve chosen to garnish the chowder with crispy green beans for something a little unique and to add some more texture. Best. Idea. Ever. 

While it takes a little more time to make the crispy beans, it’s SO worth it. I think they finish the chowder off just perfectly. This means I consider them a must and not optional. ?

A few quick notes about the recipe:

• I used vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian, but chicken broth works too. You can also make this vegan by using almond or coconut milk – it may not have the same richness or thicken, but it will work just fine. 
• 2 chipotle chilis with 2 teaspoons of adobo gives the perfect amount of smoky heat to the chowder. However, you can play the amount to get it to the level of heat your prefer – if you want it really mild, use 1 and then just taste the soup and more adobo sauce until you get the desired heat. 
• I like to puree 3/4 of the soup because I like some texture left. If you want it completely smooth, just puree all of it. Or, if you don’t want it pureed at all, you can leave it chunky. 

Keep on savoring summer and make this chowder… you can even freeze some to enjoy mid-winter when you need a taste of summer. I love doing that as a way to preserve all the fresh summer produce!

Have a fantastic week, my friends!

Chipotle Vegetable Chowder {with Crispy Green Beans}

2017-08-28 20:47:03

Serves 4

Savor the last of the summer produce with this comforting, but fresh-tasting chipotle vegetable chowder. It’s creamy, full of flavor, and is topped off with crispy beans for the perfect garnish!

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Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

35 min

Total Time

45 min

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

35 min

Total Time

45 min

Ingredients

1. 2 Chipotle Peppers, plus 2 teaspoons of the adobo sauce
2. 2 Cups Vegetable Broth*
3. 2 Tablespoons Butter
4. 1 Onion, chopped
5. 2 Cloves Garlic, finely minced
6. 1 Medium Potato, peeled and diced
7. 3 Ears Fresh Sweet Corn, shucked and corn removed from cob
8. 1 Small Zucchini, halved and sliced into half moons
9. Salt & Pepper
10. 2 Cups Half and Half
11. 1 Lime, juiced
12. Cilantro Leaves, for garnish

For the Crispy Green Beans

1. Oil for Frying
2. 1 Cup Green Beans, thinly sliced lengthwise
3. Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour, for sprinkling
4. Salt

Instructions

1. In a blender, combine the vegetable broth with the chipotle peppers and blend until smooth. Set aside.
2. In a Dutch oven or soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Once bubbling, add in the onion and sauté for 2 minutes, or until the onion begins to soften. Stir in the garlic and potato and cook for about 10 minutes. Stir in the corn and zucchini and season the entire mixture with salt and pepper. Cook the veggies for another 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the chipotle vegetable broth and half and half. Bring the mixture to a simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
4. Puree ¾ of the soup using an immersion blender or regular blender. (I prefer to have some texture left in the soup, but if you want it completely smooth you can puree the whole thing.) Stir in the lime juice.
5. Make the crispy green beans by heating up about an inch of oil in a small pot. Dust the green beans with flour and add a handful of the green beans to the hot oil (you may need to do this in batches). Fry until lightly golden and then drain on paper towels. Season the green beans with salt. Repeat with the remaining green beans.
6. Serve the soup topped with some crispy green beans and cilantro.

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