Slow Cooker Vegetable Chowder
Slow Cooker Vegetable Chowder! Save this vegan and gluten-free meal when you want an easy dinner option. Start in the morning, and it’ll be ready by the time you get home from work! Potatoes and vegetables in a creamy sauce.
One of the first meals my husband made for me was a vegetable stew in the crockpot. With only five ingredients, it got the job done for two grad-school students, but a far cry from anything I’d request again. I’m pretty sure the base was a package of frozen vegetables and a can of cream of mushroom soup. Maybe a dried herb or two for flavor.
Well, we’ve come a long way from that dish. This slow cooker chowder is thick, hearty, creamy, and packed with vegetables.
It’s the perfect meal when you’re craving vegetables and comfort. It might not be five ingredients, but it’s almost as effortless.
See below for tips and additional details on how to make this chowder, or scroll down for the full slow cooker chowder recipe.
Ingredient Substitution Notes
Creamed corn helps to thicken this potato chowder recipe. If you can’t find it, then you can substitute canned corn kernels or even fresh sweet corn instead.
The cornstarch slurry helps to thicken, but if you want a thicker chowder, then I recommend adding in either heavy cream or cashew cream at the end.
For a spicier slow cooker chowder, then I recommend adding in hot sauce or red pepper flakes when cooking.
How to Make This Slow Cooker Chowder
Add All Ingredients to the Slow Cooker
Place the onion, potatoes, carrots, pepper, green beans, celery, creamed corn, broth, parsley, basil, and oregano in the base of a crock-pot. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours until potatoes are tender and cooked through.
Thicken the Chowder
Whisk together the soy milk and cornstarch until dissolved. Slowly add the soy milk mixture to the chowder and cook on high for another 30 minutes until thickened. Serve!
Tips for Success
In order to have crispy, caramelized vegetables, you usually need to do some advance prep first. Sauteeing the vegetables first will add more flavor to this slow cooker chowder, but it is also optional if you don’t have time.
If you are making this in your Instant Pot instead of a traditional slow cooker, I might recommend it. Give the onions, celery, and potatoes and little saute to soften before adding in the rest of the ingredients. Since the Instant Pot has a saute function, this shouldn’t add more time.
Again, you don’t have to. I’ve made this one a few times, and each time, I become lazier and lazier. Dump in everything, cook on low until everything is nice and tender, and you’ve got soup! To thicken without the use of additional butter and cream, stir in some soy milk and cornstarch before serving.
I’m calling for soy milk here as I think it gives more body than almond milk, but really, any unsweetened milk option should work. The cornstarch isn’t optional; it allows the entire soup to thicken to chowder status, which is what we want. Arrowroot or tapioca starch can be used instead of cornstarch.
If you want your soup even thicker, puree a little of the vegetables with broth in a blender and then add back to the chowder. I do this trick sometimes when I want a really thick bowl of soup, and it works wonders. Or, you can use an immersion blender to quickly blend some of the tender potatoes.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
- Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup
- Slow Cooker Tomato Soup
- Easy Slow Cooker Tikka Masala
- Vegan Slow Cooker Chana Masala
- Slow Cooker Potato Curry
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!
Slow Cooker Vegetable Chowder
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 cups chopped potatoes
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cups chopped fresh green beans
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1 15 ounce can creamed corn
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup soy milk, or other milk
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
Instructions
- Place the onion, potatoes, carrots, pepper, green beans, celery, creamed corn, broth, parsley, basil, and oregano in the base of a crock-pot. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours until potatoes are tender and cooked through. Season to taste with salt and pepper; depending on the saltiness of your broth, you may or may not need salt. I usually add 1/2 teaspoon and go from there.
- Whisk together the soy milk and cornstarch until dissolved. Slowly add the soy milk mixture to the chowder and cook on high for another 30 minutes until thickened. Serve!