Rich and Creamy Vegan Corn Soup

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 ribs celery, finely chopped
• 3 carrots, finely chopped
• 4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and finely diced
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 quarts vegetable broth
• 8 cups fresh corn kernels, divided
• 1 cup cashews
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

Step 1

Warm some olive oil in a big pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, celery, and carrots, and cook them gently, stirring now and then, until they soften—this should take about 5 to 7 minutes. Next, toss in the potatoes, cauliflower, bay leaves, thyme, and oregano, and let everything cook together for another 5 minutes.

Step 2

Pour in the vegetable broth along with 6 cups of the corn kernels, then bring the whole mixture to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer gently until the veggies are tender, which usually takes around 35 to 40 minutes. Don’t forget to fish out and discard the bay leaves once the cooking is done.

Step 3

While the soup is simmering, grab a blender and add the remaining 2 cups of corn, cashews, and nutritional yeast. Spoon in some of the hot broth—just enough to help it blend smoothly. If your blender is small, do this in batches, filling it no more than halfway. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel and hold it down as you pulse a few times, then blend until it’s nice and creamy.

Step 4

Finally, stir this creamy cashew mixture back into the soup pot. Give it a taste, then season with salt and pepper to your liking. Serve warm and enjoy!