Creamy Roasted Poblano and Corn Chowder Recipe

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• Poblano peppers: Mild green chiles that become smoky and mellow when roasted. Remove seeds and veins if you prefer less heat.
• Corn: Fresh in summer, frozen in cooler months, or canned in a pinch. Aim for about 1½ cups of kernels (roughly 3 medium ears or a 14-ounce can drained).
• Potatoes: Diced Yukon Gold, red, or Russet potatoes add body and creaminess. Peeling is optional.
• Olive oil: For sautéing; avocado oil also works.
• Aromatics: Onion, garlic, celery, carrot, and red bell pepper build flavor.
• Broth: Vegetable broth keeps the recipe vegetarian; chicken broth is an alternative.
• Milk or plant-based milk: Use half-and-half, whole milk, oat milk, or unsweetened almond milk for richness.
• Spices: Ground cumin, dried oregano, ground coriander, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper.
• Garnishes: Cilantro, lime wedges, shredded cheese, or sour cream (or dairy-free alternatives).

Additional Add-ins & Toppings

• Crispy bacon: For non-vegetarians, bacon adds salty crunch.
• Croutons: Provide a pleasant crunch while keeping the dish vegetarian.
• Lime wedges: A squeeze brightens and balances the richness.
• Green onions: Sliced scallions add color and a mild bite.

1. Roast the poblano peppers using your preferred method (see roasting methods below). Once charred and blistered, let them steam so the skins loosen, then peel, remove stems and seeds, and chop.
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil (and butter if using) over medium-high heat.
3. Add diced onion, red bell pepper, celery, and carrot. Sauté until the onion is translucent, about 6–7 minutes. Stir in minced garlic, ground cumin, oregano, and ground coriander and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Add diced potatoes and enough broth to cover them by about ½ inch. Add bay leaves and a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 12–15 minutes.
5. Remove and discard bay leaves. Transfer about 3 cups of chowder to a blender and puree until smooth, then return to the pot. Alternatively, use an immersion blender and leave some potato chunks for texture.
6. Stir in corn kernels and the chopped roasted poblanos. Simmer over medium-low for about 5 minutes. Add the milk or plant-based milk, heat through for a couple of minutes, then season to taste with salt and black pepper.
7. Serve hot with garnishes such as cilantro, a squeeze of lime, shredded cheese, or a spoonful of sour cream.

How to Roast Poblano Peppers

Roasting poblanos develops a deep smoky flavor. Choose any of these simple methods:

• Open flame (gas burner): Use tongs to rotate each pepper over the flame until evenly blackened and blistered.
• Broiler: Place peppers on a sheet pan under the broiler about 6 inches from the heat until skins blacken, turning to char all sides.
• Dry skillet: Char peppers on a preheated dry skillet or griddle, turning as the skin blisters.

After charring, place the peppers in a covered bowl, wrap, or a paper bag to steam for 5–10 minutes—this loosens the skin and makes peeling easy. Rub off the skins, remove stems and seeds, then slice or chop.