Vegan Creamed Corn with Jalapeños

Vegan Creamed Corn with Jalapeños is made without any cream, though it's still super rich and creamy! This sweet and spicy, year round side dish is deliciously comforting.

This recipe for Vegan Creamed Corn is high on my list of favorite comfort foods. It's loaded with flavor, and it tastes incredibly rich and creamy without any cream.

I'm all for adding cream when necessary, but if I can get the creamy, rich vibe in a dish without it, I go for it.

Jump to:

• The Ingredients
• Substitutions and Variations
• Recipe Tips
• How to Make Vegan Creamed Corn Without Cream
• More delicious corn recipes:
• Serving Suggestions
• Vegan Creamed Corn Recipe

The Ingredients

• corn on the cob - White or yellow -- both are great! During the summer, you should be able to find fantastic corn at your local Farmers' Market. Choose corn with bright green, tightly wrapped husks. The silks should be white or yellow. If you buy pre-shucked corn, the kernels should be firm and plump.
• jalapeño peppers - Look for peppers that are firm, deeply colored and slightly shiny.
• vegetable stock - Low sodium is best.
• onion - Choose onions that are heavy for their size without bruises.
• paprika - Paprika is a spice made from dried, ground red peppers. It ranges from mild to hot -- use whatever intensity you like.
• ground cumin
• lemon juice - Use Meyer lemons if they're available. They are a touch less tart and a bit sweeter. And with a thinner skin and fewer seeds, they are incredibly juicy.
• honey - Just a drizzle, and only if desired.
• Kosher salt - I cook with Kosher salt because of its larger flake size and it usually doesn't contain additives. If you use table salt, use half the amount.

(See recipe card below for quantities.)

Substitutions and Variations

• Use fresh corn when it's in season during the summer, and canned or frozen corn during the cooler months. If you use frozen corn, be sure to thaw it first, and drain canned corn.
• Non vegan version. Before you sauté the onions, cook a few strips of bacon or chopped pancetta in the pan. Once it's cooked, remove them and add the onions and proceed. Then, crumble the bacon and add it back to the pan with the jalapeños.

Recipe Tips

• It's a good idea to always taste your peppers before cooking with them. They can vary in heat from plant to plant and pepper to pepper, and you should know what you're working with.
• If you don't want any heat at all in your creamed corn, omit the jalapeños. For some heat, simply remove the seeds and membranes. And for a lot of heat, use the entire pepper.
• For a spicier version, don't remove the seeds from the jalapeño peppers.

How to Make Vegan Creamed Corn Without Cream

(More detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.)

- Wash, dry and finely chop the jalapeños.
 (For more heat, do not remove the seeds or membranes.)

Above: Jalapeño pepper cut in half with the part of the membrane on the knife. This part of the pepper is actually hotter than the seeds, so I usually remove it.

- Add 1¼ cups corn kernels and ¼ cup vegetable stock to a blender and purée just until it's halfway smooth and pour it into a bowl. Then add 1 more cup of corn kernels and a ½ cup of vegetable stock to the blender. Purée until it's completely smooth, add it to the others, and set it aside.

- Generously coat the bottom of a medium-sized saucepan with olive oil and place it over medium-low heat. Add onions and sauté until soft and slightly golden. Add chopped jalapeños and sauté for another couple of minutes. Stir in cumin and paprika and sauté until it's very aromatic, about 30 seconds.

- Add another 1½ cups corn kernels, the halfway smooth and complettely smooth corn-stock mixture to the pan and stir. (If you're using raw, fresh corn, give the kernels a few minutes in the pan before adding the blended mixture.)

- Add the lemon juice and season generously to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with a bit more paprika and drizzle with a little honey if desired.

More delicious corn recipes:

• Fire Roasted Corn
• Lemon Pepper Corn on the Cob
• Roasted Baby Corn with Chili and Lime
• Sheet Pan Chicken with Corn Salsa

Serving Suggestions

Vegan Creamed Corn is an excellent side dish year round.

It's fantastic alongside spiced quinoa burgers, avocado salads and stove-top grilled veggies.

Though this Vegan Creamed Corn dish is not a heavy, rich dish -- it tastes like it is.

I hope you love it!

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