Creamy Leek & Vegetable Chowder

Name: Creamy Leek & Vegetable Chowder
Cook time: 40 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: Plant-Based
Ingredients: 2/3 cup raw cashews; 1/3 cup cannellini beans (from a 15 oz can); 2 tbsp flour; 2 cups water; 3 celery ribs, food processed; 1 large yellow onion, food processed; 3 carrots, processed; 1 huge leek, washed and food processed; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 bay leaf; 1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary; ¾ tsp black pepper, coarsely ground; 4 tsp Better Than Bouillon vegetable base, reduced sodium; 4 cups water; 12 oz frozen potatoes O'Brien; 4 oz frozen peas, minimally food processed; Salt to taste; Oyster crackers, saltines, or bread

plant-basedoil-freechowderleekspotatoescashew-cream

A thick, creamy leek and vegetable chowder made with potatoes, peas, cashews, and cannellini beans.

Test Kitchen Recipe

This recipe is actively being tested and refined and is subject to change.

Cashew Cream:

2/3 cup

raw cashews

1/3 cup

cannellini beans (from a 15 oz can)

2 tbsp

flour

2 cups

water

Soup:

celery ribs, food processed

large yellow onion, food processed

carrots, processed

huge leek, washed and food processed

cloves garlic, minced

bay leaf

1 1/2 tsp

dried rosemary

3/4 tsp

black pepper, coarsely ground

4 tsp

Better Than Bouillon vegetable base, reduced sodium

4 cups

water

12 oz

frozen potatoes O'Brien

4 oz

frozen peas, minimally food processed

Salt to taste

For Serving:

Oyster crackers, saltines, or bread

Add the cashews, cannellini beans, and 1 1/2 cups of the water to a blender. Blend for about 10 seconds to break down the cashews. This trick reduces blend time, we'll finish blending in a few steps.
In a Dutch oven, dry-sauté or water-sauté the carrots, celery, and onion for 10 minutes, until softened.
Add the leek and garlic and continue to sauté for 5-10 minutes.
Add the bay leaf, rosemary, bouillon paste, some of the black pepper, and 4 cups water.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. If using raw potatoes, add them at this point.
Blend the cashews, beans, and soaking liquid for 1-2 minutes, until smooth. Set aside.
Add the frozen potatoes and minimally processed peas to the pot. Mostly cover and simmer for 5 minutes, until tender.
Stir in the cashew-bean mixture and bring the soup to a light simmer.
Stir the flour into the remaining 1/2 cup water. Pour it into the soup while stirring.
Cook for a few minutes just below a simmer, then season to taste with salt and the remaining pepper.