New Orleans Corn & Roasted Bell Pepper Soup (Vegan Maque Choux)

Before you start to think this will be a smoked paprika free household, have no fear. I am pretty sure Rob will let me replenish prior to moving back to Canada.

It is a bit of a race, now. Rob has made it his own personal goal to munch through our food stocks…. so, if I wait too long, my food may disappear. Use those roasted red peppers in the pantry! The roasted corn in the freezer! The last of the soy curls! (I actually had planned to use some small flageolet beans I had frozen but could not get them to thaw out of the container fast enough….)

Reminiscent of my Sweet Pepper Coconut Corn Chowder, I loved how this one was virtually bursting with vegetables. Coconut milk would make this a thick and luscious soup. This version was inspired by one of my favourite cookbooks this year, Soup’s On!, since it is packed with quick and healthy meals. Mark’s inspiration was New Orleans’ Maque Choux, a Cajun-inspired corn soup.

I loved it. Simply delicious. I worked with what we had lying around and it made a light, summery bowl of vegetable soup.

Do you like soups in the summer as well?

PS. I am sharing this with Souper Sundays.

New Orleans Corn & Roasted Bell Pepper Soup (Vegan Maque Choux)
Adapted from 30 Minute Vegan’s Soup’s On!

1 tbsp coconut oil, or oil of choice
1 small onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 dried Ancho chile, deseeded and chopped
5 cups vegetable broth
28 oz can fire roasted whole tomatoes (chopped) with juices
1 cup roasted red peppers, chopped (I used a can of 12 oz can of Fire Roasted Bell Peppers from Trader Joe’s including the liquid)
1 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tsp dried (Mexican) oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 cup chopped zucchini
4 oz dry soy curls (1/2 package)
2 cups (frozen, roasted) corn
2 cups unsweetened soy milk
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1. In a large soup pot over medium heat, heat oil. Once hot, add onion and saute until golden brown, around 5 minutes. Sprinkle with a dash of salt and add garlic and dried chile, cooking 1 minute more until lightly brown.

2. Deglaze with the vegetable broth. Stir in the roasted red peppers, smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, zucchini and dry soy curls. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir in the corn and cook 8 minutes more, until the vegetables have cooked through.

4. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the soy milk and cilantro.

Serves 4.