healthy clam chowder

This classic chowder recipe just got a dairy free remake and it couldn't be creamier or tastier!

Creamy Dairy Free Clam Chowder

onion, 1/4″, 1/2 medium onion

garlic,

thyme,

bay leaf

clam juice

chicken stock, I used my homemade unsalted recipe

potatoes

coconut cream, see notes

Sea salt and pepper to taste, see notes

Place a large pot over medium heat, and when the pan is hot, add the bacon. Sauté until the bacon renders it&#8217;s fat and is crispy.

Scoop out the bacon bits and set them aside. Pour out some of the bacon fat if there&#8217;s too much, you&#8217;ll need around 2-3 tablespoons in the pan.

Add the onion, garlic, and celery to the pan. Sauté over medium low temperature until the onion begins to turn translucent and is soft.

Add the thyme, stir to combine, then add the bay leaf, reserved juice from the clams, the bottle of clam juice, and the chicken stock.

Stir to combine again, then add the potatoes and bacon bits. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes. When the potatoes are done, remove the bay leaf.

Then using a ladle, scoop out 2 cups of the cooked potatoes, draining off excess liquid, and add them to a blender. Don&#8217;t worry about spooning out the other ingredients with the potatoes, this won&#8217;t matter.

Add the coconut cream to the blender with the potatoes, then blend on low speed just until the potatoes are mostly smooth.

Add the potato/coconut cream mixture back to the chowder and stir to combine. Turn the heat off and add the clams. Stir again, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve immediately. Any leftovers reheat well on the stove top. This soup doesn&#8217;t freeze super well because the potatoes tend to come out with a mushy texture.

Super easy and delicious! I loved this recipe. I would say it serves 8.

This sounds amazing. I want to add fresh cod to the chowder. Any suggestions on timing/when to add the cubed code?

This was so good, the flavor was great and the entire family loved it! It was creamy and rich without any dairy 

Made this last night and I must say, I'll never want any other chowdha! Having milk and gluten allergies, your recipe allowed me to enjoy one of my favorite soups!

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/JkHlA9P3.mp4

This Creamy Dairy Free Clam Chowder is everything you’d except from this classic recipe, but there’s no dairy at all! It’s also gluten free and Whole30. It’s great for healthy dinners and leftovers for lunch. It has the perfect balance of thyme and bay leaf that combines with the bacon to add so much to this comfort food chowder.

Dairy Free Clam Chowder.mov

This New-England-style Clam Chowder recipe is lightened up, made with fresh clams and their broth and melted leeks. Smoky and rich in flavor.

Clam Chowder Recipe With Fresh Clams

lbs clams – small to medium clams work best here.

water

bacon- finely diced (or sub finely diced salt pork, or turkey bacon)

leeks

garlic cloves- rough chopped, optional

white wine, optional

lb potatoes, thin-skinned, diced (3-3 ½ cups)

thyme springs

bay leaves

whole milk

unsalted butter

black pepper

Italian parsley

tarragon

Place 4 cups water in a large pot and add the clams. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the clams open and are lightly cooked. Turn the heat off.  Strain the clams, saving the broth. Strain the broth, one more time through a fine mesh strainer. Let the clams cool just a bit.

In a dutch oven, over medium heat, saute the bacon, until crispy and browned. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out the crispy bacon bits and set aside. To the bacon drippings, add the rinsed leeks and cook over low heat, until melty. A little water will help them not burn, hence the rinsing, but you can always add another splash. Once tender, add the garlic, saute until fragrant, and deglaze the pan with white wine if using, scraping up any browned bits.

Add the diced potatoes and just enough strained clam broth to cover the potatoes, saving the rest. Add thyme, and bay leaves, cover, and bring to a simmer. Simmer until potatoes are nice and tender.

Sort the clams

While the potatoes are simmering, sort the clams. Keep one-third of the clams intact, leaving the shells on, and setting them aside -pick the nicest looking ones! Discard any clams that have not opened, and remove the clams from the remaining ⅔ of the clamshells, discarding the shells. If your clams are large, feel free to chop.

If using milk, thicken it just a little bit by making a roux; in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, melt  butter (or use olive oil) and brown it just a bit. Whisk in an equal amount flour and stir for 1-2 minutes toasting the flour. Add one cup of milk and whisk well, add the 2nd cup and whisk until smooth, heating it to a simmer until it thickens. Turn heat off. (See notes) 

Once the potatoes are tender, using tongs, remove the thyme and bay leaves. Pour in the thickened milk (or use cream or half and half straight) and stir. Season with black pepper. Add all the clams, bacon bits and the parsley, give a gentle stir, and gently heat. Feel free to add more of the clam broth if you want, to loosen the consistency. Taste and adjust salt, and pepper to taste.

Divide into bowls, topping each bowl with a few whole clams, sprinkle with more fresh parsley and a little tarragon and serve with crusty bread, oyster crackers or rolls.

I'm going to try this recipe soon, I really like it!!! It's absolutely a dish that we loved as a family, and like you, we love it in the evening, because it's light and delicious.
In France, you can't find cans of clams, they are always sold fresh in this season. So we take advantage of it, and everyone has a great time. My father loved making this soup, and it is a memory linked to him, which is very dear to me. He will be with us when I make it... There are dishes, like this, which are linked to a loved one.
Thank you very much, for this recipe, it's been 3 years since I last made it, it's time to remember the good memories...Thank you

I would give this 10 stars if I could. Made this as written and my guests, husband and I all agreed, it was the best clam chowder we’ve ever had. No it’s not traditional- much lighter- but felt like we’re were eating at a 5 star restaurant. Served it with your sourdough biscuits.

Making this tonight! I hav fresh littlenecks here in Georgia. We frequent a restaurant on our vacation to P’town called Heaven. This looks like the comparable, lighter chowder they serve, which is so delicious!

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Top 2 healthy clam chowder recipes from across the web

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Creamy Dairy Free Clam Chowder

Clam Chowder Recipe With Fresh Clam...

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