Dairy-Free Clam Chowder (gluten-free, Paleo)

This Dairy-Free Clam Chowder is easy, cozy comfort food!

It’s just like New England-style clam chowder: thick, creamy and full of potatoes, bacon, seasonings and clams.

And it’s also gluten-free, Paleo and Whole30 friendly.

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Why this recipe works

When I think of clam chowder, I think of the version made famous in New England: thick, creamy and pale, with a slightly chunky texture from potatoes and clams and topped with bacon.

There’s also the Manhattan version, which is more brothy and tomato-based, but I’ve never tried it.

So while I’d love to eat the New England version, it contains dairy and often flour to help thicken it. Neither of those ingredients work if you’re dairy-free or gluten-free.

So I made a few simple swaps to make sure it’s just as thick and creamy as the regular version but without the disagreeable ingredients.

So out go the butter, milk and heavy cream. Instead we’ll cook bacon and then use the bacon fat instead of butter.

And instead of milk and cream, we’ll use almond milk and coconut milk. By using both, the chowder won’t taste too almond-y or coconutty. (This combination also makes this clam chowder Paleo and Whole30 friendly!)

Finally, instead of flour to thicken the soup, we’ll blend some, but not all, of the soup. That way it’ll be thicker but still retain that classic chunky texture. And you won’t need any special ingredients to do it!

But don’t worry – even with these changes, this dairy-free clam chowder is so good, everyone will like it!

What you need

Ingredients:

• 4 slices bacon
• olive oil or avocado oil, if necessary
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 stalks celery
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided, plus more if necessary
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup (8 oz.) clam juice
• 1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
• 1 cup full-fat unsweetened coconut milk (the water and cream do not have to be well-blended)
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Frank’s Original – this will add a slight tang to cut through the creaminess
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1.5 pounds yellow potatoes
• 3 (6.5 oz.) cans chopped clams, drained, juices reserved
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Equipment:

• a 5-6 quart Dutch oven or large soup pot
• a paper towel-lined plate
• a heat-proof small mixing bowl
• a cutting board
• a chef’s knife
• a heat-proof spatula (the kind for stirring, not flipping)
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• a measuring glass
• a stick blender or regular blender
• a ladle

How to make Dairy-Free Clam Chowder

Step 1

Cook the bacon in the Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat until just crisp. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Roughly chop or crumble the bacon.

Step 2

You should have about 2 tablespoons of fat left in the pan. If not, add a bit of olive oil or avocado oil. If you have more than 2 tablespoons, pour the fat out into a small bowl and add 2 tablespoons of it back into the pot.

Step 3

While the bacon is cooking, peel and dice the onion, dice the celery and peel and mince the garlic cloves.

Step 4

Add the onion, celery and garlic, plus 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Step 5

Add the broth and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. This will not only add flavor to the soup but it will make cleaning the pot later much easier.

Step 6

Stir in the clam juice, almond milk, coconut milk, hot sauce, bay leaf, dried thyme, black pepper and reserved clam juice.

Turn the heat up to high to bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium so it simmers for about 15-20 minutes, until reduced and slightly thickened.

Step 7

While the soup is simmering, peel the potatoes and cut into approx. 1/2″ chunks.

Step 8

Add the potatoes to the soup and simmer for another 10-12 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft and can be pierced with a knife or fork.

Step 9

Turn off the heat. Remove and discard the bay leaf.

If using a stick blender, blend the soup just until some of it is smooth but it still has a chunky texture.

If using a regular blender, carefully ladle about half the soup into the blender jar. Cover with the lid, remove the lid’s insert and hold a towel over the hole (this will help let the steam escape so the hot soup won’t explode everywhere). Blend until smooth, then pour back into the pot.

Step 10

Turn the heat back on to medium.

Stir in the drained clams and simmer for about 5 minutes, then taste and adjust seasonings. Serve topped with the bacon and parsley.

FAQ

Other recipes you might like:

1. Chicken Tortilla Soup (dairy-free, Paleo, Whole30)
2. Zuppa Toscana (dairy-free, Paleo, Whole30)
3. Pork Cabbage Stew (dairy-free, Paleo, Whole30)
4. Instant Pot Bone Broth (dairy-free, Paleo, Whole30)
5. Instant Pot Creamy White Chicken Chili (dairy-free, Paleo, Whole30)

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