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You are here: Home / By Diet / Dairy Free / Dairy Free Shrimp and Clam Chowder

Published July 24, 2014. By Alyssa Brantley 11 Comments

Dairy Free Shrimp and Clam Chowder

  • Dairy free
  • Egg free
  • Gluten free
  • Paleo
  • Shellfish
  • Whole 30
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Dairy Free Shrimp and Clam Chowder from www.EverydayMaven.com

A couple of weeks ago, my local Whole Foods had a huge 25% off sale on all frozen foods. It was just for a couple of hours on a weekend morning but we made sure to stop by and stock up on some staples like frozen veggies, fruits and ice cream (staples right?). After checking out the frozen seafood, I quickly grabbed a couple of bags of wild-caught, sustainable shrimp and clam meat.

Dairy Free Shrimp and Clam Chowder from www.EverydayMaven.com

I knew I had at least a couple of containers of Homemade Shrimp Stock in the freezer and the idea of making a summer chowder implanted into my head. I love summer soups, specifically creamy and rich chowders dotted with chunks of tender potatoes and perfectly cooked shellfish.

Many years ago, before we were married, my husband and I vacationed in Maine with our dog. We road tripped all over the coast and I ate way more than my fair share of New England Clam Chowder and farm stand blueberries. Not a bad trip, right?

This Shrimp and Clam Chowder is a riff on the classic I enjoyed during that vacation but dairy free and thickened with a combination of pureed potatoes (cooked in the broth) and a bit of full-fat coconut milk, just enough to give the soup a nice rich, silky texture but not enough to make it taste like coconut!

The real secret to here is the Homemade Shrimp Stock. It makes it! If you think this soup looks good, tuck it away or print it off until you can make some shrimp stock. I am telling you, it won’t be the same without it!

Dairy Free Shrimp and Clam Chowder from www.EverydayMaven.com

NOTES:

  • I didn’t include salt and pepper amounts because the salt will vary significantly based on the quality and salinity level of the stock you use. For this recipe, go slowly and salt and pepper to taste. I also like to finish each bowl with a nice turn or two of freshly cracked pepper when serving.
  • I used Extra Jumbo Shrimp (size 16/20 per pound) because that is what I had in my freezer. You do not need to buy shrimp that big (or expensive!). I recommend anything larger than medium. Whatever size you go with, once they are cleaned and deveined, cut them into 1″ pieces.
  • I used frozen clam meat for the bulk of the clams. I think canned clams would work. Just try to get a good brand that only has clams, clam juice and salt. Note that if you use canned clams, they may be salty so keep that in mind when salting the broth.
  • A great online resource for ordering sustainable seafood is Vital Choice.
  • Serving Size and Points Plus are Based on 1 Heaping Cup which is a perfect starter size or could be paired with a big salad for lunch. For a larger portion size (dinner portion), it would be 14 Points Plus Per Serving and 6 Servings at 2 Heaping Cups Per Serving. Again, I would pair with a big green salad.

Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!

Dairy Free Shrimp and Clam Chowder
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
 

Dairy Free Shrimp and Clam Chowder

Course: Soups
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Dairy Free Shrimp and Clam Chowder
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 255 kcal
Author: Alyssa Brantley
Print
Ingredients
  • 1/2 pound uncooked bacon cut into 1/2" cubes if slab or 1/2" pieces if strips
  • 2 Tablespoons Ghee can sub Butter OR Olive Oil
  • 1 large yellow onion finely chopped
  • 2 medium stalks celery finely chopped
  • 2.5 pounds russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
  • 2 whole dried bay leaves
  • 8 cups homemade shrimp stock
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper see NOTES
  • 1 pound medium to large shrimp peeled, deveined and cut into 1" pieces
  • 1 pound wild Alaskan salmon skin removed and cut into 1" cubes
  • 10 ounces frozen clam meat or canned - see NOTES, defrosted
  • 1 cup canned full-fat coconut milk
Instructions
To Prepare:
  1. Cube or slice bacon. Finely chop onion and celery (I used food processor to save time!).

  2. Grab a large bowl and fill with cold water. Peel potatoes and place into water. Cut each potato into 1/2" cubes and place back in water until ready to use.

  3. Peel and devein shrimp and cut into 1" pieces. Scrub clams and place in a bowl with ice until ready to use.

  4. Make sure frozen clams are defrosted, measure coconut milk and grab bay leaves.
To Cook:
  1. Heat a large soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add bacon and 2 ounces (1/4 cup) of water. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, until water is evaporated and bacon begins to brown.

  2. Add butter (or olive oil), onion, celery and a pinch of salt. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft, about 4 to 6 minutes.

  3. Drain cubed potatoes from cold water and add to pot along with bay leaves and shrimp stock. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook 18 to 20 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.

  4. Taste broth and season with salt and pepper. Make sure to go lightly as the flavor will change a bit when you add the fresh shellfish in (especially if using canned clams!).
  5. Remove bay leaves and discard. Transfer 2 cups of (mostly) potatoes and broth to a blender. Combine with 1 cup coconut milk until completely smooth and set aside.

  6. Bring broth back to a boil. Once boiling, add whole clams in shells, shrimp pieces and clam meat. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and cook 2 to 3 minutes until clams are opened and shrimp is pink.

  7. Remove from heat and slowly pour in potato-coconut milk mixture from blender, stirring constantly to incorporate. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot and Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Dairy Free Shrimp and Clam Chowder
Amount Per Serving
Calories 255 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 110mg37%
Sodium 1003mg44%
Potassium 651mg19%
Carbohydrates 20g7%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 16g32%
Vitamin A 70IU1%
Vitamin C 8.5mg10%
Calcium 129mg13%
Iron 2.3mg13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Did you make this recipe? Tag @EverydayMaven on Instagram with the hashtag #EveryDayMaven and please give a star rating below.

Dairy Free Shrimp and Clam Chowder from www.EverydayMaven.com

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Kid Friendly, Nut Free, One Pot Meals, Paleo, Primal, Shellfish, Soups, Stews, + Chili, Whole30

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kathy J Brown-Persinger says

    October 14, 2019 at 5:01 pm

    I am so excited about useing my new Instant Pot. Your Clam and Shrimp Chowder will be my first try, with my Pot. Can’t wait to have a taste!

    Reply
    • Alyssa Brantley says

      October 16, 2019 at 3:14 pm

      Let me know how it turns out in the IP Kathy!

      Reply
  2. Catherine says

    September 17, 2017 at 11:23 am

    I’m thinking you left off the 1 cup of coconut milk from the ingredients…I have 1 cup…on my list but it doesn’t say 1 cup of what…

    Reply
    • EverydayMaven says

      September 18, 2017 at 8:16 pm

      Hey Catherine!
      Thanks for letting me know that it was missing – a few lines got cut off when doing a back-end update. I appreciate it 🙂

      Reply
  3. Joanne says

    July 28, 2014 at 4:14 am

    I obviously need to pay more attention to Whole Foods sales….stocking up on frozen veggies and fruits would be AWESOME. And very smart to stock up on frozen stock…this soup looks so hearty and comfort-full!

    Reply
    • EverydayMaven says

      July 29, 2014 at 7:15 am

      Joanne, they usually email them on from each local store – are you subscribed to the newsletter? There are some GREAT sales every week!

      Reply
  4. Karista says

    July 25, 2014 at 7:36 am

    Alyssa, this chowder looks so delish! Beautiful and perfect any time of the year. Love that it’s dairy free too!

    Reply
    • EverydayMaven says

      July 25, 2014 at 8:42 am

      Thanks Karista! Hope your summer is going great xoxo

      Reply
  5. Joanne says

    July 25, 2014 at 4:41 am

    That looks so incredibly creamy delicious! Mmm.

    Reply
    • EverydayMaven says

      July 25, 2014 at 8:36 am

      It is Joanne! I wish I had more left 🙂

      Reply

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