Best Clam Chowder Ever (Dairy Free)
I absolutely love clam chowder but it has to be New England Clam Chowder!
I want creamy deliciousness instead of a tomato-based soup. I’ve honestly never tried Manhattan Clam Chowder. It just doesn’t sound appealing. My love for clam chowder started when Campbell’s Chunky hit the market in 1988. We always had a variety of soups on hand growing up. Clam Chowder was my favorite, but chicken noodle soup and tomato soup were also favorites.
Once I cleaned up my diet, I stopped buying canned soups. And I really missed clam chowder so I figured out a way to make it where it agrees with my dairy-free, gluten-free lifestyle. I also chock it full of vegetables so you are getting everything you need in one bowl of warm, creamy goodness. If I feel like I’m getting sick and have this clam chowder, I usually feel better right away. I think there’s some magic in it, similar to chicken soup.
Dairy Free Clam Chowder
(Serves 12)
4 strips of bacon
Three cans of whole baby canned clams
One can of full fat, coconut milk
Two chicken bouillon cubes
1 teaspoon of better than bouillon, chicken, onion, and beef (If you only have one, use chicken). I like to combine several to layer in the umami)
One packet of Dr. Kelly Ann’s homestyle bone broth (you can use a carton of chicken broth, but if you do, reduce the amount of water)
3 cups of water
One bottle of clam juice
Juice reserved from canned clams (if this seems unappealing, feel free to skip it!)
Spices:
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon of herbs de province
1 teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of pepper
½ teaspoon of Tony’s Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon of chopped garlic
¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon of onion powder
2 teaspoons of basil
2 teaspoons of parsley
1 tablespoon of gluten-free flour
Vegetables:
One whole onion, chopped
One whole red pepper, chopped
One whole green pepper, chopped
One jalapeno pepper, chopped
One cup of diced carrots
1 16 ounce container of portobello mushrooms
Three stalks of celery
Two handfuls of fresh spinach
Optional: 1 cup of cubed potatoes
Directions:
Chop bacon and fry in soup pot. Once cooked, remove 75% of the bacon crumbles and reserve for topping the soup when serving.
Add in bay leaves, garlic, onions, peppers, celery and carrots and sauté for about 5 minutes and then add in mushrooms. Cook down until slightly softened. Then add the gluten free flour and stir in the vegetables.
Add the bouillon cubes and better than bouillon to the water (or chicken broth if using). Once dissolved, add it to the pot of vegetables. Stir until combined.
Add in all of the spices. Add potatoes if using. Add in the clams and the clam juice. I sometimes do not use all of the clam juice. It just depends on how much soup is in the pot at this point. Add in the can of coconut milk and stir in the clams.
Allow to simmer for about 10-20 minutes.
