Vegan Clam Chowder (GF) - Rhian's Recipes (2024)

Last updated - ; Published - By Rhian Williams 6 Comments

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ThisVegan Clam Chowder is going to be your new favourite comfort food! It'srich and creamy,packed with veggies andserved in an adorable bread bowl!

Vegan Clam Chowder (GF) - Rhian's Recipes (1)

This Vegan Clam Chowder starts off with leek, onion, carrot and celery, which give off the most amazing fragrance when frying and make your kitchen smell amazing.

I decided to use mushrooms as a plant-based clam replacement, as they have a similarly chewy texture, not to mention a noteworthy flavour. If you hate mushrooms, you could substitute them with a tin of white beans.

I like to use king oyster mushrooms - they have a particularly suitable texture as they're a little chewier than other types of mushrooms, but you can use any mushrooms you like.

Vegan Clam Chowder (GF) - Rhian's Recipes (2)

Another key ingredient is the potatoes, which amp up the comfort food factor, and work well to soak up all the other delicious flavours.

The creaminess comes from unsweetened almond milk thickened with cornflour, which creates a seriously velvety texture without the need for blending up cashews. This chowder can also easily be made nut-free by using unsweetened oat milk in place of the almond milk.

Vegan Clam Chowder (GF) - Rhian's Recipes (3)

Now, you're probably wondering how to make the cute bread bowls. They may look fiddly, but they're actually super easy to make...if I can do it, so can you!

All you need to do is slice off the top, then hollow out the centre with your fingers. And there's no need to waste the hollowed-out centre either, as you can crumble it up into breadcrumbs and toast those in the oven at the same time as the bread bowls themselves.

These crispy breadcrumbs are so delicious sprinkled over the piping hot soup, as they add a great layer of texture. I also like to finish off the soup with a sprinkling of fresh parsley and some sweet and smoky almond or coconut bacon!

Vegan Clam Chowder (GF) - Rhian's Recipes (4)

For more vegan soup recipes, check out my:

  • Creamy Pumpkin Gnocchi Soup
  • Pea Pasta Minestrone Soup
  • Creamy Tomato Soup
  • Cream of Mushroom Soup
  • Sweet Potato Peanut Soup
  • Creamy Corn Chowder

If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog,I’d really love to hear anyfeedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo #rhiansrecipes onInstagram! Thank you.

Helpful tools to make this Vegan Clam Chowder:

measuring jug

Vegan Clam Chowder (GF) - Rhian's Recipes (5)

Vegan Clam Chowder (GF)

ThisVegan Clam Chowder is rich and creamy, packed with veggies, and served in an adorable bread bowl!

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: vegan clam chowder, vegan creamy soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 314kcal

Author: Rhian Williams

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive, rapeseed or coconut oil
  • 1 leek, thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 carrot, peeled and sliced
  • 1 celery stick, thinly sliced
  • 200 g (7oz) mushrooms, roughly chopped (I like king oyster mushrooms but you can use any other type you like)
  • 800 g (28oz) potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 vegetable stock cube (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
  • 415 ml (1 ¾ cups) unsweetened almond milk (or sub unsweetened oat milk for nut-free)
  • Salt + pepper, to taste
  • 3 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch)

For the bread bowls:

  • 4 bread rolls (ensure gluten-free if necessary)

To serve:

  • Fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large pan and add the leek, garlic, carrot and celery once hot

  • Fry for around 10 minutes until softened

  • Add the mushrooms, potatoes, stock cube, almond milk and salt + pepper, along with 600ml (2 ½ cups) water

  • Bring to the boil and simmer for around 15 minutes, until potatoes are soft enough to pierce easily with a fork

  • Place the cornflour in a small bowl and dissolve in a splash of water

  • Carefully stir the dissolved cornflour mixture into the soup, and heat for another few minutes until nicely thickened. It's important that you stir the cornflour in gently, otherwise you will end up with clumps

  • Add extra water or almond milk if necessary

For the bread bowls:

  • Preheat oven to 180 degrees (350 degrees)

  • Carefully slice the tops off the bread rolls and use your fingers to hollow out the centre

  • Place the hollowed-out bread rolls and the tops on a baking tray

  • Use your fingers to crumble the hollowed-out centres into breadcrumbs and place these in a small baking dish

  • Bake all of these in the oven for around 10 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown - be careful that they don’t burn

To serve:

  • Ladle the soup into the bread bowls and sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and fresh parsley

  • Enjoy immediately!

Notes

Also delicious with almond or coconut bacon sprinkled over the top

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Clam Chowder (GF)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 314

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Made the recipe?Tag @rhiansrecipes on instagram and use the hashtag #rhiansrecipes!

Disclosure: This posts contains affiliate links to Amazon. If you purchase any of these products, a small percentage will come to me with no extra cost to you! This income will go towards the running of this blog – thank you.

More Lunch & Dinner Recipes

  • Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls (Vegan + No Yeast)
  • Tofu Burger (Vegan + Gluten-Free)
  • Vegan Sausage Rolls (Gluten-Free)
  • Gluten-Free Vegan Irish Soda Bread

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply

  1. Anonymous

    Vegan Clam Chowder (GF) - Rhian's Recipes (10)
    Yum!

    Reply

    • Rhian Williams

      Thank you!

  2. Phoebe

    Vegan Clam Chowder (GF) - Rhian's Recipes (11)
    Love the bread bowl!

    Reply

    • Rhian Williams

      Thank you!

    • Rhian Williams

      Thank you so much!

Vegan Clam Chowder (GF) - Rhian's Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How do you thicken clam chowder? ›

This clam chowder recipe should produce perfectly rich soup. If you'd like your chowder a little thicker, though, you can thicken it with a cornstarch slurry. Simply stir cornstarch into a small amount of cold water (or another liquid, such as wine or stock), then stir the mixture into the simmering chowder.

How do you make canned clam chowder taste better? ›

Fish sauce

Manipulating acidity, saltiness, and heat are all obvious ways to improve canned clam chowder, but there's another dimension of flavor that's worth just as much attention — umami. Adding umami-rich ingredients to your chowder will increase its savoriness, meatiness, and overall deliciousness.

Where did clam chowder originate? ›

Clams, potatoes, salt pork, and onions. Cream or tomatoes may be added. The dish originated in the Northeastern United States, but is now commonly served in restaurants throughout the country.

What goes good with clam chowder? ›

You can go for oyster crackers, warm sourdough bread, salad, french fries… the list goes on. This tasty soup is packed with clam lumps and tender potatoes. It is not only filling and indulgent – but quite easy to make.

How do you thicken gluten-free chowder? ›

I used my favorite gum free rice flour blend to thicken my gluten-free clam chowder. You can use a similar blend, or just use sweet rice flour or cornstarch.

How do you thicken vegan chowder? ›

Arrowroot starch– both of these will work like a roux. Mix mix 1 tablespoon of arrowroot starch with 2 tablespoons of cold water until smooth then stir into the soup. May need to double or triple that depending on how much soup you have. Simmer gently to thicken.

What can I substitute for heavy cream in clam chowder? ›

The Best Heavy Cream Substitutes
  1. Half-and-Half and Butter. A combination of half-and-half and butter makes the best all-around heavy cream substitute. ...
  2. Milk and Butter. ...
  3. Evaporated Milk. ...
  4. Coconut Cream. ...
  5. Cream Cheese. ...
  6. Greek Yogurt and Milk. ...
  7. Soy Milk and Olive Oil.
Mar 30, 2022

How do you thicken clam chowder without cornstarch? ›

2 tablespoons of plain flour and 1.5 - 2 tablespoons of fat cooked without browning will thicken a cup of milk or broth to a medium white sauce or gravy consistency. For a soup, less will be needed (1 to 1.5 tablespoons flour per cup). Other starches like potatoes will also thicken, so adjust for that.

Why is clam chowder served on Fridays? ›

Like so many wars, the one raged over clam chowder is rooted in religion. Clam chowder was a Friday staple for restaurants where Catholicism was king and abstinence from eating meat was the rule on the last day of the workweek. Original North American chowders date to the first arrival of Europeans.

Who is famous for clam chowder? ›

Maine and Massachusetts may be the two states most associated with the cream-based clam chowder. In fact, it is known as one of Maine's most iconic dishes and is considered a classic in Boston's historic neighborhoods.

What are the three types of clam chowder? ›

What Makes New England Clam Chowder Different
  • Rhode Island Chowder. Made with a tomato broth base and potatoes, Rhode Island chowder doesn't include any other chunks of vegetables. ...
  • Manhattan Chowder. ...
  • New England Chowder.

What does clam chowder do to your body? ›

These recipes have protein that help in repairing the body cells and helps children to grow well among their peers. It also assists the body in producing new body cells when it is needed. It is a great find for kids, teenagers and pregnant women. With a 100g of clam you can get as high as 12.8g of protein.

Can you eat leftover clam chowder? ›

At room temperature - within hours, refrigerated - for up to two weeks, if properly refrigerated and fridge is in right setting. Frozen - much longer. Well, your chowder might go bad in one minute if you put bad clams into it.

Can you eat clam chowder cold? ›

It's served piping hot and perfect for taking the chill off of a cool evening in the fall. But have you ever considered serving it cold? When blended and served chilled, the chowder takes on the richness of a fancy vichyssoise.

How do you make clam chowder less watery? ›

Starches can help thicken clam chowder

It's recommended to add more fat or more starch to the clam chowder, using ingredients such as cornstarch, flour, crackers, potatoes, or heavy cream (via Foodsguy). Adding cornstarch results in very thick clam chowders.

What is the best thickener for chowder? ›

The most classic and surefire way to thicken a broth-based soup is with a cornstarch slurry. Whisk together equal parts cornstarch (or arrowroot) and water or broth, then whisk it into the pot of soup. A good ratio to get to a pleasant thickness without your soup tasting goopy or heavy is one tablespoon.

How do you make chowder less watery? ›

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

What type of thickener is used with clam chowder? ›

For an extra creamy soup, you can thicken it further wither either a flour or cornstarch slurry. Potatoes - I like red potatoes, but you can also use russet potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes. Peeled or unpeeled - whatever your preference. Heavy cream - Heavy whipping cream is what makes a creamy New England clam chowder.

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