Creamy and oh-so-satisfying, this Vegan Clam Chowder is easy to make and full of flavor! Ready in just 30 minutes.
How do you make clam chowder vegan?
It’s actually pretty simple! I’ve replaced the clams with hearts of palm (or mushrooms) and instead of dairy, cashew cream. The rest is just vegetables and seasonings.
It may not taste exactly like real clam chowder, but it’s pretty dang good! In fact, I think it’s better than the original. This Vegan Clam Chowder is comfort food to the max.
Special tips and substitutions
- Hearts of palm – I have been loving hearts of palm lately, as you can see from my Vegan Crab Cakes, Beer Battered Vegan Fried Fish and Vegan Scallops. But you can just as easily use chopped mushrooms instead.
- Cashew cream – I think cashew cream gives this soup the most rich and creamy base, but if you can’t have nuts, you could use full fat coconut milk or even an unsweetened vegan creamer instead. Use 1 cup and omit the water.
- Vegan bacon topping – This really rounds out the chowder, and I highly recommend it. You can use any store bought vegan bacon, cooked and chopped, or make my Tempeh Bacon or Tofu Bacon.
Want more hearty vegan soups?
Vegan Clam Chowder
Creamy and oh-so-satisfying, this Vegan Clam Chowder is easy to make and full of flavor! Ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Cashew cream
- 3/4 cup raw cashews
- 1 cup water
Vegan Clam Chowder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 4 tablespoons all purpose flour gluten free if needed
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 15 ounce can hearts of palm, drained and chopped
- 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
- Vegan Bacon, optional see instruction #6 for options
Instructions
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Pour the hot water over the cashews and let soak for 5 minutes. Drain the cashews and discard the soaking water. Add them to a high powered blender along with 1 cup fresh water and blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the carrots and celery to the pot and sauté for another 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour on top of the vegetables and stir, then slowly pour in the broth while stirring constantly.
- Now add the chopped hearts of palm, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, hot sauce, old bay seasoning, salt, pepper and potatoes.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.
- If using vegan bacon, prepare it and cook it until crispy. I used Lightlife bacon, but my tempeh bacon would be great here (or tofu bacon).
- Stir the cashew cream into the soup. It should now be very creamy. Serve with crackers, fresh chopped parsley and vegan bacon, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Feel free to substitute white button mushrooms for the hearts of palm. Both options are wonderful! Simply chop the mushrooms and add to the soup. Or sauté them first with a little salt/pepper to add even more flavor.
- Nut allergy? Substitute cashew cream with 1 cup of full fat coconut milk or other unsweetened vegan creamer instead.
- Freeze it – Vegan Clam Chowder freezes well. I like to freeze soups in individual containers for quick grab and go meals.
Nutrition
Serving: 1of 6 servings | Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 1078mg | Potassium: 2004mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 3857IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 4mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @nora_cooks_vegan_ or tag #noracooks!
This is no doubt the yummiest clam chowder we’ve ever made. We made it exactly as written. We used half hearts of palm and half mushrooms, because we thought the varied texture might be nice. Absolutely wonderful. Thank you so much!
Hi Julie. Thank you for sharing your recipe experience and terrific review. I bet mushrooms really added a lot of deliciousness to the clam chowder! Love that idea! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
meant to leave 5 stars!
I made this with coconut milk and it turned out delish!
I really enjoyed this creamy and flavorful soup alongside homemade whole wheat rolls. Oddly enough, I haven’t been able to find Old Bay seasoning so I subbed with a different seafood mix and added bay leaves. I only had canned jackfruit and it worked fine. I also added seaweed, dulce, and wakame and loved the flavor. Thanks for another fantastic recipe!
I am so glad that you enjoyed the clam chowder recipe, Asha! Thank you for sharing your recipe ideas and your terrific review!