Keto Clam Chowder
Ready in less than 30 minutes, low carb clam chowder makes a healthy and filling meal for the entire family. It features clams, celery, chicken broth and a surprise – red bell pepper. And, yes, this recipe doesn’t have any high-carb potatoes perfect for the keto diet!
4
Servings
204
Calories
17.6g
Fat
6.9g
Protein
6.2g
Net Carb
6.9g
Total Carbs
When the days get short and the temperatures drop I love making keto soups: chicken soup, keto chili, low carb taco soup and this clam chowder recipe to just a name few.
Is clam chowder keto?
No! As it is traditionally made, clam chowder is not keto.
You will find traditional clam chowder, such as New England clam chowder to be full of carbs from the flour (used as a thickener) and potatoes.
I’ve got good news!
With our clam chowder recipe, we have taken out the carbs while still maintaining the heartiness of this soup. This low carb chowder recipe replaces the high carb potatoes with low carb ingredients, including daikon radish – which acts like a potato in this recipe, similar to how we did in our turkey and chicken soups.
If you can’t get a hold of a daikon radish, just omit it. You could try regular radishes if you wanted or I have even seen some recipes with turnips. One cup of daikon radish has 2.9 grams net carbs.
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Clam Chowder Soup Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter - 1/2 cup finely diced onion
- 3 celery stalks, sliced
- 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 6.5 oz canned clams with clam juice
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup daikon radish, optional
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 slices cooked, crispy bacon
Keto Clam Chowder Directions
-
Saute vegetables
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium high heat. Add onion, celery and red bell pepper. Cook until softened.
Ingredients
- Butter
- Onion
- Celery
- Red bell pepper
Quick Tip
Instant Pot Instructions: Using the "Sauté" function, add these ingredients and cook until softened. -
Add thickener, broth, clams and cream
Add arrowroot powder. Stir to coat. Whisk in chicken broth. Add clams & clam juice, heavy cream, daikon radish and seasonings.
Ingredients
- Arrowroot powder
- Chicken broth
- Clams
- Clam juice
- Heavy cream
- Daikon radish
- Bay leaf
- Salt
- Pepper
Quick Tip
If you use the optional daikon radish (1/2 cup) , add 1.5 net carbs to the recipe! -
Let simmer
Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Serve with chopped bacon on top.
Ingredients
- Cooked bacon (chopped)
Quick Tip
Instant Pot Instructions: Pressure on "High" for 5 minutes. Let the steam release naturally for 5 minutes before releasing the rest of the steam. Add bacon.
Hi I don’t have arrowroot powder at the moment and would love to make this today. Can I use regular cornstarch?? And how much. Or do I just omit it and add cream cheese. How much of cream cheese?? Thank you
Rosie
You can use cornstarch, but it might be higher in carbs. Try 1/2 -1 teaspoon. If you try cream cheese, I would add about 1 oz
Is the daikon radish included in the carb count per serving?
No, it’s not since it is optional
Could one use Xanthum Gum in place of the arrowroot? If so, how much would you add?
Yes, I would use 1/2 – 1 teaspoon
What about Clear Clam Chowder Like Narragaset clam chowder using cubed jicama instead of potatoes?
1 pound shucked clams 11.99 5 LB can 2.40 each can use bacon bits with onions and 3 cups water instead of chicken stock
3 cups clam juice 2.71 12 ounce 2.01
3 cups chicken stock 2.00 16 ounce 1.8
1/4 cup butter 1.20 16 ounce 0.3
2 onions, diced 3.97 5 lb bag 0.27
2 large stalks celery, chopped, with leaves 2.38 for two stalks 2.38
1 (15 ounce) can fingerling potatoes, drained and quartered 3.49 5 lb potatoes 0.48
3 tablespoons of dill weed 2.00 6 ounce 0.12
2 tablespoons black pepper 2.00 8 ounce 0.06
1 teaspoon salt 1 b sea salt 3.00 0.08
1 pinch cayenne pepper 2.00 8 ounce 0.04
1/4 Cup chopped parsley 0.69 bunch 0.05
2 drops hot pepper sauce 2.00 8 ounce bottle 0.03
total
7.62 $1.81 sell @ $9.43/4 servings
Total x+0.25 $2.36 each
you will notice there is no milk as Cows did not exist in American until 1700. Hence most Native Americans are lactose intolerant.
My figures might be off but I could get whole clams(Cohaugs) from Metro Lobster in Cranston Rhode Island.
This Keto Clam Chowder is absolutely the best clam chowder recipe I have ever tried. It is so creamy and has just the right amount of kick! My husband and I love seafood, so this will be a recipe we use over and over again!
I have been eating keto for a year now, this clam chowder is the best I have ever tried. Thanks for making this!!
There are no left overs. how I know my family loved it.
Good is an understatement, and we are now full.
We had some frozen leftover from the Washington coast! We cleaned up the “food” and diced it up. This was so special, because the clams we used we got with my now late father. It was just a special memory and it went well with this recipe.
Sally, thank you for sharing this story. I have a number of recipes that remind me of departed loved ones and they are always special.
I think this recipe turned out good.. I was hoping for a thicker chowder. I am not sure if I missed a step or what.
I’m glad you liked the recipe. To make the clam chowder thicker, you can try adding 1/2 teaspoon of arrowroot powder. That is my keto thickener of choice.
I used the little red radishes and cut them in half and omitted the arrowroot since I didn’t have on hand. I’ve been low carb for 5 years so thinner soups aren’t a bother for me. I also just threw the diced, cooked bacon into the soup for the simmer, versus sprinkling on top at the end. The flavor profile of this clam chowder is DELICIOUS. 5 star keeper. This is the first recipe I’ve tried of yours, Annie, and now I’m super curious and excited to try more. Thank you!
I grew up in New England and have really strong opinions about chowder and this one was surprisingly good!
I added cream cheese to mine when it was almost done because I wasn’t able to get heavy cream at the store so I wanted it creamier. I felt like it was a bit too peppery also. I normally don’t add salt and pepper as directed just in case but wasn’t paying attention this time. I think that’s my only complaint but it’s an easy fix! A little less salt and pepper, and each person can always add more to their liking.
My super picky eater husband went back for seconds so it’s a win for us! Love your recipes!
This looks great… however… growing up in Massachusetts, summers spent on the coast of R.I. near Narragansett, no clam Chowder EVER is made with chicken broth!!!
Clam Juice is the right liquid!!! Bottled Clam Juice!!!
Thickening the Chowder is not standard… I grew up eating the clam Chowder & learned to make it without thickener.
Google it… just not done.
Using Daikon Radish is a unique substitute… wiil need to give it a try!