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With the holiday season in full swing, you must be up to your ears right now in cookies and treats. As much as I’m enjoying them too, it’s nice to have healthy meals sprinkled in there. Your body just feels so much better when you do! At this time of year, what better way to do that than with a big bowl of soup? This gluten-free, low carb clam chowder recipe is my latest favorite.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been craving more comforting soups as the days get colder. This is the first week that temperatures have dropped below zero (Fahrenheit). No matter how many years I live in Minnesota, I’m never ready for the sudden jolt each year when this happens. Whether we like it or not, it’s finally (unfortunately) starting to actually feel like winter around here.
To put it lightly, winter and I have never been friends. You’d think a girl that grew up in Minnesota would be more accustomed to it, but nope. It doesn’t help that most of the best fresh produce is out of season, either. All I want to do is curl up under a blanket and hibernate until spring comes!
Tempting as that may be, my way to make the most of it is a warm bowl of soup. Even better when it’s a warm bowl of creamy, New England clam chowder. Which may or may not be followed by a cup of fancy low carb hot chocolate by the crackling fireplace.
This low carb clam chowder recipe is one of the easiest recipes I have ever posted on the blog. Five ingredients and fifteen minutes are all it takes to make it! And, it’s a one-pot recipe, which equals convenience. Seriously, it doesn’t get any easier than this. When you’re tired of all the holiday baking and just want a soothing, healthy meal on a weeknight, this is the one.
The secret to this gluten-free clam chowder is making one of my favorite healthy, low carb swaps… Substituting cauliflower for white potatoes! The cauliflower provides a similar smooth, starchy texture and easily takes on the flavors of any dish without overpowering it. Since clam chowder is one of my favorite soups, it comes as no surprise that I decided to create a healthier version of it using cauliflower.
Aside from cauliflower, and of course clams, the bulk of the soup is comprised of chicken broth, unsweetened almond milk, and heavy cream. This surprisingly simple combination creates a deliciously creamy base. No thickeners required!
By the way, the ingredients are easy enough to customize if you have any food intolerances. It’s already a low carb and gluten-free clam chowder recipe to begin with, but you can address others, too.
A paleo (or whole 30) version would simply replace the heavy cream with coconut cream. If you have a nut allergy, the unsweetened almond milk could be swapped with coconut milk, or regular dairy milk if you don’t mind the extra carbs.
If you prefer a different kind of clam chowder altogether, try Manhattan clam chowder from Low Carb Maven. It has a tomato base instead.
I’ll definitely be making this low carb clam chowder all through the winter. It’s perfect to incorporate into lighter dinners now, but I know people will love it even more come January, when clean eating is fresh on everyone’s mind. Either way, this creamy soup is light enough to make your body feel good and soothing enough to feel like a satisfying treat.
Who knew a healthy clam chowder could be so simple and taste so good?
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RECIPE CARD
5-Ingredient Low Carb Clam Chowder (Gluten-free)
PrintIngredients
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- 2 6.5-oz cans Clams (chopped finely, liquid retained)
- 1 lb Cauliflower (florets only, cut in small pieces)
- 1 1/2 cup Unsweetened almond milk
- 1 1/2 cup Chicken broth
- 1 cup Heavy cream (or coconut cream for paleo/dairy-free)
- 1 tsp Sea salt
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper (or more to taste)
Instructions
RECIPE TIPS in the post above! VIDEO + nutrition info + recipe notes below!
- Combine all ingredients, except heavy cream, in a large pot. (Make sure you pour the retained liquid from the clams in there, too.) Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until cauliflower is tender.
- Stir in the heavy cream. Heat just enough for the soup to be hot again.
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Recipe Notes
- Recipe is five ingredients not including salt and pepper.
- If you prefer a thicker soup, you can puree part of it (including the base and cauliflower pieces), then return to the pot. Alternatively, you can whisk in a thickener like 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum or 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder, then simmer until thickened.
Serving size: 1 cup
NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database. You can find individual ingredient carb counts we use in the Low Carb & Keto Food List. Carb count excludes sugar alcohols. Net carb count excludes both fiber and sugar alcohols, because these do not affect blood sugar in most people. We try to be accurate, but feel free to make your own calculations.
More Low Carb & Keto Support!
If you want to know more about how to start a low carb diet, want to substitute sweeteners, need a food list, or need support, check these guides:
Low Carb & Keto Diet Plan
Starter Guide 
Sweetener Conversion Calculator 
Keto Low Carb Macro Calculator 
Low Carb Keto Food List + Printable PDF
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36 Comments
Jules
I make homemade clam chowder the old fashioned way of course with small diced potatoes. But, now I will be using your new version. With one big difference. Instead of Chicken Broth!!! lol
To get a fuller clam flavor in my soup I add two bottles of real clam juice, like what is in the can, but more of it!! Usually found where the canned minced clams are found.
You have to try it. You will never go back!
Let me know what you think!
I have never added cheese to my chowder, but, it sounds like a great add, I like cheese in everything! BACON TOO!
Still do not like to take away from the real Clam flavor. Ty from a 68 yr old beginner.
Ann Mendoza
Where do the carbs come from in this recipe? It seems a little high in carbs for one cup. I was wondering if there was something I could adjust to make it lower carb. I love cream soups.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Ann, The carbs come from the cauliflower mostly.
AJ
This turned out amazing! I tried it with the riced cauliflower that I had in the freezer! I used 2 cups of broth and one cup of heavy whipping cream instead of adding almond milk. I also used an immersion blender with half the cauliflower to make it a bit thicker.
Does anyone know if this would freeze well?
Wholesome Yum
Hi AJ, glad you liked it! I wouldn’t recommend freezing this recipe, though, since the heavy cream could separate.
Nathan Floyd
I freeze it all the time. Although not as good as just made if you slowly recook on the stove mine came out fine.
Megan
We made this today and loved it. We did use the emulsifier to thicken at the end. Didn’t miss the potatoes at all!!! New favorite soup recipe.
Brandon
Is it 1 cup + half a cup of broth and milk, or is it one half cup?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Brandon, it’s 1 1/2 cups, as in 1.5.
Val
Mmm, mmm good! I added some bacon, onion powder and thyme, and used half scallops and half clams, and did thicken it just a bit with some xantham gum. The chowder turned out way better than expected! Thanks for the recipe!
Maria
I skipped the milk entirely and added double the cream. I puréed the cauliflower and I also added shredded mozzarella to thicken. Mozzarella is perfect as it is so mild in flavor and doesn’t add a cheesy flavor to chowder. Thanks so much for this recipe. Love it so much.
Nathan Floyd
This was amazing. I cooked it a lot longer to soften the cauliflower as much possible and added an extra can of clams – what can I say, I like clams. I also added celery. Awesome. Thanks so much.
Habeas Humor
I just made this for the first time, and I love it. It tastes just like any other good bowl of clam chowder I have had. The clams and the cauliflower add a nice texture so that I didn’t even miss the traditional potatoes. They never were my favorite part of clam chowder anyway. I eat keto and therefore don’t worry about fat, so next time I might try increasing the cream and decreasing the almond milk. Then again, to me this tastes plenty creamy as is. I bought prepackaged riced cauliflower and minced canned clams to make it easy, because I am a terrible chopper. In addition to salt and pepper, I put in paprika, basil, oregano, and a little bit of onion powder.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you so much, Habeas! I’m so glad you liked it. The riced cauliflower sounds like a nice time saving idea.
Jerry Franklin
Can I substitute coconut milk in place of almond milk? Can’t have nuts.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Jerry, Yes, you definitely can!
Lauren
This was so dang tasty! I did add in a couple of ingredients though. Bacon, 1/4 onion and 2 stalks of celery. Know it ups the carb count a little bit but its nutritious and delicious! Can’t wait to make this again for sure <333
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you for sharing your additions, Lauren! I am so happy you liked it!
LeAnne
If I purée it, do I take out the clams first? Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi LeAnne, Yes, I probably would.
Daphne
Clams get rubbery if cooked too long. I always add them last and just let them heat up, not cook.
Anne Everett
This sounds great but I can’t use almond milk. Any idea what I could substitute?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Anne, Heavy cream, half & half, or coconut cream should all work.
Anne Everett
Thanks Maya!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
You are welcome, Anne!
Sonya
What’s the serving size?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Sonya, The serving size is 1/6 of the recipe.
Annie M.
I made it with clam juice instead of chicken broth, used the coconut cream substitution for heavy cream, added 1/2 cup celery, and puréed some of the cauliflower to thicken the base a bit, as suggested. It is fabulous!!! My BF and I like it even more than “traditional” NE Clam Chowder.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Annie!
Kelsey
I used the puree method you recommended and it worked great! Thanks so much!
Kelsey
I just made this – the flavor is awesome, but my soup came out thin. Did I miss something, or is there something I can do to thicken it up at this point?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Kelsey, I’m glad you liked the flavor! This version does come out a little thinner than some clam chowders, but should still be creamy. If you prefer a thicker soup, you can puree some of it (both the cream/broth base and the cauliflower) at the end, then return the puree to the rest of the soup. You could also whisk in a teaspoon of arrowroot powder or 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum, then simmer more until it thickens. I added these notes to the recipe card, too.
Katrin
This soup looks absolutely delicious. This is a must try!
Kim | Low Carb Maven
I love how easy this recipe is and the photos are beautiful. Thanks for the great recipe.
Georgina
LOVE clam chowder! And love how easy this looks to make!
Sarah
I love how simple your recipes are to follow! We finally dipped below zero here in Montana this week – so cold, but the snow is gorgeous!