Creamy Clam Chowder (Whole30, Paleo, Dairy Free)

Close up of healthy creamy Whole30 clam chowder in two bowls with bacon and chives

Creamy Clam Chowder (Whole30, Paleo, Dairy Free)

A super-rich and creamy New England style clam chowder that's dairy free, Whole30, and paleo. This healthy Whole30 soup is easy and loaded with potatoes, bacon, clams, and a crazy good cashew cream sauce.

Prep: 10

Cook: 30

Total: 40

Yield:4 servings

Ingredients

1 cup raw cashews
2 ½-3 cups chicken broth divided
6 slices bacon sliced
1 medium white onion chopped
2 stalks celery chopped, leaves discarded
2-3 cloves garlic minced
3 tablespoons arrowroot powder
1 pound red potatoes
1 cup clam juice
1 bay leaf
3 6.5-ounce cans chopped clams undrained, 19.5 ounces total
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
fresh chives thinly sliced, for garnish

Instructions

Place cashews in a medium heatproof bowl. In a saucepan bring 1 cup of chicken broth to a boil, then pour over cashews. Set aside.
Cook bacon in a medium saucepan until crisp then, using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease and return saucepan to stove over medium heat.
Add the onion and celery to the saucepan and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds. Sprinkle arrowroot starch over and stir until well combined.
Pour in 1 1/2 cups chicken broth and whisk until smooth. Add the potatoes, clam juice, and bay leaf to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until potatoes are cooked through and tender about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make your cashew cream: pour chicken broth-cashew mixture into a high-speed blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour cashew cream, clams, and plenty of salt and pepper into saucepan and stir. Add the extra 1/2 cup of chicken broth, if desired, to thin. Return to a simmer and cook a couple of minutes or until flavors are melded.
Ladle into serving bowls and top with bacon and chives.

Notes

If you don't have a high-speed blender, a regular blender will work fine, since you've soaked the cashews in hot chicken broth. Just make sure to not skip that step!

Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by 4. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

Recipe By:Cheryl Malik