I’ve never had legit clam chowder, and frankly, after slinging many bowls of the stuff while waiting tables in college, I don’t have the best feelings about this particular soup. So it took me a while to warm up to the idea of veganizing it. I’m glad I finally caved and created a vegan clam chowder recipe, because I actually love this version. It’s a creamy, New England style chowder (but I also have a recipe for Manhattan Style Vegan Chowder), and it has everything that’s good about clam chowder, and none of the bad. Having never eaten clam chowder I had to consult with my husband. Would shiitake mushrooms be a good substitute for clams? They’re savory, hearty, kind of chewy — he said go for it, so I did! To achieve the oceany flavor of clam chowder I used a bit of miso paste, Old Bay seasoning and dulse flakes. Our soup base is composed of a mix of coconut milk and vegetable broth. It’s super rich and creamy. This soup was absolutely delicious, and my husband confirmed that it’s way better than any non-vegan clam chowder!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Vegan butter. Look for this near the regular butter at your supermarket. Earth Balance, Miyoko’s and Melt are some popular brands to try.Shiitake mushrooms. Another variety of mushroom could be substituted if you’d like.Onion.Celery.Garlic.Flour. The recipe calls for all-purpose wheat flour, which will act as a thickener in our soup. I’ve heard from readers that gluten-free flour blends work just as well. Blending some of the soup in order to thicken it would be another option if you need to keep it gluten-free.White wine. This adds a lot of flavor to the soup, but you could leave it out if you prefer to cook without alcohol. If you do use it, be sure to check with Barnivore to ensure the brand you’re using is vegan.Vegetable broth. Preferably use a low sodium variety. Miso paste (listed below) is super salty, so we want to avoid oversalting the soupLight coconut milk. This doesn’t make the soup taste like coconut, but you can substitute another unflavored non-dairy milk if it’s a flavor you really hate.Golden potatoes. Russets or red potatoes could be substituted if needed.Dulse flakes. Optional ingredient! Dulse is a type of dried red algae that’s great for adding umami, and in particular for replicating the flavors of seafood. I used it in my vegan tuna salad a while back and have been playing around with it ever since. Dulse flakes are available at most health food stores. However, if you can’t find it at the store, that’s okay! The soup will still be delicious without it.Dried thyme.Old bay seasoning.Bay leaves.Miso paste. The recipe calls for white miso paste, but red or brown will also work (giving the soup a slightly different flavor). Look for miso in the international foods section of your supermarket.Salt & pepper.Accompaniments. This soup is great on it’s own, or with crackers, fresh parsley, hot sauce, and coconut bacon!
How It’s Made
Heat some of your vegan butter in a large pot and add sliced shiitake mushooms. Sauté them for a few minutes on each side, until they brown a bit, then remove them from the pot.
Now melt the rest of your vegan butter in that same pot, then add diced onion and celery. Sweat the vegetables for a few minutes to soften them up.Add the garlic to the pot and sprinkle in the flour. Cook the mixture and stir it up really well so that the flour forms a nice even coating on the veggies.Slowly pour in the wine. Stir everything well! The wine will form a thick paste with the flour and start bubbling up. Let it cook until it reduces a bit.
Stir in the broth, making sure you’ve incorporated it well with the flour mixture, then add all of the remaining ingredients, including the cooked shiitake mushrooms.Bring the soup up to a simmer and let it cook until the base has thickened a bit and the potatoes are tender. You can add a bit of water while the soup simmers if the liquid reduces too much.
Tip: Some people like to hold off on adding the miso paste until the soup has finished cooking and is off the heat. This will preserve the probiotic content of the miso. Feel free to do this if you prefer.
Take the soup off of heat when it’s done, then remove the bay leaves and season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
Tip: If you want your soup extra creamy you can blend up a small amount. Just use an immersion blender or ladle a cup or two into a regular blender, blend, and then return it to the pot. Ladle your soup into a bowl and grab a spoon! I like to top mine with fresh parsley and oyster crackers.
Leftovers & Storage
Leftover vegan clam chowder will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 days. It may thicken during storage. If this happens you can thin it with some water or broth when reheating. I don’t recommend freezing this soup.
More Creamy Vegan Soups
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