Keto Clam Chowder Recipe [Slow Cooked with Bacon] (2024)

New England clam chowder belongs in a soup category of its own. So creamy and comforting, there is nothing like good clam chowder.

However, after taking a closer look, you’ll often find high-carb veggies and all-purpose flour lurking in every spoonful. These two ingredients turn what could be a keto-friendly staple into a carb-laden soup.

It’s time to flip the script on clam chowder by making it both healthy and satisfying with one simple keto recipe.

Keto Clam Chowder Recipe [Slow Cooked with Bacon] (1)

Is Clam Chowder Keto? Carbs in New England Clam Chowder

Whether it is Manhattan or New England clam chowder, they are rarely made in a keto-friendly way. Both versions rely on high-carb veggies, especially New England clam chowder.

After adding potatoes, carrots, and all-purpose flour, the net carb content reaches over 18 grams in each serving. Some recipes even come with over 30 grams per cup!

Fortunately for us keto dieters, it is easier to take out the carbs than it is to add them in. In fact, all it takes is a few simple changes to make clam chowder keto.

How to Make Delicious, Healthy, and Keto-friendly Clam Chowder

The secret to cutting the carbs from your chowder without losing flavor is to keep it simple.

Rather than relying on watery ingredients and using flour to thicken it, use thick and flavorful keto ingredients and let the broth and clam juice thin it.

With this clam chowder recipe, for example, you’ll use cream cheese and heavy cream as your soup base. Along with that, you’ll be incorporating exclusively low-carb ingredients, which will add all the flavors and textures we love without the unnecessary carbs.

Cooking Tips For The Best Keto Clam Chowder

By following this keto recipe step by step, you’ll be able to make a super satisfying clam chowder. There are, however, a few extra steps you can use to elevate your experience even more:

  • Start by carmelizing the onions in bacon fat. Before adding the onions to your slow cooker, carmelize them in the leftover bacon fat. This will add an extra kick of umami and bacon flavor to your keto clam chowder.
  • Save some crisp bacon for garnishing. To add another level of texture, sprinkle some crisp bacon on top of your chowder serving.
  • Don’t forget the salt! If the flavors are falling flat for you, you may need to add a pinch of salt to bring them out.
  • Add a touch of hot sauce. This keto clam chowder pairs wonderfully with spice. Try serving with your favorite hot sauce to add an extra punch of flavor.
  • Replace the potatoes with a low-carb vegetable. If you crave the mouthfeel of a starchy potato in your chowder, try using a keto-friendly vegetable The two best potato substitutes for keto are daikon radish and cauliflower. Simply cut your veggies into spoonable pieces and add them to the slow cooker with the other vegetables. (Just remember to add the extra macronutrients from those veggies with the nutrition info for the clam chowder recipe.)
  • Serve with keto crackers. If you love having chowder with a side of something crunchy and bready, try making our Pesto Keto Crackers. They are the perfect low-carb replacement for oyster crackers.

Common FAQs for Keto Chowder: Stovetop and Clam-free Options

This clam chowder recipe is surprisingly versatile as well. It can easily be converted in a way that fits your flavor and cooking preferences.

Do I Need a Slow Cooker? How to Make a Quick Stovetop Chowder

If you want to shorten the cooking time, simply cook it in a large pot on your stovetop.

First, cook the veggies through (in the chicken stock). Then, add the clams, clam juice, bacon, cream cheese, and heavy cream.

Your chowder will be done once it has reached your desired temperature, and all the ingredients are well incorporated.

Are There Any Clam-free Keto Chowder Options?

If you are not a fan of clams, replace the clams and clam juice with your preferred seafood, meat, or low-carb vegetables.

For some culinary inspiration, give this low carb chowder recipe a try: .

Yields 8 servings of Keto Clam Chowder

The Preparation

  • 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 small leek, sliced
  • 2 ribs celery, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 ten-ounce cans whole baby clams, drained
  • 2 cups clam juice
  • 8 ounce thick-cut bacon, chopped and cooked
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme

The Execution

1. Prep all ingredients. Put the slow cooker on low setting.

Keto Clam Chowder Recipe [Slow Cooked with Bacon] (2)

2. Add chicken broth, onion, leek, celery, garlic, butter, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 1 hour.

Keto Clam Chowder Recipe [Slow Cooked with Bacon] (3)

3. Once vegetables have softened, add clams, clam juice, cooked bacon, cream cheese, and heavy cream.

Keto Clam Chowder Recipe [Slow Cooked with Bacon] (4)

4. Stir together until cream cheese is softened and well incorporated. Add thyme and stir again. Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low.

Keto Clam Chowder Recipe [Slow Cooked with Bacon] (5)

5. Optionally: Turn slow cooker to high and leave the lid off for 30 minutes if you want to reduce the chowder to make it thicker.

Keto Clam Chowder Recipe [Slow Cooked with Bacon] (6)

6. Serve hot and enjoy!

Keto Clam Chowder Recipe [Slow Cooked with Bacon] (7)

Makes a total of 8 servings of Keto Clam Chowder. Each serving comes out to be 471 calories, 39.8g fat, 8.1g net carbs, and 21.6g protein.

NUTRITIONCALORIESFATCARBSFIBERNET CARBSPROTEIN
1/4 cup chicken broth3.70.10.300.30.4
1 medium onion, chopped410.29.51.38.21.3
1 small leek, sliced380.39.41.28.21
2 ribs celery, diced140.131.21.80.6
4 cloves garlic, minced180.140.33.70.8
2 tablespoons butter204230000.2
2 teaspoon sea salt000000
1 teaspoon black pepper50.11.30.50.80.2
3 ten-ounce cans whole baby clams3757.51501567.5
8 ounce thick-cut bacon1061803.903.977
8 ounces cream cheese794781301314
1 1/2 cups heavy cream12141299.809.810
1 teaspoon dried thyme3.30.10.80.40.40.1
Totals3771318.5704.965.1173.1
Per Serving (/8)471.439.88.80.68.121.6
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Print

Keto Clam Chowder

Total Time: 8 hours

Yield: 8 servings

Calories per serving: 471

Fat per serving: 39.8

Keto Clam Chowder Recipe [Slow Cooked with Bacon] (8)

The Preparation

  • 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 small leek, sliced
  • 2 ribs celery, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 ten-ounce cans whole baby clams, drained
  • 2 cups clam juice
  • 8 ounce thick-cut bacon, chopped and cooked
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme

The Execution

  1. Prep all ingredients. Put slow cooker on low setting.
  2. Add chicken broth, onion, leek, celery, garlic, butter, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 1 hour.
  3. Once vegetables have softened, add clams, clam juice, cooked bacon, cream cheese, and heavy cream.
  4. Stir together until cream cheese is softened and well incorporated. Add thyme and stir again. Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low.
  5. Optionally: Turn slow cooker to high and leave the lid off for 30 minutes if you want to reduce the chowder to make it thicker.
  6. Serve hot and enjoy!

Notes

Makes a total of 8 servings of Keto Clam Chowder. Each serving comes out to be 471 calories, 39.8g fat, 8.1g net carbs, and 21.6g protein.

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Keto Clam Chowder Recipe [Slow Cooked with Bacon] (2024)

FAQs

What is a good substitute for potatoes in chowder? ›

Replacing the potatoes is easy and you've got some choices here. My favorite substitute for keto soups and stews is turnip, as I think it ends up most like potatoes in taste and texture. Daikon radish is also a great alternative. Simply cube these vegetables the same way you would a potato and add it in.

Which bacon is keto friendly? ›

If you're looking for keto bacon, turn to Coleman Natural's line of uncured bacon products. Our Hickory Smoked Uncured Bacon contains only one gram of carbohydrates per serving, and our Sugar-Free Applewood Smoked Uncured Bacon is carb-free. Coleman Hickory Smoked Uncured Bacon is free from chemical preservatives.

What is a good thickener for clam chowder? ›

This clam chowder recipe should produce perfectly rich soup. If you'd like your chowder a little thicker, though, you can thicken it with a cornstarch slurry. Simply stir cornstarch into a small amount of cold water (or another liquid, such as wine or stock), then stir the mixture into the simmering chowder.

Does clam chowder contain bacon? ›

Most basic recipes for clam chowder call for rendering down some form of salted pork (bacon or salt pork usually), sweating onions and celery in the rendered fat, a touch of flour, followed by milk, potatoes, chopped, and occasionally bottled clam juice.

What two ingredients must be present for the soup to be called a chowder? ›

Chowder is a soup with cream or milk mixed with ingredients such as potatoes, sweet corn, smoked haddock, clams and prawns, etc. Some cream-style chowders do not use cream, and are instead prepared using milk and a roux to thicken them.

What is a low-carb substitute for potatoes? ›

Cauliflower, the king of low-carb vegetables, leads the pack with its versatility and ability to mimic the texture and flavor of potatoes. Other alternatives include turnips, rutabaga, kohlrabi, celeriac, radishes, zucchini, spaghetti squash, parsley roots, daikon radish, pumpkin, jicama, and the lesser-known chayote.

Will bacon kick me out of ketosis? ›

If you've been asking —is bacon keto, we're here to tell you yes (and also encourage you to eat it). Among otherpork products, bacon is high in fat, making it in the ideal candidate for a keto-friendly, low carb breakfast.

How many eggs can I eat on keto? ›

We'll also share some great low-carb egg-based keto recipes. Eggs are keto-friendly and safe to eat when you're on the ketogenic diet. Eggs are low in carbs while containing high amounts of protein and healthy fats. You can have 6 to 7 eggs every day while on the keto diet.

How do I substitute bacon for keto? ›

On keto, you can replace bacon with other high-fat and low-carb protein sources such as turkey bacon, Canadian bacon, sausage patties, or even tofu bacon for a vegetarian option. Any lean protein will work at Breakfast time. Try turkey bacon chicken sausage or grill a beef burger.

How to add flavor to clam chowder? ›

The shortcut to making anything taste good is sizzling some onions and garlic in oil, and canned clam chowder is no exception. Sauteed alliums (onions, garlic, and other related vegetables) will add complexity, savoriness, and sweetness to your canned soup, lending it just a touch of homemade flavor.

What can I add to canned clam chowder to make it taste better? ›

Kirshtein tells Insider the key to his favorite Campbell's New England clam chowder: "I usually like to season it up with a splash of Worcestershire sauce, a bit of hot sauce, and a couple grinds of black pepper," he said.

Can Jews eat clam chowder? ›

Salmon, tuna and other fish with scales and fins are fine. But that Maine lobster roll isn't kosher. Neither is that charred octopus, sushi-grade freshwater eel, clam chowder, Dungeness crab, oysters on the half shell nor catfish, which don't have scales.

What meat goes with clam chowder? ›

Bacon can make everything better, including cham chowder. Now a bowl of juicy clams, potatoes, and chunks of bacon is a perfect mix. Rather than being a side dish, bacon is more of a topping or ingredient in the chowder. Regardless of the technicality bacon is an incredible addition to a bowl of clam chowder.

What makes New England clam chowder different? ›

Also referred to as “Boston-style” clam chowder, New England chowder is milk or cream-based, making it significantly thicker than other regional styles. It's often made with milk, butter, potatoes, pork, onion, and clams and accompanied by oyster crackers.

Does chowder have to have potatoes? ›

Customarily, chowder included onion, potatoes, and cream. Nowadays, not all chowders adhere to these guidelines. New England Clam Chowder is sometimes made with milk, whereas Manhattan Clam Chowder doesn't have any milk or cream but has a tomato base instead.

How do you thicken soup without potatoes? ›

6 ways to thicken soup:
  1. Blend all or part of it. If you've made a broth with chunks of vegetable in it, such as minestrone soup, then pour the soup through a sieve. ...
  2. Add cream or yogurt. ...
  3. Add flour or cornflour. ...
  4. Use a butter and flour paste. ...
  5. Blend in bread. ...
  6. Add lentils or rice.

What is a healthy substitute for potatoes? ›

Mash cauliflower (only 5 grams of carbohydrates per cup) makes for a delicious substitute to your traditional mashed potatoes side dish. Use a whole grain such as quinoa, bulgur, couscous or brown rice in place of your potato. You can also add a whole grain roll where your potato would normally be.

What is a good substitute for new potatoes? ›

That being said, any small potato will work in a recipe that calls for new potatoes, but red and fingerlings share the most similar characteristics with new ones. They become creamy if you boil them and are delicious when drizzled with an herb-infused olive oil.

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