• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Vegan Huggs
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Sign up!
  • Contact Me
  • Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Contact Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • Γ—

    Home Β» Soups and Salads

    New England Vegan Clam Chowder

    January 16, 2017 By Melissa Huggins / 149 Comments

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Yummly

    This post contains affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

    Jump to Recipe
    Warm up on a chilly night with this rich, creamy & hearty New England Vegan Clam Chowder. It takes 30 minutes to make & it's easy to prepare, too.

    Warm up on a chilly night with this rich, creamy & hearty New England Vegan Clam Chowder. It takes 30 minutes to make & it's easy to prepare, too.

    Bowl of Vegan Clam Chowder with crackers and parsley on the side.

    If anyone knows me, they know I'm a big soup fanatic. They are easy to prepare, filling, satisfying, inexpensive, and they're great make-ahead and freezable meals. Some family favorites in the rotation are my Vegan French Onion Soup, my Creamy Potato Leek Soup, and this New England Vegan Clam Chowder.

    Table of Contents

    • Vegan Clam Chowder? How is that possible?
    • Does Vegan Clam Chowder Taste Like The Original?
    • What is Vegan Clam Chowder made of?
    • Vegan Clam Chowder (Gluten-Free)

    Vegan Clam Chowder? How is that possible?

    People may wonder why some vegans want to recreate a recipe that is mostly animal-based. For me, I just like to enjoy flavors and textures that are familiar to me, and there's nothing else behind it. I also feel recipes like this are great for transitioning vegans, and they can change their diet without changing their palate.

    Besides, most animal-based ingredients taste kind of bland on their own. It's the veggies, herbs, and spices that bring a recipe to life.

    Clams have a chewy texture, are salty, and sometimes sandy. Yep, I've had clam chowder with sand in it, and it's not appetizing. Imagine just boiling clams in water without any flavoring - not so tasty anymore, right?

    What makes clam chowder appealing is the creamy, buttery texture, the tender veggies, and the warm, comforting feeling you get when you eat it. So why not recreate the clam-like texture, saltiness and subtle sea-like flavor and make a tasty and cruelty-free version? Sounds good to me!

    Overhead view of two white bowls of vegan clam chowder. Crackers and spoons on the side.

    Does Vegan Clam Chowder Taste Like The Original?

    Now I'm not going to say this tastes exactly like clam chowder, but it's pretty darn close. This vegan version will provide similar textures and flavors to the original without using dairy or clams.

    It's creamy, rich, buttery, hearty, and worlds healthier, too.

    You won't be missing flavor at all, but you'll be skipping out on unhealthy fat, antibiotics & other nasty stuff from the dairy. Plus, it will be sans mercury and other contaminants from the clams.

    With this Vegan Clam Chowder, you can leave your friends in the ocean and cow’s udders alone.

    Close up photo of vegan clam chowder in a white bowl. Spoon in the bowl with mushrooms on top.

    What is Vegan Clam Chowder made of?

    To create the clam-like texture, I sautéed white button mushrooms in vegan butter, garlic, and a bit of soy sauce. This will give them a nice depth and a hint of saltiness. Any mushrooms can be used, but I decided to use the most readily available and cheapest.

    This goes well with oyster mushrooms or shiitake too, but those can be costly. You can also add a blend of your faves. There are no mushroom rules here!

    Next, I sautéed onions, garlic, celery, carrots, and thyme together. Carrots aren't traditionally used in the New England version, but they're in the East Hampton one. I like the pop of color, flavor, and texture they add, so I use them. Feel free to omit them.

    I'm not sure if this is traditionally used either, but I've gotta add some vino when possible. It adds another layer of flavor, plus it's a great excuse to have a glass while you're cooking. Check out Barnivore for a vegan wine selection.

    To thicken the soup, I sprinkle in gluten-free flour, but you can use regular all-purpose flour. Now I add the vegetable broth, potatoes, and sea salt.

    To give the chowder a subtle sea-like flavor, I use kelp or dulse flakes/granules. Broken up nori sheets can be used too. This ingredient isn't necessary but will make the flavor more reminiscent of clam chowder. It also provides a natural source of iodine too.

    For the creamy finish, I blended raw cashews together with unsweetened soy milk. Any milk can be used, I just prefer soy because it has a richer texture. Full-fat coconut milk would be my next choice. Just make sure the milk is unsweetened.

    Now ladle it into your favorite soup bowls, top with fresh-cut parsley, and side with classic saltine crackers or crispy bread.

    Are you ready to give this a try? Let's do this!

    half view of vegan clam chowder in a white bowl with a line of crackers on the side.

    I’d love to hear from you

    If you make this Vegan Clam Chowder, I’d love to get your feedback. You can leave a comment below and let me know what you think. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs so I don’t miss it.

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
    4.99 from 81 votes

    Vegan Clam Chowder (Gluten-Free)

    Warm up on a chilly night with this rich, creamy & hearty New England Vegan Clam Chowder. It takes 30 minutes to make & it's easy to prepare, too.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Total Time45 mins
    Course: Main Course, Soup
    Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Vegan
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 246kcal
    Author: Melissa Huggins

    Ingredients

    Cream Base (see note for alternative)

    • Β½ cup raw cashews, soaked in water 2-4 hours (*See Note)
    • ΒΎ cup unsweetened soy milk (or any plant-based milk)

    Mushrooms

    • 1 tablespoon vegan butter (or olive oil)
    • 8 oz white button mushrooms, cut into Β½-inch pieces (or any mushrooms)
    • 1 garlic clove, minced
    • 1 teaspoon low sodium tamari (sub soy sauce)

    Soup Base

    • 2 tablespoon vegan butter (sub with olive oil)
    • 1 medium yellow onion , diced
    • 2 celery stalks , diced
    • 2 medium carrots , diced or sliced ΒΌ inch thick
    • 2-3 med/large cloves garlic , minced
    • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    • Β½ cup dry white wine (a vegan variety)
    • 4 cups vegetable broth , low sodium
    • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (gluten-free or regular)
    • 2 medium russet potatoes , peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 2 teaspoons kelp granules or dulse flakes (*see note)
    • 1 teaspoon Himalayan salt , more to taste
    • 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (*optional)
    • Fresh cracked pepper , to taste
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Cream Base

    • Blend the soy milk & cashews (discard soaking water) together until very smooth. Set aside.

    Mushrooms

    • In a large sauce pot over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon butter. When heated, add mushrooms and sauté until the liquid evaporates (about 3 minutes). Now add 1 clove minced garlic and soy sauce. Sauté until the mushrooms are tender & lightly browned. About 2-4 minutes. Remove mushrooms and set aside.

    Soup Base

    • Wipe out the same pot and return to stove. Heat butter over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add celery, carrots, garlic & thyme. Sauté about 5-7 minutes or until veggies are tender.
    • Add wine and turn heat up to medium-high to simmer. Once simmering turn heat back to medium. Cook wine down about  3-5 minutes. Stir often.
    • Sprinkle flour over veggies and stir constantly for 30-60 seconds.
    • Stir in broth and add potatoes, bay leaf, kelp granules, and salt. Bring to a simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Discard bay leaves.
    • Turn heat to medium low and slowly stir in cashew cream. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed. Cook for 3-4 minutes and remove from heat. Stir in mushrooms, lemon juice and fresh cracked pepper.
    • Place in your favorite soup bowls & garnish with fresh parsley. Side with crackers or crispy bread. Enjoy!

    Notes

    *To speed up soaking time for cashews: in a small pot, boil water and remove from heat. Add cashews and cover for 15-20 minutes, until softened.
    • To make this cashew-free, omit the Cream Base Step (soy milk and cashews)and replace it with 1 cup of canned lite coconut milk. Add to soup after removing from heat. 
    * If you can't find kelp granules, you can use dulse flakes, dulse granules or break up a small piece of nori. If you don't want the ocean-like flavor, you can omit the seaweed altogether. It will still be delicious!  You can also add a teaspoon of Old Bay Seasoning.
    *Prep time doesn't include soaking time for cashews
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 497mg | Potassium: 708mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 210IU | Vitamin C: 5.4mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 2.5mg
    Tried this recipe?Follow me @veganhuggs and mention #veganhuggs!

    Vegan Huggs Weekly Newsletter

    Receive the tastiest vegan recipes straight to your inbox! Join now and get my Fan Favorites ebook FREE!

    More Vegan Soups and Salads

    • Vegan Cauliflower Soup
    • Chickpea Curry Soup
    • Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup
    • Vegan Ceviche
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Yummly
    melissa

    About Melissa

    I’m Melissa Huggins – the creator of Vegan Huggs. I started this blog to share delicious vegan recipes that everyone will love. Yep, that includes carnivores, too! Read more...

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Leora

      January 22, 2023 at 4:56 pm

      Creamy and oceany. A truly creative recipe! Love this style of vegan that uses whole foods yet not afraid of a little richness πŸ™‚

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        January 27, 2023 at 11:57 am

        Thank you so much, Leora! I am happy that you tried and love this recipe.Definitely a family favorite. πŸ™‚

        Reply
    2. Kimberly

      January 22, 2023 at 6:46 am

      This was fantastic! I used Portobello mushrooms because it's what I had. I also used extra carrot and potato because I'm greedy. Lol I did finish it with the fresh lemon. Definitely a keeper!

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        January 27, 2023 at 11:56 am

        Thanks for dropping by and leaving fantastic feedback, Kimberly. πŸ™‚

        Reply
    3. Zuqueen

      January 21, 2023 at 4:07 pm

      5 stars
      It was so good. Added a cup of collard greens. This will be on rotation next week

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        January 27, 2023 at 11:55 am

        That is great to know, Zuqueen. Happy weekend. πŸ™‚

        Reply
    4. Cindy

      September 25, 2022 at 9:32 am

      5 stars
      Amazing recipe! I made a few substitutions (baby reds instead of russets, cashew milk vs soy, omitted wine and used brown rice flour instead of APF). So incredible and left me feeling much lighter than with regular clam chowder. I love these kinds of recipes for ways to integrate much healthier options and recipes/ingredients I'm not as familiar with using. I love your page and recipes! So many great ideas!

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        September 28, 2022 at 4:33 pm

        You made my day Cindy! I am so pleased that you like my recipes and find them helpful. ❀️

        Reply
    5. Sandy

      May 01, 2022 at 1:21 pm

      5 stars
      This was amazing! I highly recommend using oyster mushrooms!! It tasted so much like seafood! :)) I’m so happy with this recipe! I followed it exactly except for lemon which I didn’t have on hand.

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        May 03, 2022 at 8:59 am

        I am glad you loved it, Sandy! Thanks for giving it a try.

        Reply
    6. Tumbleweed

      January 18, 2022 at 1:47 pm

      5 stars
      An exceptional recipe, delicious, hearty, & home style. However, we didn’t get much β€œclam chowder” as much as we did an fantastic potato/veg soup. Perhaps we did something wrong, either way, an absolute keeper of a recipe!

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        February 07, 2022 at 9:44 pm

        I'm so glad you liked the recipe. Did you add the kelp flakes? I feel like that adds a nice ocean-like flavor. Thanks for leaving your feedback πŸ™‚

        Reply
    7. Claire

      December 27, 2021 at 12:52 pm

      Hi there! Curious what the serving size is for this soup? The recipe says 6 serves but is that for 1 cup? 2 cups? I work for a soup kitchen and its super helpful to have the volume per serving so I can multiply the recipe correctly!

      Reply
    8. Mychael

      June 29, 2021 at 2:30 pm

      Absolutely love this. I need to make a version without wine - anything I can sub for that?

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        July 01, 2021 at 12:36 pm

        Hi Mychael, you can just omit the wine and it'll still be delicious! πŸ™‚

        Reply
    9. Joseph

      June 23, 2021 at 2:21 pm

      5 stars
      Excellent recipe!!!

      Reply
      • Support @ Vegan Huggs

        June 25, 2021 at 7:46 am

        Hi Joseph! We're happy you liked it - thanks for stopping by πŸ™‚

        Reply
    « Older Comments

    Primary Sidebar

    I’m Melissa Huggins – the creator of Vegan Huggs. I started this blog to share delicious vegan recipes that everyone will love. Yep, that includes carnivores, too!

    More about me β†’

    • vegan huggs facebook
    • vegan huggs Instagram.
    • vegan huggs pinterest
    • YouTube

    My Most Popular

    • Vegan Crab Cakes
    • Easy Vegan Quiche
    • Sticky Sesame Cauliflower
    • Creamy Vegan Potato Leek Soup
    • Cheesy Vegan Cauliflower Casserole
    • Grilled Portobello Mushroom Steaks

    Footer

    SEEN ON

    ^ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
    • Recipe Index

    Newsletter

    Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Subscribe

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright Β© 2020 Vegan Huggs

    We use cookies to ensure that you have the best experience possible on our website. By continuing on the site you agree to the use of your cookies by www.veganhuggs.com