With a smooth and creamy cashew base, this Dairy-Free Seafood Chowder is sure to satisfy your seafood chowder craving! It has chunks of potatoes, carrots and celery, along with a generous amount of scallops, salmon and shrimp, which all sit in a thick and savoury broth. One bowl makes a filling meal!
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It's been unseasonably cold here so far this winter. So along with my plans to hibernate in the house until April, I've been craving all the warm comfort food I can get. Today's recipe for Dairy-Free Seafood Chowder is a warming soup that is also a hearty meal!
I haven't always been drawn to seafood chowders. But somewhere along the way, it became one of my go-to appetizers to order whenever we dined out. There is something about the creamy texture and the chunks of seafood that is so tasty and satisfying.
Dairy, however, has become my enemy in recent years. And cream based soups, which are just so darn good, have become pretty much off-limits. So my creamy soups either have puréed veggies as their creamy base, or a non-dairy milk like coconut or almond milk.
But if you recall my obsession with cashews lately (hello, creamy cashew onion herb dip!), you know where this recipe is headed.
I added puréed cashews as the cream base, and it worked out perfectly. It added the texture and consistency you would expect in a chowder, and even re-heats beautifully in the microwave.
Needless to say, I'm pretty much in love with this seafood chowder. I've made two batches in the last week, and after I finish every bowl, I proclaim my love for it as if it was the first time I tried it! (I'm pretty sure I've startled my husband a few times when I do this!)
And it's pretty easy to make too. In about an hour you can have this cozy goodness prepped for your weekday dinners!
Recipe tips
- Soaking the cashews is key for that creamy texture, so don't skip this step. While I soak them in hot water for a short amount of time, you can also soak them in cold water over night and get the same result.
- This recipe calls for fresh bay leaves and thyme, but you can also use dried herbs. If you use dried bay leaves, just double the amount. However, if you use dried thyme, you will want to reduce the amount to one-third. I've included the quantities for both fresh and dried herbs in the recipe.
- I used no-salt added chicken broth because I like to control the amount of sodium in my recipes. If you use regular broth or reduced-sodium broth, you may want to reduce the amount of salt you add to the chowder.
If you make this recipe, I'd love to hear what you think in the comments below!
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Dairy-Free Seafood Chowder
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1 cup hot water
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or chopped
- 1 medium-sized onion, chopped
- 2 cups chopped carrot
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 ½ cups baby potatoes, halved
- 4 cups no-salt added chicken broth
- 4 fresh bay leaves, (or 8 dried bay leaves)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- ½ + ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ¼ + ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
- 2 cups chopped/cubed salmon, uncooked
- 2 cups shrimp, uncooked, peeled, deveined and tails removed
- 1 cup scallops, uncooked
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- In a glass jar or dish, add the cashews and hot water. Cover and let soak for 30 minutes. (Use this time to prep the other ingredients).
- In a medium-sized pot or dutch oven, heat up one tablespoon of oil on medium-heat and add the garlic and onion. Reduce heat and sauté on low for 8-10 minutes. Add the carrots and celery and sauté for 5 minutes. Lastly, add the potatoes and sauté for another 5 minutes. During this process, stir the veggies frequently so they don't burn onto the bottom of the pot.
- Add the broth, bay leaves, thyme, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and stir to combine. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let veggies cook for 10 minutes.
- While the veggies are cooking, prepare the seafood. In a frying pan or cast iron skillet, heat up the remaining tablespoon of oil on medium-heat. Add in the salmon, shrimp and scallops and sprinkle on the smoked paprika, garlic powder and remaining salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the seafood is cooked through.
- While the seafood is cooking, add the cashews and water to a blender, and blend on high until smooth and creamy.
- Once the veggies have cooked for 10 minutes, pour the cashew cream into the pot and stir until combined. Add in the cooked seafood and stir to combine. Cover and let simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaves and serve immediately, or store in an airtight glass dish in the fridge and enjoy within 3 days.
Notes
- This recipe calls for no-salt added chicken broth. If you use regular or reduced-sodium broth, consider reducing the amount of salt you add to the recipe.
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Nutrition Facts per Serving
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is an estimate only and will vary depending on the substitutions made and the brands used.
Did you make this recipe or have any questions?
I love reading your comments and addressing your questions, so please leave your comments and ratings or questions below!
Bernice Hill says
What a great way to thicken soups ! It sure looks creamy and inviting.
Leanne says
Thanks Bernice!
Ayngelina Brogan says
One of my absolute favourite Maritime dishes and I love that you made a non-dairy option for this.
Leanne says
Thanks Ayngelina! Chowder is definitely a popular dish here in Newfoundland!
Craig says
Okay Leanne,
You knocked it out of the park with this recipe. To be honest, this comes from a guy who, for the most part, cannot cook to save my soul. The odd time I am like a blind squirrel in that I will find a nut once in awhile and come up with something good. Most holidays I attempt to make a seafood chowder. It didn't matter how much I spent to juice it up with copious amounts of fine seafood, it seemed like it just got to be too rich with the seafood and cream based stock. I wanted to remove the dairy this year thinking that may be the problem, at least for me. Your recipe was bang on and everyone is loving it. I agree with Wayne that it takes longer than the hour you suggest but Wayne may be like me in that it takes me hours to make anything. Additionally, like Wayne, I doubled the recipe and have enough to feed a small army but that is okay as it is Christmas and there will be plenty to feed. For me, I need to prep everything before I start, where my wife seems to be able to multi-task and whip off awesome meals without breaking a sweat. I suspect you are the same if you can pull this off in an hour. But even with the 2-3 hours it took me, I found it easy to pull together and it was a total success.
BTW, providing the alternate amounts for fresh versus dried ingredients was a god send for me and I suspect others who are challenged as I am with knowing what to do in the spice department.
So hats off to you my friend, please keep posting other great recipes, you are awesome in my book.
Thank you,
Craig
Leanne says
Hi Craig. Thank you so much for taking time out of your Christmas Eve to post this comment. It made my day! I'm so glad you enjoyed the chowder, and I plan to take your's and Wayne's comments into account the next time I make this chowder, and adjust the prep time and serving size, if necessary. Thanks again for sharing your feedback. I really appreciate it. Happy holidays!
Wayne says
Great recipe but there are problems. There is now way I could possibly do all of that at once. So it must be broken down and it takes longer. Counting the chopping it is more.like 3-4 hours. But I could watch TV while chopping. Second, it makes a LOT more than it says. I made a double batch, which should be 8 helping/bowls. It filled my largest pot. Probably made twice as many servings, maybe more. But we love it.
Really like it!
I also added a can of corn. Gave it some additional texture.
Leanne says
Hi Wayne! Thanks for your feedback. Glad to hear you liked the chowder!
Michaela says
Oops sorry I see somebody already asked this
Michaela says
This looks so delicious and I am excited to make this. Unfortunately I do not have a blender. Is there a substitute I could use for the creaminess instead? maybe cashew milk + cornstarch to thicken?
Leanne says
Hi Michaela. Unfortunately, I haven't tested the recipe using cashew milk and cornstarch to thicken, so I'm not sure if that would work. If you use just cashew milk, it will definitely be less thick and creamy. The pureed cashews add the thick, chowder-like texture. Hope that helps. Thanks for your question.
Deirdre Loewen says
This looks amazing! Do you think making it with store bought cashew milk would work? Or is homemade a lot creamier?
Thanks!
Leanne says
Thanks Deirdre! I haven't tested this chowder with store bought cashew milk, but the pureed cashews in the recipe are creamy and create the thick chowder texture. So if you use store bought milk, the chowder will be less thick and creamy. Hope that helps!
Gunjan says
This soup sounds so comforting and perfect for this fall. I am sure my brother will live it. Shari g this recipe with him so he can also enjoy.
Leanne says
Thank you!
Jacqui Debono says
Chowder is my favourite and I have a lovely new pot to make this in! Perfect for cooler days!
Leanne says
Great timing! Hope you like it!
Jenni LeBaron says
This dairy-free seafood chowder looks and sounds absolutely delicious! I love how creamy the base of this is, especially for being dairy-free! This will definitely be a delicious warm up in the coming weeks as fall weather approaches!
Leanne says
Thanks Jenni! Definitely one you'll want to make as the weather gets colder!
Jessica (Swanky Recipes) says
I've made a dairy-free potato soup before but it was not with homemade cashew milk! This is pretty easy sounded, too. I might have to give it a try since it's all from scratch!
Leanne says
Thanks Jessica! I hope you get a chance to make it some time!
Aline says
I would have never guessed looking at the photos that this creamy soup is dairy free!! I love making chowder, and now I have to try this version ASAP - looks simply delicious!
Leanne says
The magic of cashews! Thanks Aline! Hope you like it!
Amanda Mason says
I love that this is dairy free!! Cashew base taste is amazing! Love the variety of seafood used and the veggies are amazing. Definitely a keeper recipe!
Leanne says
Thank you Amanda!
Debbie says
Your ingredients for this chowder are just lovely!! The cashew puree base sounds so intriguing and yummy at the same time. I love a good seafood chowder but not always the heaviness of the creams..yours sounds fabulous with a nice balance of flavors. I can't wait to try it!!
Leanne says
Thanks Debbie! I hope you like it. It's definitely filling but not as heavy as a cream-based chowder.
Linda says
This chowder looks so comforting and can't believe it's dairy-free, too. I bet those cashews add extra flavor to this chowder and I can't wait to try this one.
Leanne says
The cashews add all the creamy texture! Thanks Linda!
Jordan says
Holy yum! I absolutely love seafood. This looks perfectly creamy and SO flavor packed. Saving this for fall meal plans. 🙂
Leanne says
Thanks Jordan!
Mama Maggie's Kitchen says
I am craving right now!!!! Seafood is heaven! This Dairy Free Seafood Chowder looks super delicious. I should satisfy my taste buds soon.
Leanne says
Thanks Maggie! Hope you get your chowder fix soon!
SHANIKA says
I love that this Soup is Dairy-Free and GF! I've never tried Seafood Soup, but the loaded seafood in this recipe sound irresistible!
Leanne says
You'll have to try it some time! Thanks Shanika!