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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If you make this recipe, please leave a review and rating below to let me know what you think. If you have a question, drop that below too!
📖 Recipe
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!
Florence Bedard says
Very good soup!! Thank you
Leanne says
Thank you! Happy you enjoyed it!
Heather says
This is AAAmazing! Used scallops and salmon. Added frozen corn and bacon.
Leanne says
I'm so glad you enjoyed the chowder. Adding corn and bacon sounds delicious!
Christina Flynn says
Made this for my family today and it was a hit. I put 4 kinds of seafood in it, doubled my recipe. More than enough and some for lunch and some to share. Thank you!
Leanne says
I'm so happy everyone enjoyed it! Thanks for letting me know!
Shauna says
Wow! This was FANTASTIC! Thank you for posting such an awesome recipe.
I used -
seafood broth (homemade) instead of chicken broth
a can of baby clams, white fish, and scallops (since salmon isn't a family fav here)
This recipe is so versatile too. Chicken chowder anyway? or maybe turkey?
Many thanks from northern ontario, Canada
Leanne says
Hi Shauna! I'm so happy you enjoyed the chowder. And thanks for letting me know about the substitutions you made. I like the way you think. Chicken or turkey chowder sounds delicious to me 😉 Stay well and safe in Northern Ontario!
Megan says
Could I use cod and canned clams for this as that is what I have on hand? Maybe some bacon as a garnish? Thoughts?
Leanne says
Hi Megan! I've never tried cod or canned clams in this chowder, but I think substituting the salmon for cod could totally work. If the canned clams are already cooked, I would just add them to the chowder towards the end of the cook time. And I think garnishing with bacon is a great idea. If you try this recipe with the substitutions, please let me know how it goes. Thanks!
Sabrina says
Can I freeze this if I double it? Very excited to try this recipe!
Leanne says
Hi Sabrina. I'm so happy you're excited to try it. I don't recommend freezing this soup. I've tested it and the creamy texture separates a bit and the potatoes get too mushy. Please let me know what you think if you make it!
Joanne says
Made the chowder for my family and they loved it. Thanks so much for your wonderful recipe.
Leanne says
Thanks for the feedback Joanne! I'm so happy your family enjoyed it!
Kelly Neil says
Holy mackerel, I'm not dairy-free (yet) but I'm 99% sure dairy wreaks havoc with my skin. 🙁 I didn't eat fish until I was in my late 20s and now I love chowder! I also love the look of the cashew base. Thanks for sharing!!
Leanne says
Thanks Kelly! I don't react well to dairy either and I was definitely in my 20s before I appreciated seafood!
Terri Gilson says
Perfect dinner for us, as my daughter has recently had some issues with dairy! So delicious-looking!
Leanne says
Thanks Terri! Hope you get to try it!
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.