Dairy-Free Chowder

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Servings: 8
Yield: 8 servings

Description

This easy formula for dairy-free chowder adapts to any main ingredient you want, whether it's clams, fish, mixed seafood, or even corn.

Ingredients

1/2 cup vegetable oil, divided
1 small onion, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 slices bacon, diced
2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced, or more to taste
1 (8 ounce) bottle clam juice
2 1/2 cups minced clams, drained
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups almond milk
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1 Heat 1/4 cup oil a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and bacon to hot oil; cook and stir until bacon fat renders and onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes and clam juice. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Cook until potatoes are fork-tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Add clams and cook for 10 minutes more.
2 Meanwhile, combine remaining 1/4 cup oil and flour in a separate saucepan over medium heat. Stir until paste-like and light golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in almond milk; cook and stir until mixture becomes a thick slurry, 6 to 7 minutes more.
3 Stir slurry into clam chowder until thickened. Season with salt and pepper; serve hot.