This 21 Day Fix New England Clam Chowder uses cauliflower's superpowers to make it taste rich and creamy without all of the fat and calories of heavy cream. Big bonuses: extra veggies, it's gluten free and now with New INSTANT POT instructions and WW Freestyle Points!
Hey readers! This 21 Day Fix New England Clam Chowder recipe was originally posted on 2/14/16 and I’ve just updated it to include quick and easy Instant Pot directions! Enjoy!
Don’t have an Instant Pot yet? Click here to check it out on Amazon! (affiliate link)
Ya know, I've always LOVED clam chowder but for some reason it's never occurred to me to make it myself. I really have no clue why. That happens to me sometimes. I have so many ideas and things floating around inside my head that dishes that I already adore occasionally get completely forgotten about.
In fact, the only reason this recipe is on the blog right now is because a friend asked me to fixify it for her and I happily obliged. Honestly I was thrilled with the request because like I said, chowdah is my jam.
Have you ever had a bowl of clam chowder and thought, "This is really great, but some of these clams are impossible to chew through!"? Well I'm about to change. your. life. Well, that may be a bit dramatic, but STILL! Anyway, most recipes call for buying canned chopped clams. And hey, if that's your thing, if you just LOVE to spend eons chewing and chewing and chewing, then go for it. You'll get no judgement from me. Ok, maybe a little side-eye, but nothing to get worked up over. I am aware that that's what the purists are doing, but I say, go ahead purists! Give yourself a jaw-cramp! But listen, I just don't have time for a jaw cramp. After dinner I fully intend on eating dessert and nothing, NOTHING will stand in the way of me and dessert.
I digress... instead of picking up chopped clams, what I'll be doing instead, is buying a can of whole baby clams. They're actually labeled "fancy" whole baby clams, because I'm fancy like Nancy. It's time to put on your granny's favorite pearls, stick out your pinky finger and get fancy too because these little babies are freaking fantastic.
They taste the same even though they seem to be a different type of clam altogether. BUT! They're nice and tender and absolutely perfect for some clam chowder. I just throw them in whole (because I'm lazy like that), but feel free to chop them up a bit if you prefer.
To make this thick and creamy soup, well, thick and creamy, I used my very favorite tastes-like-dairy-but-it's-not (though I did add a little dairy here) secret weapon: Cauliflower. Because it's magic, people and if you haven't tried blending it up in a dish yourself yet, you should check out the following recipes and you can thank me later: Individual Potato Gratins, 21 Day Fix Broccoli Mac & Cheese (one of the top recipes on this blog every. single. month.), Crab Cake Mac & Cheese, Roasted Vegetable Chicken Chili with Avocado, and 21 Day Fix Broccoli Cheese Soup (another fan favorite!).
Here's a quick little tutorial on how this clam chowder is done:
Then you just heat through and you have this deliciousness that you'll serve with the reserved turkey bacon:
It's basically a vat of creamy deliciousness. Can I just eat some right now??
I know what you're wondering (unless you read the title of this post in it's entirety):
Can you make 21 Day Fix New England Clam Chowder in an Instant Pot?
Damn straight you can! But honestly, for a minute there, I really wasn't sure. You guys, I tested and tested and tested and tested and tested this chowdah in the Instant Pot SO many times that I had almost given up. Which is exactly when I figured it out. 🙂
The secret to making this soup taste delicious in the Instant Pot is a combination of extra seasoning (something about pressure cooking can sometimes dial back some flavors) and using way less liquid. You'll also need a steamer basket, I like this one and this one. ← (affiliate links) So freaking delish - buuuut I'll probably take a break from it for a minute 😉
Anyway, I'm lucky enough that both of my girls absolutely LOVE this soup and don't really get why other kids are afraid to try clams. But hey, if your kids are in the anti-clam camp, you can either A) Make this all for you and have lunches or dinners all week or B) Do what my mom used to do and just not tell them what it's called or what's in it. I believe her answer to the question, "What are these chewy things?" was "Don't worry about it, they're good." And since they did taste pretty darn good, we didn't. Deceptive? Yes. Wrong? Well, "wrong" is really so subjective, isn't it? Either way, l hope you (and maybe even your family) love this one!
Oh! And if making and eating this cozy clam chowder is giving you all of the New England feels - check out this awesome 48 hours-in-Boston itinerary! Now that we've been on Cape Cod for a bit, we've taken several trips to Boston and have done some of the things from this post and it's spot on! Can't wait to check out a few of the things that we haven't done yet - like the duck boat tour!
And happy Valentine's Day!
P.S. - want some more delicious and healthy Instant Pot Soups to add to your meal plan? These all have 21 Day Fix container counts, check 'em out!
- Instant Pot Bacon and Beer Cheese Cauliflower Soup {21 Day Fix}
- 21 Day Fix Broccoli Cheese Soup {Instant Pot | Stove Top}
- 21 Day Fix Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup {Instant Pot | Stove Top}
- Instant Pot Low Carb Stuffed Pepper Soup - Confessions of a Fit Foodie
- Instant Pot Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup - Carrie Elle
Just FYI – this recipe has only been tested in the Instant Pot 6 quart duo (which you can check out here! <- affiliate link) – If you have an 8 qt, you may need to add more liquid.
If you make this 21 Day Fix New England Clam Chowder recipe be sure to snap a pic and tag me @thefoodieandthefix or use #thefoodieandthefix on Instagram so I can check it out! I love watching your IG stories! It makes me ridiculously happy to see what you guys are making 🙂
How to Make Healthy New England Clam Chowder in an Instant Pot or on the Stove:
📖 Recipe
21 Day Fix New England Clam Chowder
Ingredients
- 5 teaspoon butter, divided
- 8 slices turkey bacon, chopped into small pieces
- 2 celery ribs, chopped (about ½ cup)
- 1 small onion, chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium potato, peeled and chopped into small pieces (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- pepper
- ½ Tbs dried thyme (1 Tbs for Instant Pot!)
- 6 cups chopped cauliflower (about 1 lb and 3-4 oz after it's chopped/stem removed)
- 1 bottle (8 ounces) clam juice
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth (only ½ cup for Instant Pot version)
- 2 cups 1% or 2% milk (1 ¾ cups for Instant Pot version)
- 1 can (10 ounces) fancy whole baby clams or 2 (6.5 oz) cans chopped clams (if you must), drained and rinsed
Instructions
Stove Top Directions:
- In a large pot, melt 3 teaspoon of the butter and cook bacon over medium heat in the butter until browned and slightly crisp on the edges. Remove with a slotted spoon and put onto paper towels; set aside. (I like to put it in the oven at 250 degrees to keep it warm and get even crispier!)
- Add the remaining 2 teaspoon of butter to the pot, then add the celery and onions, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper, then sauté until onions tender. (the celery will still be slightly crisp, that's ok, it'll finish cooking along with the potatoes.
- Next, stir in the garlic, potatoes, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper; cook 1 minute longer.
- Stir in the broth, milk and clam juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove veggies from broth and set aside. I put a strainer inside of a large bowl to reserve the broth, then returned the broth to the original pot.
- To the pot of broth, add the chopped cauliflower. Cover and cook until so tender that you can easily mash it against the side of the pot, this usually takes about 35 minutes or so, but it depends on how big or small you chopped your cauliflower. It really needs to be soft for a super-creamy soup.
- Once tender, turn off the heat and allow to cool for just a few minutes before pureeing the cauliflower with the broth in a blender. I have a gargantuan blender jar and was able to put the entire mixture in at once, but if your blender is smaller you may need to do this in two batches. Be sure to take the center out of the blender lid and cover it with a clean towel. Pour this mixture back into the pot.
- Stir in clams and the reserved cooked veggies and heat through. Taste to check seasonings and add any extra salt or pepper you may need. Sprinkle the cooked bacon over each serving.
Instant Pot Directions:
- Turn on your saute function. Melt 3 teaspoon of the butter and add the bacon, cooking until browned and slightly crisp on the edges. Remove with a slotted spoon and put onto paper towels; set aside. (I like to put it on a baking sheet in the oven at 250 degrees to keep it warm and get even crispier while everything else is cooking!)
- Add the remaining 2 teaspoon of butter to the pot, then add the celery and onions and sauté for 2 or 3 minutes (the veggies don't need to really soften, they'll finish cooking under pressure).
- Next, stir in the garlic, potatoes, 1 Tbs dried thyme, salt and pepper; cook 1 minute longer.
- Stir in the clam juice. Place a steamer basket on top of everything, add the cauliflower to the basket. Cook on manual (or pressure cook) for 3 minutes, then quick release.
- Put the cauliflower from the steamer basket into a blender (and remove the steamer basket from the IP), along with 1 ¾ cups of milk and ½ cup of low-sodium chicken broth and blend until the mixture is smooth. Pour into the Instant Pot. Stir in the clams, then check the seasonings (I often need a little extra salt and pepper for the Instant Pot) and serve with the crispy bacon!
Notes
21 Day Fix Container Counts per Serving: ¾ Red, ¾ Yellow, 1 ½ Green & 1 Tsp
WW Freestyle Points: 5
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 5 Serving Size: 1 ½ cups of soup plus about ⅕th of the baconAmount Per Serving: Calories: 246Total Fat: 9g
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Jenna Gorko says
Am I able to use frozen cauliflower?
Stephanie says
Yep, that should work fine!
TeamTaylor says
WOWSAAA! I just made this tonight and it is AHHHMAZING! I grew up in Vermont and went to Maine every summer to dig our own clams to make Chowda. This version is JUST AS GOOD! I am totally hooked on it and has been added to my favorite list for sure! I did microwave the bacon to omit the 2 tsp of butter and it turned out great. I also added more clams, because I’m a clamaholic 😃. I look forward to trying more of your recipes.
Stephanie says
Ah! This comment made my day! I'm so glad you loved it!! I'm actually moving to New England this summer and can't wait for all of the fresh clams and other seafood 🙂
Stacy says
What should I serve with this?
Stephanie says
I usually serve it with a salad!
Trisha says
Omg I'm so glad you have shared so many awesome fix recipes. Makes my life so much easier. Thank you. Here is another thickening tip I use in my normal clam chowder recipe. Grate a whole potato into it instead of chopped. The starch thickens it beautifully.
Stephanie says
Great tip, Trisha! Thanks for sharing!
Susan says
Loved the chowder - cauliflower thickening agent was AWESOME! Easy recipe to put together. Thank you for posting this!!!
Stephanie says
So glad you liked it Susan!
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
clam chowder is one of my faves!! this is gorgeous!
Stephanie says
Thanks, Alice, mine too!
demeter | beaming baker says
Happy belated Valentine's Day, Stephanie! <3 "Chowdah is my jam" made me grin so hard! But seriously, no one has time for a jaw cramp that could seriously hold them back from the best part of all meals... wait for it... DESSERT! Love that you "fixified" this recipe and made that photo tutorial! Awesome blossom, Steph! 🙂
Stephanie says
Thanks, Demeter! And happy belated Valentine's day to you! Exactly right, I'm not getting a jaw cramp for anyone, not even clam chowder. 🙂
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
I love clam chowder, but you are right, sometimes it can be chewy so thanks for the advice on the type of clams to buy! And OMG, your secret ingredient is GENIUS!!!! I love using cauliflower as a hack, but I would have never thought to use it here! SO YUUUM! Love this chowder, my dear! Cheers!
Stephanie says
Thanks, Cheyanne! I know, right?! It was a complete accident that we purchased them (because I sent the hubs for canned clams not realizing that there was more than the chopped variety available and that's what he came home with), love those kinds of happy mistakes!
Summer says
Very nice ingredients! Looks delightful ♥
summerdaisy.net
Stephanie says
Thanks, Summer!