This Keto New England Clam Chowder is the best warm and hearty soup on a cold day! It is a classic comfort food that is easy to make and delicious. Our version is creamy, filling, and delicious. This dish is keto, low-carb, grain-free, and gluten-free!
Keto New England Clam Chowder
If you love clam chowder, this recipe is the perfect New England meal you've been waiting for.
Keto clam chowder is very easy to make and doesn’t require a lot of ingredients.
Perfect for a quick weekday lunch or filling Sunday dinner.
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Are Clams Keto?
YES, clams are keto! They're a great high-protein and low-carb seafood option.
They're also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and rich in minerals and vitamins.
We love this clam chowder because it's hearty, filling, and loaded with clams (and clam juice for more flavor).
What's in Keto Clam Chowder?
To make our keto clam chowder, we used the following ingredients:
Pantry Items:
- Chicken bone broth
- Clams + clam juice
Fridge Items:
- Bacon
- Heavy cream
- Cream cheese
- Minced garlic
- Celery
- Onion
How to Make Keto Clam Chowder
This keto clam chowder is easy and on your table in 30 minutes.
First, you cook the bacon and set aside in a paper towel. Then, saute the vegetables until they are softened.
Next, melt in the cream cheese and add chicken bone broth, clam juice, pepper, and thyme. Once that boils, let it simmer for roughly 20 minutes.
Then, add in heavy cream and clams and season to taste. Make sure you top it with fresh thyme and bacon crumbles for extra flavor and crunch!
Can You Use Frozen Clams Instead?
We recommend using canned clams that are drained for this keto clam chowder, but feel free to substitute fresh or frozen clams.
Frozen clams may not make the "clam" taste as fresh in the chowder, but feel free to use frozen if that's what you have on hand.
Either way, this keto clam chowder will taste phenomenal.
Serve This Keto Clam Chowder with Biscuits!
Our biscuit recipe is optional but definitely worth making.
The cheesy, buttery biscuits go so well with the hearty clam chowder. We make these biscuits all the time, especially with our keto chili!
For a little extra fun, add a few herbs or spices into the biscuits!
What to Serve with Keto Clam Chowder
This is a recipe the entire family will love. They won't even know it is Keto.
Serve it with some of our favorite side dishes for an unforgettable meal.
Other Delicious Keto Recipes
- Keto French Onion Soup
- Keto Cauliflower and Leek Soup
- Keto Creamy Chicken Thighs
- Keto Chili with Biscuits
- Keto Shepherd's Pie
Recipe
Keto New England Clam Chowder
Ingredients
- 6 bacon slices chopped
- 2 celery ribs diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cups chicken bone broth or stock
- 1 8 oz. clam juice in bottle
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 oz. cream cheese
- 2 6.5 oz. cans chopped clams undrained
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- In a large stockpot, cook the bacon on medium heat until crisp.
- Remove the cooked bacon from the pot and transfer to a paper towel and set aside.
- Add the celery, onion, and garlic into the stockpot.
- Saute the veggies for about 5 minutes or until softened.
- Add the cream cheese to the pot and stir continuously to melt it.
- Next, stir in the chicken bone broth/stock, clam juice, pepper, and thyme.
- Bring the soup mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
- Gradually, add in the heavy cream.
- Raise the heat and bring the soup to a boil once again, then reduce the heat to low.
- Stir in the clams and season with salt to taste. Let simmer for 2-3 more minutes.
- To serve, garnish with fresh thyme, the cooked bacon pieces, and more pepper.
Nutrition
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Claudia
Are the cons drained or Not drained? says undrained in the recipe and drained elsewhere.
Mike c
I made it tonight. Was very good. Being that traditional New England has potato in it I cubed up a cod fish filet and dropped them in at the last 7 min of cooking. It made it super hearty and filling!!
Shell
I made this last night. Was a big hit with my family. I added xanther gum to thicken it up more. Will definitely make again.
Cindy Davison
How much Zanther Gum should i use?
Mark
In case you go looking for this in a store or online, It's xanthum gum, not zanther.
Jennifer
Made it tonight for dinner and really enjoyed it! What should the final consistency be for the soup?
Jennifer
Made this tonight and the flavor is great! What consistency should the final product be?
Thank you
Claudia Wood
Thanks for this! I love New England Clam Chowder but one of my favourite parts is the potato. So…I added a cup of chopped turnip into this. Before anyone turns up their nose, it tastes very little like potato and is quite satisfying!
Mark
Daikon radish works well as a potato substitute in soups and stews. It takes on the flavor of the broth and doesn't have the peppery bite of red radishes or, to a lesser extent, turnips.
Claudia
Thanks, we never get that at our local store. But I will watch for it next time I am in a big grocery store.
JK
Delicious! I left out the garlic as garlic bothers my body and I used whipping cream instead of heavy cream because my body gets the runs from too much fat (despite how I know our brains like it; gotta listen to my body).
It was delicious. I'll be making it again. Have been craving clam chowder and love that this has no flour in it.
Clean Keto Lifestyle
Amazing!! So happy you loved the recipe! Thanks so much for your kind words!
Kristy
Great recipe. I omitted the bacon and added radishes for a potato-like substitute. Added a bit more bone broth to accommodate the radishes.
Clean Keto Lifestyle
Yay!! So glad you liked it Kristy! And great idea on the radishes!
Bill
Absolutely delicious. I brightened it up with a bit of lemon juice. This is a keeper.
Clean Keto Lifestyle
Thanks Bill! And great tip on the lemon juice!
Surrenadee
The ingredients list has 1 8oz jar clam juice, but the instructions never say when to add it. When do I add it?
Michael W Kalbow
Any recommendations for canning?
Jane
Made a double batch. Is it ok to freeze it? It’s very good!!
Carol
I made this exactly as the recipe was written. It was delicious! My husband ate two bowls, and he never goes back for seconds! Thank you for a great recipe.
Clean Keto Lifestyle
Yay!! So glad you liked it!!!
JoAnn
I made this as the "starter" for our Good Friday dinner and it was a hit. I omitted the Bacon and Chicken stock (to keep it meat-less), substituting sliced Mushrooms and Better Than Bouillon's "Fish Base' and garnishing the "finished product" with shredded Cheddar Cheese. I also omitted the Celery (my daughter is allergic) but since "everyone" knows that I never use it, no one missed it. We were 9 (including 2 tweens and a teen) so I doubled the recipe (calibrating for 12) and, when all was said and done, there wasn't even 1 drop left! (I made the "Keto Seared Scallops with Herbed Butter" from this site -- doubling that recipe, too, but using 1/4 of a Vidalia Onion instead of the shallot and dried herbs instead of fresh -- alongside of a "Garden Salad" and some Dinner Rolls, too. We all left the table stuffed and smiling. 🙂 Thank you for two (2) incredible recipes.
Clean Keto Lifestyle
You are so welcome JoAnn!!! So glad you and your family enjoyed the recipes!
Mrs.Peña
Definitely a fan fav in my house. I have also added cod to this soup and makes it protein packed. Thanks for the recipe!
Clean Keto Lifestyle
Amazing!!! So glad you liked it and great idea to add cod!
Mary
This was amazing. I didn't have any Thyme so we used Rosemary instead and we have decided that we will defiantly be doing this recipe again.