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Dairy-Free Shrimp Chowder

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Dairy-Free Shrimp Chowder is a hearty, buttery, and herbaceous chunky soup that warms the soul and tantalizes the tastebuds. It’s comforting, the leftovers (if you have any) are delicious, and this whole bowl of amazingness is ready in under a few hours! Tips and tricks are included. {Paleo}

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • Olive oil (approximately 1/4 cup for the vegetables in Step 1 and a few tablespoons for the shrimp in Step 3)
  • 1 cup celery, sliced
  • 1 cup carrots, sliced
  • 1/2 cup white onion, diced
  • 1 head cauliflower, broken into large florets
  • 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • Sea salt, approximately 1/2 teaspoon for the vegetables and another 1 – 1 1/2 teaspoons for the soup
  • 3 cups broth (See Notes below)
  • 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 cup tapioca flour
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • Coarse black pepper, several pinches
  • 1 pound shrimp, thawed, deveined, and tails removed

Instructions

  1. To a large rondeau pot, sauté pan, or stockpot add the olive oil, celery, carrots, cauliflower, onion, pressed garlic, and a pinch of sea salt. Sauté the vegetables on a MEDIUM-HIGH heat until the onions are translucent and the garlic is browned but not burned, about 7-10 minutes.
  2. Then add the bone broth and almond milk. Briskly stir in the tapioca flour until it has dissolved into the liquid. Next add the bay leaves and dried thyme. Cover and simmer on a LOW to MEDIUM heat for 30 minutes, stirring periodically.
  3. Now prepare the shrimp. If using frozen shrimp then thaw according to package instructions, drain, remove the tails if attached, and transfer to a small skillet. Add a glug of olive oil, plus pinches of sea salt and coarse black pepper. Sauté the shrimp for about 5-10 minutes, or until the shrimp have deepened in color but haven’t shrunk excessively in size. If the shrimp are ready before the 30 minutes of simmering are done, then cover and set aside.
  4. Once the 30 minutes of simmering are up, then transfer two cups of soup, careful to avoid the bay leaves, to a high-speed blender and purée until smooth. Transfer the purée back to the soup pan and stir to combine. Next add the shrimp, cover the soup with a lid, and simmer on a LOW to MEDIUM heat for another 30 minutes, or until the desired vegetable tenderness is reached. When ready, remove the bay leaves, add more sea salt and coarse black pepper, if desired, serve immediately. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 1-2 days.

Notes

  • I find a wide-based pan that is larger than a saucepan does an excellent job of not only sautéing the vegetables but also simmering the soup. If you don’t have a wide-based pan, then sauté the vegetables in a skillet and transfer them to a saucepan deep enough to hold 6-7 cups of chowder.
  • If the vegetables begin to scorch or sauté unevenly in Step 1, then turn down the heat, add more olive oil, simmer a few minutes more, and move on to Step 2.
  • Let’s talk broth. The type of broth you use and its consistency will affect the chowder. Heartier broths like bone broth, turkey broth, or beef broth, will intensify the soup flavor. If you use a vegetable broth, then plan for a thinner soup. If the broth you use is mild in flavor, then you may need to increase the amount of thyme, sea salt, and coarse black pepper in your chowder. For best results, taste test as you go.
  • Tapioca flour is an excellent thickening and binding agent. However, it is also prone to turning gel-like when exposed to extreme temperatures. When adding the flour to the chowder, quickly stir it in with a whisk or fork, and break apart any clumps that begin to form. If the flour seizes up or sticks to the bottom of the pan at any point during the simmering process, then try to dislodge it, break it apart, and stir it back into the soup. If that doesn’t work, then remove the tapioca flour solids and discard. You can also start with a smaller amount, such as 1/4 – 1/3 cup and add more, a tablespoon at a time, if you decide you do want the full 1/2 cup.
  • This chowder is deeper in color than other similar recipes. This is because of the olive oil and the puréed carrots.

Find it online: https://www.spiritedandthensome.com/dairy-free-shrimp-chowder/