30-Minute Vegan Clam Chowder w/ Oyster Mushroom Clams + Ciabatta Croutons
Difficulty: 2/5 (5 being hardest)
Spice Level: 1/3 (3 being spiciest)
Prep & Cook Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
The Challenge: Brown Butter Gnocchi
Clam chowder (or should I say chow-daaaa). Never eaten it before, so that meansss let's veganize it. Clam chowder is hella not vegan. First off, it is full of clams. It also uses cream. So, we need to somehow replace both of these to make this amazing creamy soup that is a national favorite. But how?
Well, for clams...mushrooms have a very similar consistency. With miso, liquid aminos, and some spices, it can have a very similar taste profile For the cream, using cashews + unsweetened milk, we can create a very creamy milk that can thicken this up. For the base, we use leeks, celery, and good ol' Idaho potatoes for an absolutely delicious zoupppppp!
But, with any great chowder, we need some crunch! What better way than a deliciously butter crisped ciabatta crouton that is salty and yum yum yum! So, we'll add that to.
This dish only takes 30 minutes, and you'll love it! Its super simple and absolutely frikin delicious. Nom nom nom.
One of the keys to this dish is Bay Leaf Powder. If you don't have any on hand, I highly recommend it. It is essential to chowders, and this recipe features the powder because it helps enhance the flavor dramatically.
Enjoy + let's get into it!
Ingredients:
Clam Chowder
- 2 leeks, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1.5 tbl butter
- 2 celery stalks, small diced
- 1 cup cream (1/2 cup cashews + 1/2 cup unsweetened milk)
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 3 tbl organic unbleached flour
- 3.5 cups vegetable stock
- 2 russet potatoes, peeled + cubed
- Spices: 1/2 tsp thyme, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp bay leaf powder
Oyster Mushroom Clams
- 6 oz oyster mushrooms
- 1 tsp miso
- 1 tsp liquid aminos
- 1 tsp apple cider vingegar
Ciabatta Croutons
- 1 ciabatta roll, cubed
- 1 tbl butter
- Spices: 1/4 tsp bay leaf powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, pinch of pepper
The Rest
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- scallions, diced
Equipment You'll Need:
Cutting Board . Medium Cutting Knife . Measuring Cups . Measuring Spoons . Mixing Bowls . Soup Pot . Small Pan . Castiron Pan
Before You Cook:
- Chop + wash all fresh ingredients
1. To start, add vegan butter, leeks, celery, and garlic to a soup pot over medium heat. Cook for 5-6 minutes.
2. While the leeks are cooking, add the cashews + water to a high speed blender and blend for 30 seconds until smooth.
3. After leeks are done, add flour + white wine to the mixture. Mix well. Then, pour in cashew cream with vegetable stock, russet potatoes, and spices. Mix well. Simmer on low-medium heat for 18-20 minutes until potatoes have softened.
4. While the soup simmers, add all the mushroom ingredients to a medium or small frying pan with 1 tbl olive oil for 6-8 minutes until the mushrooms soften down.
6. As the soup simmers and mushrooms cook, add ciabatta cubes to a castiron pan (or frying pan) on medium heat with vegan butter and spices. Mix well. Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes.
7. Once the soup has finished simmering, stir in the mushrooms.
8. Finish by serving into 4 bowls with scallions and croutons. Squeeze lemon into the soup and mix well. Enjoy!
