Dairy-free Seafood Chowder

Gluten-free | Sugar-free | Dairy-free | No added fats or oils

Serves: 4
Cuisine: Bridget’s Healthy Kitchen
Course: Dinner
Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

Growing up in New Zealand, where the seafood is abundant, I remember enjoying comforting bowls of creamy chowder during cold winter nights. Seafood is so readily available in my home country that we would whip up pots of chowder throughout the year. 

If you’re unfamiliar with chowder, it’s a type of soup often prepared with cream or milk and various vegetables and seafood such as clams, firm fish and mussels. Although the origins of this dish are highly speculated, seafood chowder is enjoyed all over the world.  

For this recipe, I have removed all dairy, sugar, and gluten and ensured to use no added fats or oils. This delicious chowder is satisfying enough to have for lunch or dinner, and it can be easily prepped in advance and stored in the fridge for 4-5 days.   

Hints, Tip & Tricks

I prepared this dish using mussels and firm white fish, but feel free to use whatever fresh seafood you favour.  

Before you start, you’ll need to prepare my Kombu Water. Kombu water is my healthy broth alternative and one of my favourite foundation recipes. If you need the recipe, you can find it here.

Serve this recipe with my Gluten-Free Crusty Dutch Oven Boule to help sop up the delicious broth. 

You can find this chowder recipe, plus many more other gluten, dairy and sugar-free recipes in my cookbook, MORE from Bridget’s Healthy Kitchen. 

RECIPE

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp low sodium tamari
• 1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 1 large red capsicum, sliced into thin strips
• 200 g (7 oz) cauliflower florets
• 200 g (7 oz) zucchini, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 300 g (10.5 oz)white cabbage, finely sliced
• 1 1⁄2 tbsp curry powder
• 2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp cumin powder
• 1 litre (2.2 pints) Kombu Water
• 200 g (7 oz) raw mussel meat, diced
• 200 g (7 oz) barramundi or ling fillet, diced
• 10 whole raw mussels in the shell (to serve)
• 400 ml (13.5 FL oz) light coconut milk
• Himalayan salt and pepper

Method

1. Heat a large pot on medium heat with the tamari, add the onion, garlic, ginger and capsicum, and sauté for a couple of minutes, continually stirring to prevent the ingredients from burning.
2. Add the cauliflower, zucchini and cabbage and continue to sauté for a further couple of minutes.
3. Add the curry, turmeric and cumin powder and stir to ensure the spices blend well with the vegetables.
4. Pour in the kombu water and bring the pot to a gentle simmer and allow to cook for 10 minutes or until the cauliflower is just tender.
5. Add the mussel meat and diced fish, cook for a further 5 minutes, and then pour in the coconut milk and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. 
6. Finish with the whole mussels and allow them to cook until the shells pop open.
7. Taste the chowder for flavour, add more salt and pepper if necessary, and then serve.