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November 12, 2012

Hearty Fish Chowder – Low Carb and Gluten-Free

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2.6Kshares

Low Carb Fish ChowderRepeat after me:  Chowdah.  No, no, you have to really play up that Boston accent.  Chowdaaaah.  Yes that’s better.  You mustn’t say “Chowderrr”, that’s too boring.  And it won’t taste as good.  I don’t care where you are from…California, Canada, even France.  You have to fake it til you make it.  Really play it up, roll it out, enjoy it.  It will make the experience that much more delicious.  Now pick up your spoon and dig in to this delicious low carb fish chowder.

I don’t have even a trace of a Boston accent, despite living here for almost 10 years, but I almost never fail to say chowder with a rolled out, elongated end vowel and no “r” in sight.  Without fail, it makes me giggle.  And I do love me some good chowdah.  Hearty, full of cream, lightly flavoured with fish or clams, it fills you up with goodness and warms you to your toes.  But around here, typical chowders are often so thick, your spoon can stand straight up.  It’s like concrete.  And all that thickness comes from flour, which let’s face it, really isn’t good for you.  It only makes it seem heartier, when really it’s filling you up with empty carbs.  Add to that the potatoes that are standard in Boston Clam Chowder and you’ve got yourself a carb-filled soup with little nutrition to recommend it.

Low Carb Clam Chowder Recipe

In our first year of marriage, for our first Christmas spent together, my husband and I started a tradition of having clam chowder on Christmas Eve.  We wanted something warming, something comforting, but not so filling so that we couldn’t enjoy all the feasting on Christmas Day.  I’ve made this same clam chowder recipe so much I could do it with my eyes closed, and I always skipped the flour in favour of a thinner broth.  So I suppose my version was always gluten-free.  In the past few years, I’ve figured out a great sub for the potatoes to make it a truly low carb chowder.  Radish may seem like a strange substitute for potatoes, but not if it’s daikon radish.  Say what?  Yep, that was my first reaction too; what was this huge, white radish I’d never heard of?

Low carb Chowder Recipe

The fabulous part is that not only is it a really mild, white radish that resembles potatoes when chopped, but that my local grocery store chain actually carries this heretofore unheard-of ingredient.  When I purchase it, I almost always get a blank look from the check-out clerk, as they stumble to find the price look-up code and are clearly wondering what the heck this is.  I usually try to help them out, and say “daikon radish”, to which I get another blank stare.  I might be the only person in the history of my town to actually purchase daikon radish, let alone use it regularly.  I wave my freak flag proudly!

This really is a wonderful chowder and you wouldn’t be able to tell the daikon from potatoes for a second unless I told you that’s what they were.  And I’ve made it now with both fish and clams, and it’s great with both.  So as winter approaches, feel free to get cozy and whip up a pot of this delicious low carb chowder.  You won’t miss the potatoes or the flower for even a second.

Low Carb Fish Chowder Recipe

5 from 6 votes
Low carb Chowder Recipe
Print
Hearty Fish Chowder
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 

This delicious, creamy fish chowder is a low carb spin on the original clam chowder. You'll never miss the potatoes!

Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 4 slices bacon chopped
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 3 cups chopped daikon radish
  • 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 lb fresh white fish like cod, pollock, or tilapia, chopped
  • OR 2 can chopped clams
  • 1 tbsp butter
Instructions
  1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper-towel lined plate.
  2. Add onion and daikon radish to bacon grease and cook until onions are tender, about 10 minutes.
  3. Add chicken stock and simmer 10 minutes. Season with thyme, salt and pepper.
  4. Add cream and fish and continue to simmer until fish is cooked through, about 4 minutes.
  5. Float butter on top.
  6. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes

Serves 6. Each serving has 4.7 g of carbs and 1.3 g of fiber. Total NET CARBS = 3.4 g.

Nutrition Facts
Hearty Fish Chowder
Amount Per Serving
Calories 18.8
% Daily Value*
Carbohydrates 4.7g2%
Fiber 1.3g5%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
2.6Kshares

Filed Under: Gluten Free, Low Carb, Soups, Chilis & Stews Tagged With: clams, daikon radish, fish

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Nutritional Disclaimer

Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.

Reader Interactions

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Comments

  1. Sandi B says

    November 12, 2012 at 9:03 am

    This looks amazing! Going to make this on the weekend.

    Reply
  2. Parsley Sage says

    November 12, 2012 at 9:56 am

    Awesome Chowdah! And look at that sneaky daikon. Well done 🙂

    Reply
  3. pam says

    November 12, 2012 at 11:12 am

    What r daikon radishes an where can u find them

    Reply
  4. Brian @ A Thought For Food says

    November 12, 2012 at 11:37 am

    This looks like some fabulous chowder! I do have a tough time finding it without bacon though. Sometimes I’ll add a bit of smoked paprika as a substitution.

    Really looks wonderful though!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      November 12, 2012 at 3:02 pm

      Yeah, I bet it’s hard to find without bacon! Smoked paprika sounds delicious, though. Maybe next time I will do both!

      Reply
  5. Kiersten @ Oh My Veggies says

    November 12, 2012 at 1:39 pm

    Daikon radish, huh? I’m going to have to give that a try next time I’m making soup with potatoes!

    Reply
  6. RavieNomNoms says

    November 12, 2012 at 5:48 pm

    Chowdah! It is so good!

    Reply
  7. Eric says

    November 12, 2012 at 6:28 pm

    I just recently heard of using daikon radish in place of potato in soups, and you are right, you can find it at most supermarkets, but the checkout people will really look at you strangely. But, then, they are always confused when I buy beets, too (I kid you not). So I, too, will fly my freak flag proudly, and I can’t wait to try this chowdah – one of my favorite soups.

    Have a great Thanksgiving.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      November 12, 2012 at 6:58 pm

      Rock on, fellow freak Eric. 🙂

      Reply
    • Ana says

      February 24, 2019 at 7:42 am

      Freaks unite!!!

      Reply
  8. Jennifer Malmberg says

    November 12, 2012 at 8:27 pm

    I know this will be wonderful. My kid doesn’t eat meat or chicken. Can you predict how much flavor will be lost by omitting the bacon and bacon grease? Or should I just make this on a night where she is not home? Your recipes are so dependable! Thank you!

    Reply
  9. Jeanette says

    November 12, 2012 at 11:05 pm

    Love how you used daikon instead of potatoes – very clever!

    Reply
  10. Gail @ Faithfulness farm says

    November 13, 2012 at 7:58 am

    Hanging my head low and admitting even though I am adventuresome in the kitchen, I have never used or eaten daikon radish. I NEED to. In my low-carb journey I am so over cauliflower being used in place of potatoes – don’t get me wrong, I like cauliflower but texture-wise it is just all wrong. Lately I have been all-about turnips (working on a turnip post for my blog) and I make a great cream of roasted turnip soup. So as soon as I clear out the bushel of turnips (slight exaggeration), I will hunt down daikon – will probably have to go to a bigger town’s grocery, lol.

    Thanks for sharing such inspiring recipes 🙂

    Blessings~Gail

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      November 13, 2012 at 8:38 am

      Oooo, I want to see that cream of turnip soup! Bring over the link when you are done and I will come and check it out. And tweet and pin it. yummy!

      Reply
      • Gail @ Faithfulness Farm says

        November 13, 2012 at 4:22 pm

        Will do Carolyn — look for it next week 🙂

        Blessings! Gail

        Reply
  11. [email protected] says

    November 13, 2012 at 10:10 am

    I love daikon radish (though I never used it cooked like this) and would buy it all the time when I lived in CT. Here in rural South Carolina I would get the same crazy stares as you described, if I could even FIND a daikon radish which is highly unlikely!!!!! But I will be on the hunt because this, my freak flag waving friend, is genius!!!! Being from New England, CHOWDAAAAAH is a must! Can’t wait to try this version!!!

    Reply
  12. Tonya says

    November 13, 2012 at 10:30 am

    Does the daikon get soft or stay crunchy. I have tried making chowder with jicama but I couldn’t get is to soften. Turnips get soft but are too “cabbagey.”

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      November 13, 2012 at 12:13 pm

      It gets soft, but it doesn’t get mushy like potatoes.

      Reply
  13. Diane (createdbydiane) says

    November 13, 2012 at 12:46 pm

    I just love how creative you are to replace the potatoes! This chowder looks wonderful I could go for a bowl right now (for breakfast) I’m freezing 😉

    Reply
  14. [email protected] says

    November 13, 2012 at 12:48 pm

    I love a Boston accent!! This chowdah sounds so freakin’ good! :))

    Reply
  15. Dennis says

    November 13, 2012 at 2:21 pm

    I’ve never been much of a fish eater but I really need to start eating more. This recipe looks like a really good one to start with. Thanks for sharing it.

    Reply
  16. Alison @ Ingredients, Inc. says

    November 14, 2012 at 10:06 am

    looks heart warming Carolyn!!

    Reply
  17. Rae says

    November 15, 2012 at 10:17 am

    You are a genius, and since I start most of my days with you, I have to admit, I consider you my newest best friend. Your recipes are ALL simply amazing. I use them all of the time. Keep it coming!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      November 15, 2012 at 10:52 am

      LOL, thanks!

      Reply
  18. Carolyn says

    November 15, 2012 at 11:08 am

    Just a test…

    Reply
  19. Marcia says

    November 19, 2012 at 11:19 am

    Thank you for reminding me about Daikon. I used to cook it up a long time ago, but not recently. On your inspiration, I bought a chunk of it and considered making the chowdah(!), but the stars didn’t align and I didn’t have the right ingredients on hand. So I made daikon fritters instead. And they were great! Since I’m not a food blogger (and not very methodical to boot), I just threw it together without measuring. Basically, I grated the daikon and then wrung out the liquid somewhat (with a dish towel), chopped up some onions, mixed it all with a couple of eggs, almond flour, salt and pepper. And I fried them in butter. Yum! what a great low-carb breakfast.

    Reply
    • Marcia says

      November 19, 2012 at 11:28 am

      Sorry. I forgot that I added a couple of tablespoons of grated Manchego cheese to the mix.

      Reply
  20. Kim says

    November 23, 2012 at 1:18 am

    This looks fantastic! I lived in Japan for 7 years and ate daikon almost daily. I will definitely be making this for my family. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  21. Debizzz says

    January 20, 2013 at 4:40 pm

    Made this today….for a base recipe….but then decided to spin it around a bit different. Added 2 cups fish/seafood stock to the recipe (on top of the chicken stock) ..and used clams, scallops, shrimp, haddock to total 1 1/2 pounds fish. Added onion powder , garlic powder, old bay & Cajun seasoning. Added celery and fresh minced garlic…. Was THE BEST Cajun seafood chowder ever!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      January 20, 2013 at 6:08 pm

      Wow, sounds fantastic!

      Reply
  22. Catherine H. says

    February 4, 2013 at 6:06 pm

    Made this, minus the bacon, and with clams instead of fish. Yum! Great meatless Friday night dinner, and it goes beautifully with the bread.

    Reply
  23. Denise says

    June 5, 2013 at 12:57 pm

    Yum! This was good soup (having just finished my last bowl).
    I used a bag of frozen seafood medley instead of fish.
    Using daikon rather than potatoes was an inspired choice. I wouldn’t have known the difference had someone else made the soup.
    For people who are having trouble finding daikon, my grocery store labelled it as ‘lo bok’.

    Reply
  24. Katie E says

    September 26, 2013 at 6:06 pm

    I made this last week and my family couldn’t get enough of it…until it ran out..then there were sad faces. I would have never thought to put Daikon radish in as a substitute for potatoes! I love your blog and all your recipes. It makes being low carb/gluten free so much easier! Thank you!

    Reply
  25. brittnee says

    January 19, 2014 at 2:33 pm

    How much is a serving? A cup?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      January 20, 2014 at 7:43 am

      yes, about a cup.

      Reply
  26. Julie says

    March 11, 2014 at 5:49 pm

    We are dairy free in our house too. Can we use almond or coconut milk?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      March 12, 2014 at 6:56 am

      Probably.

      Reply
  27. Maria says

    March 11, 2014 at 8:30 pm

    Haven’t made this chowdah – yet. When I FIND more daikon radishes, I will. I found them at Wegmans and bought 2 after the produce clerk didn’t know what I was talking about. I showed him what they looked like and where they were. Well, Sunday I decided to try it. Very hesitantly, I tasted it raw. Just the tiniest bit of a hint of radish. Then I cut ‘french fry’ sticks, and also used a mandolin to slice potato chip thin slices. In a little bit of oil, I ‘browned’ the fries (they don’t get golden like potato’s). When finished with those, I fried the chips. I swear, by all the french fries I’ve eaten in my entire life, with my eyes closed (and even with them open, I couldn’t tell it was not a french fry! The only thing is that it was a ‘wilted’ but very tasty fry 🙂 The chips got really crunchy, but to get crunchy, they had to get really, really toasted. But they tasted like potato chips!

    So, I can’t wait to make my chowdah!!!!!!!!!!!! Woo! Thanks for the daikon find. I just wish I could find it when I need it instead of by chance. 🙁

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      March 12, 2014 at 6:55 am

      If you can’t find daikon, rutabaga is a good sub too. It has a bit more carbs, though. About 12 g net carbs per 1 cup cubed rutabaga.

      Reply
  28. GeraldJoseoh says

    March 17, 2014 at 12:10 pm

    what do you do with the drained bacon?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      March 17, 2014 at 3:07 pm

      Sprinkle it back on top of the chowdah!

      Reply
  29. Naomi says

    November 15, 2014 at 11:05 am

    Has anyone ever tried making “potato soup”? It’s my kids favorite winter soup. I’ve read that celery root, daikon radish, or jicama are all good subs for the potato. But none are mentioned in “potato soup”. This chowdahhh is closest I’ve found. I’ve been low carb for about 6mo, lost 33lbs!! But I’m missing some of my fav recipes… Thanks for any input & feel free to email me [email protected] Psssst, I bought jicama…mite give it a brave try.

    Reply
    • Jerry Todd Ward says

      January 14, 2017 at 1:39 am

      I know this is an old post but….. To get the Jicama cut it into 1″ squares and cook in a pressure for about an hour. The texture will be great!

      Reply
  30. Weds says

    January 20, 2015 at 11:07 pm

    Just made a version of this tonight, and it was great!
    I made it a little different out of dose ration and lack of ingredients. I just got my teeth whitened, so I am only supposed to eat white colored foods… My original plan was a curried cauliflower purée soup, however, curry spices were out. I looked at your recipe and used it as inspiration! I boiled chopped cauliflower, white onion, and chicken stock, while I sautéed onion and daikon. I blended the boiled veggies and then added them to the sauté along with some salt and coconut milk. I simmered until the daikon was soft, and we served it with grilled cod over it. Thanks for the frame work! I can’t wait to try the original recipe!

    Reply
  31. cutup says

    February 27, 2015 at 4:10 pm

    Making this as we speak. My husband is game for anything I make LC, and he loves any kind of Chowdaaah….

    Reply
  32. megan says

    August 16, 2015 at 12:31 pm

    Hey! I love your blog 🙂 I was just wondering if you new the actual serving size of each serving? Thanks Megan

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      August 17, 2015 at 7:51 am

      Probably about 1 cup.

      Reply
  33. Sue Matheson says

    January 25, 2017 at 3:47 pm

    Thanks for the great idea, Carolyn. I have never tried daikon radish before, but I loved it. I also added some celery and other herbs to the soup to make it “my own”-l will be making this again for sure! It’s nice to have another low-carb potato substitute instead of always cauliflower!

    Reply
  34. Cornelia says

    February 25, 2018 at 7:40 pm

    5 stars
    I couldn’t find daikon near here so I substituted Brussels sprouts. It was yummy. I look forward to trying the chowder and other “potato”recipes with daikon. Thank you.

    Reply
  35. Tayler says

    October 8, 2018 at 11:09 pm

    5 stars
    This is so so good!!!! Thankyou!

    Reply
  36. Larry says

    October 29, 2018 at 10:42 am

    5 stars
    I’m guessing the calorie count is incorrect? 18.8 calories per serving?
    But thanks for the recipe

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      October 30, 2018 at 8:22 am

      Yes, this is an old recipe and I didn’t do the full nutritionals for it so sometimes my new recipe card fills it in. Ignore it!

      Reply
  37. Ana says

    February 24, 2019 at 12:17 pm

    5 stars
    This was so delicious!! Thank you!!!

    Reply
  38. Owen says

    May 4, 2019 at 12:57 pm

    Is there an actual calorie count for this dish. Made it and loved it but calorie count seems to be off. Could someone please reply if they have an accurate calorie count for this chowder.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      June 3, 2019 at 7:51 pm

      It’s just an older recipe that doesn’t actually have the full nutritional info. But you can always calculate it yourself.

      Reply
  39. Sharon says

    October 22, 2019 at 12:48 pm

    I make this Chowder often, and we just love it. Thanks!

    Reply
  40. Kim Callen says

    January 26, 2020 at 7:19 pm

    5 stars
    So, I wasn’t able to find daikon radishes here in rural NH, so I used regular red radishes. They added an extra hint of pepper and we’re amazing! I also added cod, scallops, canned crab, canned clams, and canned tiny shrimp. My husband loves this and says we need to make this again!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      January 26, 2020 at 8:16 pm

      Awesome!

      Reply
  41. Steve Grabinski says

    January 27, 2020 at 7:51 pm

    5 stars
    Wonderful chowder. She didn’t lie about the daikon, no way to tell they aren’t potatoes once their cooked and soft. I doubled the simmer time to 20 minutes to make sure they were soft.
    Nutrition info with BOTH 12oz haddock and 1 can Bumblebee clams, serving size 1 cup, per serving:
    Net carbs 8g
    Fat. 25g
    Protein 14g
    Calories 309

    Reply
  42. Edith says

    January 29, 2020 at 8:35 pm

    Delicious. Never go wrong with an All Day I Dream About Food recipe!
    Thanks, Carolyn.

    Reply
  43. Sarah says

    July 9, 2020 at 1:13 pm

    I love your recipes! Thank you 😊

    Reply
  44. Joel Langenfeld says

    December 16, 2020 at 3:38 pm

    Interesting. I was trying to find a recipe that would satisfy both the pescatarian and the keto-dieter in the family and started looking for seafood empanada recipes. I wound up here, because… internet. Nevertheless, dial back the liquids add a low-carb crust and this might just work.

    Thank you for the inspiration.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Low Carb Skillet Bread | All Day I Dream About Food says:
    November 19, 2012 at 7:50 am

    […] year, it was time to make amends. So I made it a second time to get photos and it paired it with my low carb fish chowder.  And I am already planning to make it again on Christmas Eve.  It also occurred to me that this […]

    Reply
  2. Feast of the Seven Fishes Recipe Round-up | The Hungry Goddess says:
    December 30, 2013 at 11:13 am

    […] Hearty Fish Chowder from All Day I Dream About Food […]

    Reply

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Carolyn PortraitLooking for the best low carb recipes? You've come to the right place! I'm Carolyn, a major carnivore and an unrepentant sweet tooth. Here you will find all you need to enjoy the low carb keto lifestyle to the fullest! Read more

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