Hearty and rich Shrimp and Bacon Chowder, this is keto soup is pure comfort food. Full of tender shrimp and topped with crisp bacon, this is a must for chilly evenings.
Soup season is here! And I for one plan to make the most of it with plenty of keto soups and stews. Which, by the way, happens to be the title of my fourth ketogenic cookbook and it’s officially ON SALE TODAY! And this easy Shrimp Chowder is a sneak peek recipe from the book.
Why yes, I am the crazy keto recipe lady who is cranking out the low carb cookbooks at an alarming rate. And I make no apologies for it.
This book, though. This book is a must have because we are entering comfort food season and this is ALL COMFORT FOOD, BABY! And I want you to know how much my family and I sacrificed for your comfort.
I was creating and testing keto soup recipes all through the spring and summer. Even when the mercury rose above 80 or 90 degrees, my family was eating soup for dinner. My kids would roll their eyes every day as I dished them up some hot liquid or other. I tried hard to keep the lighter, chilled soups for the summer but we did end up testing out some of the heartier ones as well. As much as we all love soup, we were not unhappy when I finally finished the manuscript.
But a few months have passed and the weather turned very chilly here last week. And now I myself am thumbing through my book, in search tasty warm comfort food.
You can’t go wrong with a shrimp chowder recipe full of bacon, cream, and a little cajun seasoning. Oh and some diced turnip in place of potatoes. Trust me, you won’t even notice that they aren’t the taters of your pre-keto soup days.
How to Make Keto Shrimp Chowder
Keto Soups and Stews
So what’s in this new cookbook of mine?
- More than 50 soup, stew and chili recipes. I admit to playing fast and loose with what counts as a stew or a soup, so I included some more exotic things like Lamb Curry, Pork Adobo, and Chicken Paprikash. They are all stewed meat recipes so I feel it’s legit. Are you going to argue with me? I thought not.
- Three recipes for homemade broth plus my recommendations on store bought versions. Homemade is always going to be the healthiest option but I realize that’s not always practical.
- A number of tasty Extras to go with your soup like Garlic Parmesan Breadsticks and Bacon Fat Biscuits.
- My best tips on how to make and store soups for meal planning.
- A section on Special Keto Substitutions for potatoes, rice, and noodles. So many great and healthy options.
- And if you happen to be Dairy-Free, you will be happy to know that a little over 50% of the book is dairy free or dairy free option. Heck, even this delicious shrimp and bacon chowder can be made dairy free, if you care to sub coconut milk in for the heavy whipping cream!
So what are you waiting for? Soups and Stews is officially on sale and you can grab your copy on Amazon or Barnes & Noble. And I am told it should be out at Costco and Target very very soon!
Shrimp & Bacon Chowder
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon chopped
- 1 medium turnip cut into ½-inch cubes
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined, tails on or off
- ½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- Salt and pepper
- Chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, reserving the bacon fat in the pan.
- Add the turnip and onion to the pan and saute until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, another minute or so. Pour in the chicken broth and simmer until the turnip is tender, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the cream and the shrimp and simmer until the shrimp is pink and cooked through, another 3 minutes or so. Add the Cajun seasoning and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Garnish with the bacon and chopped parsley upon serving.
Notes
Jo says
Just made this. Delicious. Used radishes. Very filling for a simple soup. Thanks.
Ps. Just downloaded your kindle book on soups.
Carolyn says
So glad you liked it!
Lori says
YUM! Easy and tasty chowder perfect for a cold day. I added about 1 tsp of fish sauce for extra depth of flavor. I also stirred in about tsp of xanthan gum for a slightly thicker sauce. Delicious!
Olga says
I made this from the cookbook and wanted to leave a review here. It is fantastic! Super simple and very filling. When I make it next, I will also make your ranch cheddar biscuits to go with it.
Carolyn says
So glad you liked it!
Claire says
My fiance and I LOVED this recipe! It will definitely be one we make frequently!
Lois Russell says
Looks delicious! I always enjoy reading your recipes, Carolyn. I’ll throw in a good splash of dry sherry just before serving. I also have a pack of crawfish tails in the freezer just dying to be used in something. This must be it! As a former 10 year resident of Cajun country in Louisiana, I can attest to the fact that “Slap Ya Mamma” is indeed a product. “Makes it taste so good, you gonna want to slap yo’ momma!” However, I’ve always used Tony C’s.
Carolyn says
Yum!
Lois Russell says
I made this today. Delicious! Turnips awesome dub for potatoes. Crawfish’s strong flavor stood up to bacon well. Maybe a bit thicker. Glucomanan (so?) or cream cheese? Carolyn’s suggestions appreciated.
Carolyn says
I’d do glucomannan whisked in at the end. About 1/2 tsp.
Lori Rutledge says
I haven’t made yet but the recipe looks delish!! I am allergic to shellfish so would chicken be a good sub? If so, how much? Thanks so much!
Carolyn says
Sure, chicken is great. Takes longer to cook through but you can do it right in the chowder. I would add it in when you add in the broth and simmer for 10 minutes. Cut it up beforehand. Should easily cook through in simmering broth in about 10 min.
Lois Russell says
Try using the rotisserie chicken you can get in the deli. Bone and shred it. Saves cooking time
Kathy Cooke says
Very tasty! Added in a few stalks of diced celery with the onion and used homemade beef broth instead of chicken, since that’s what I had. I subbed daikon radish for the turnip and coconut cream for the heavy whipping cream. I had to simmer the daikon for around 20-25 minutes before it was tender. I just added the bacon pieces to the soup near the end. I don’t like spicy food, so I made my own Cajun seasoning using a recipe from Allrecipes and just left out the cayenne. Doubled the recipe to have lots of leftovers.
Lois Russell says
Thanks for the celery tip. I used some frozen crawfish tils instead of shrimp. The stronger flavor held up well against the Cajun spices and bacon.
Rachel says
How is this Keto with whipped cream??? Just cut out keto from the title and it would’ve been fine
Carolyn says
Hello Rachel… I don’t believe you know what you are talking about. It’s not whipped cream, it’s whipping cream… cream that has 35% milk fat and only about 6g carbs PER CUP. It’s not sweetened at all. You wouldn’t whip it before adding it to this recipe, you would add it in its liquid state.
Heavy cream like this is, was and always has been considered a keto ingredient.
Please also refer to the nutritional info in the recipe card for this soup. And tell me that with those numbers how is it NOT keto? Keto will stay in the title, thanks, because it is very much a keto recipe.
Lois Russell says
Who would even think for one second the sweetened whipped cream would go well in this spicy soup?
Carolyn says
Yes, well… 🙂
Carmel Maldonado says
Hi, Carolyn.
I have your Keto Soups & Stews cookbook and saw this recipe in it. I knew immediately that I would absolutely LOVE it so I made a double batch tonight, my first time making it. Talk about trust! Haha
This soup is amazingly delicious! My husband and I both loved it so much. We did not have fresh parsley on hand so I used chopped fresh scallions and my homemade Cajun seasoning. I added a little cayenne to my bowl as well. The turnips were silky smooth and added an amazing mouth feel. Fabulous textures as well as flavors.
The perfect dinner after a 26 hour fast! 😋
I know what I am having for lunch tomorrow.
Thank you for all you do. I love your recipes so I have pinned this one and will add a review and photo on Pinterest.
Connie says
Very good!! I used cauliflower. It’s a keeper!!
Claudine says
If you are doing dairy free what would you recommend instead of the half n half?
Carolyn says
Coconut milk!
Mandy says
Can u use something other than turnips? Not a fan of them…
Carolyn says
Sure, I just think it’s the best potato replacement. In soup, you honestly can’t tell the difference.
Lois says
I made this today. Turnips marginally different from potatoes. Try the turnips. Pretty yummy!
Renee says
Great soup for a cold day. A bit rich so a little bowl will do.
Dan sheehan says
Best chowder my family has ever ate. The only thing we did different was to cup of fresh mushrooms and served it with Frank’s hot sauce.
Carolyn says
That’s lovely to hear!
Amanda says
Oh. My. This was AMAZING and taste like a chowder that you would order at a restaurant!! I’m excited to use the base for clams and fish as well! Thanks!!
Martine Thelusma says
Can I make this in my slow cooker? Also what can I use to thicken it up a little bit?
Carolyn says
I haven’t tried this in a slow cooker. I don’t think it’s worth it, since it’s such a quick stovetop recipe.
Becky Millinger says
I made this for dinner last night. My husband raved about it! The side was cheesy biscuits from your recipes. I’ll be making this again!
Thanks for your great recipes
Amy says
Can this be made in a crock pot or insta pot? My stove is on the fritz and I really want to try this soup!! Thanks Carolyn! You’re recipes are amazing.
Carolyn says
Yes but shrimp can get cooked over-easily in those pots so I would only add it close to the end.
andrea says
what would you suggest for a substitute for the cream…maybe canned coconut cream?
Carolyn says
Sure that should work, although it will have a slight coconut flavour.
Maria says
Can I substitute turnip for cauliflower or something else?
Carolyn says
Sure but cauliflower needs to added much later, since it cooks faster.