This low carb Shrimp Chowder is hearty and satisfying. Full of tender shrimp and crisp bacon, it’s the perfect keto comfort food for a chilly evening. Ready in 30 minutes!
Soup season is here! And I for one plan to make the most of it with plenty of yummy, comforting keto soup recipes.
We’ve had a relatively warm fall so far, but now the chill and rain are setting in again. And I find myself thumbing through my book, Keto Soups and Stews, 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. I use them in other recipes like Keto Beef Stew and Keto Seafood Chowder, and you honestly can’t tell that they aren’t potatoes!
Why you will love this recipe
This shrimp chowder is a hit with almost everyone who tries it. Even my picky kids! It takes readily available ingredients and only 30 minutes to make, so it’s easy enough for a busy weeknight.
Even people who swear they detest turnip end up loving this recipe. Don’t believe me? Just read the reviews! Five stars almost across the board. Mind you, you can sub in other things like rutabaga, radish, or cauliflower instead.
And this creamy, rich soup has only 5.6g carbs per serving, so it’s a perfect meal for anyone following a keto or low carb diet.
Reader reviews
“This was easy and absolutely delicious. The whole family agrees that this is a keeper. We ended up adding Tabasco to our bowls to spice the soup up according to individual tastes, and the flavor combination was great.” — Alina
“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!!” — Amanda
“Oh my gosh, this is wonderful! Had it tonight with biscuits and it was a hit! Even the hubs said he never would have known the turnip wasn’t potato! Thank you for your wonderful work for all of us!!!” — Patti A.
Ingredients you need
- Bacon: You can also use pancetta or even diced ham.
- Turnip: Turnips are a wonderful low carb substitute for potatoes in soups and stews. But you can also use chopped cauliflower, rutabaga or daikon radish.
- Heavy whipping cream: You can also use coconut cream, but it will add a slight coconut flavor to the soup.
- Shrimp: You can buy already peeled and deveined shrimp or do it yourself. Keep the tails on or off, depending on your preference. Any size shrimp works in this recipe. Just remember that small shrimp cook faster than large.
- Cajun seasoning: Some Cajun seasoning has a lot of added salt. Be sure to taste your soup after adding the seasoning, before you add any additional salt and pepper. We really like Slap Ya Mama seasoning blend.
- Fresh parsley: I like to garnish with a little bit of parsley. You can also use green onions.
- Kitchen staples: Chicken broth, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper
Step-by-step directions
- In a large pot 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 chopped turnips and onion to the pan and sauté 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.
Expert tips
Shrimp cooks quickly and can turn rubbery when over cooked. That’s why you add it at the very end, when the turnip is tender. When the shrimps turns pink, you are ready to serve.
Some people prefer the chowder to be a little thicker. If so, I recommend adding 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon glucomannan. You can remove a little of the broth at the end, whisk in the konjac root powder, and stir it back into the pot of chowder.
For my readers who prefer theirs with more of a kick, serve with some of your favorite hot sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Shrimp is an excellent choice for low carb or keto diets. It is full of protein and has 0.2g carbs per serving. It’s also remarkably easy to cook, making it perfect for healthy meals.
Classic shrimp chowder has a lot of carbs from the addition of flour and potatoes. However, this lightened up chowder recipe has only 5.6g of carbs and 0.6g of fiber per serving. That comes to 5g net carbs per 3/4 cup servig.
Leftover chowder can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing this soup as cream based soups split and don’t reheat well.
What to serve with Shrimp Chowder
Keto Soups and Stews
Easy Shrimp Chowder Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 medium turnip, cut into ½-inch cubes
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups (473.18 ml) chicken broth
- 1 cup (236.59 ml) heavy whipping cream
- 1 pound (453.59 g) 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
Nutrition
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.
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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.
Very good!! I used cauliflower. It’s a keeper!!
If you are doing dairy free what would you recommend instead of the half n half?
Coconut milk!
Can u use something other than turnips? Not a fan of them…
Sure, I just think it’s the best potato replacement. In soup, you honestly can’t tell the difference.
I made this today. Turnips marginally different from potatoes. Try the turnips. Pretty yummy!
Great soup for a cold day. A bit rich so a little bowl will do.
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.
That’s lovely to hear!
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!!
Can I make this in my slow cooker? Also what can I use to thicken it up a little bit?
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.
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
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.
Yes but shrimp can get cooked over-easily in those pots so I would only add it close to the end.
what would you suggest for a substitute for the cream…maybe canned coconut cream?
Sure that should work, although it will have a slight coconut flavour.
Can I substitute turnip for cauliflower or something else?
Sure but cauliflower needs to added much later, since it cooks faster.
This one is going in our regular rotation.It was so fast and easy. And delicious too!
The flavors are great. Thank you.
I made this tonight, and it was amazing! I used fresh Gulf Louisiana shrimp, which really make it special. It was quick, easy, and very tasty! Thank you!
Tried this tonite. Even my husband ate it and the kids. Ive juat started my keto diet. Im having to adjust everything i eat around everything they eat . ive been trying to figured meals that i can do. Soups are one of my favorite soups. Esp chowders!!! I cant believe how good this was!! I was worried about the turnips but honestly it was super yummy!!! Thanks so much for sharing it!!!
Delicious! Made this tonight. Turned out awesome.