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Keto Seafood Chowder

Some ingredients have been swapped out to Keto firendly ones,
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: creamy, Hearty, Low Carb
Servings: 3
Cost: 12

Ingredients

  • 1/2 small carrot
  • 100 g salmon fillet cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 100 g prawns peeled and deveined
  • 200 g Cauliflower bite-sized.
  • 120 ml Double Cream
  • 620 ml Fish/Chicken Stock.
  • 1/4 Onion
  • 2 clove Garlic
  • 1 stick Celery
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • 1/2 tsp Thyme
  • 1 tsp Parsley
  • 20 g Butter
  • 1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum mixed into the butter/garlic at the start.
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
  • 1/2 Lemon squeezed

Instructions

  • Sauté: Start with your butter, onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Once soft, stir in your tiny bit of Xanthan Gum to coat the veggies.
  • Simmer: Add your stock and cauliflower. Simmer until the cauliflower is fork-tender. Note: If you want a thicker broth, mash a few pieces of the cooked cauliflower in a separate pot with the stick blender.
  • Finish: Add the salmon, prawns, and double cream at the very end. Seafood only needs 3–4 minutes to cook; if you boil it too hard, the salmon will get tough and the cream might split.
  • Pro-Tip: If you have any bacon in the fridge, fry up a slice and crumble it on top. The smokiness pairs perfectly with the salmon and adds extra healthy fats!

Notes

Since you're removing the natural starch from potatoes and the nutty thickness of a flour roux, the broth can sometimes feel a bit "thin" or "flat."
To get that deep, restaurant-quality flavor while keeping it strictly Keto, try adding one or two of these umami boosters:

1. The "Cheesy" Secret: Nutritional Yeast

  • Why: It adds a savory, nutty, and slightly salty depth that mimics the richness of a slow-cooked stock.
  • How: Stir in 1–2 tablespoons toward the end. It also acts as a very mild natural thickener.

2. Clam Juice or Anchovy Paste

  • Why: If your seafood mix is mostly white fish or shrimp, it can lack "ocean depth."
  • How: Use a small jar of clam juice as part of your liquid base, or whisk in 1/2 teaspoon of anchovy paste into your butter/garlic sauté at the start. It won't taste like fish; it just tastes "fuller."

3. Mushroom Powder or Finely Minced Mushrooms

  • Why: Mushrooms are umami bombs.
  • How: If you have dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms, blitz them into a powder and add a teaspoon. Alternatively, very finely mince a few white button mushrooms and sauté them with your onions until they almost disappear.

4. Old Bay or Smoked Paprika

  • Why: Keto food can sometimes feel heavy on fats but light on "bite."
  • How: A heavy pinch of Old Bay is classic for chowder. For a "smoky" profile that mimics the bacon usually found in non-keto versions, use Smoked Paprika.

5. A Splash of Acid (Lemon or Vinegar)

  • Why: Heavy cream and butter can mute flavors. A tiny bit of acid "wakes up" the seafood.
  • How: Add a squeeze of fresh lemon or a teaspoon of white wine vinegar just before serving. It cuts through the fat and makes the cauliflower taste less "sulfury."