Dairy Free Slow Cooker Clam Chowder

Total time4 hr 50 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time0 min

Smoky bacon, sweet Yukon Gold potatoes, and briny clams simmer low and slow until every bite is packed with cozy, coastal flavor. The onion, celery, and garlic soften right in that rendered bacon fat, building a deeply savory base before the potatoes soak up all that clam and chicken broth goodness over hours in the slow cooker. A quick thickened finish gives the chowder its signature velvety texture, so it ladles up rich and satisfying rather than thin or watery. Fresh parsley and a crack of pepper brighten the whole pot right before serving. It's an easy, mostly hands-off dinner that's a great fit for a dairy free kitchen, and it's the kind of chowder that tastes even better the next day.

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Ingredients

6 servings

6 slices bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
Oscar Mayer Naturally Hardwood Smoked Bacon Oscar Mayer Fully Cooked Original Bacon Oscar Mayer Original Center Cut Bacon for a Low Carb Lifestyle Pack - 12 Oz Oscar Mayer Naturally Hardwood Smoked Thick Cut Bacon Hormel Black Label Original Bacon 16 oz
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1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
3 stalks celery, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ lbs yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
3 cans (6.5 oz each) chopped clams, drained, juice reserved
1 bottle (8 oz) clam juice
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp salt, plus more to taste
3 tbsp unsalted butter
Chef's tip
Use a stick or block-style dairy-free butter - not a soft tub spread - and swap one-for-one.
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
Chef's tip
Use unsweetened dairy-free heavy cream in cooked sauces, soups, and ganache. For whipped uses, choose a product labeled whippable.

For serving

2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)
oyster crackers, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1
Cook the bacon pieces in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to the slow cooker insert with a slotted spoon, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet.
2
Add the onion and celery to the skillet with the bacon fat and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker.

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