February 10, 2021
New Manhattan Vegan ‘Clam’ Chowder
New Manhattan Chowder – combining the best of both worlds between New England chowder and Manhattan Chowder, this creamy and rich soup is sure to be your new favorite!
new Manhattan chowder: the best of both worlds
Who says you can’t have it all? Not me, that’s for sure! Today, I’m bringing you my definition of the perfect bowl of vegan clam chowder … New Manhattan Vegan Clam Chowder!
You see, you get the best of both worlds:
- Rich and creamy from New England chowder
- Bold, with a classic tomato flavor from New Manhattan chowder
What you get when you combine the two is a rich, creamy, and bold bowl of soup that’ll having you coming back for seconds – and thirds!
Grab a drink and let’s get to cookin’ the best New Manhattan Vegan ‘Clam’ Chowder!
how to make new Manhattan vegan ‘clam’ chowder
This New Manhattan chowder is straightforward and simple to prepare! Here’s how to make it:
- Shred your oyster mushrooms, season, and marinate for 30 minutes
- Sauté the mushrooms until crisped around the edges and all the liquid has cooked out
- Make a quick roux, sauté your holy trinity, and cook down ’em down a bit
- Add your tomatoes, broth, herbs, and potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the potatoes are tender
- Add the sautéed oyster mushrooms and vegan cream, and sauté another 5 minutes
- Serve immediately with oyster crackers and green onion, and enjoy!
I told ya’ll this was straightforward and easy!
where can I get oyster mushrooms? what if I can’t find them?
Oyster mushrooms are one of my favorite varietals of mushrooms, as they’re perfect for replicating seafood-y dishes like this New Manhattan Vegan Clam Chowder! Depending where you are, it might be tricky to find oyster mushrooms. My local Asian market almost always has them as well as my local health food stores, such as Whole Foods and Sprouts. If you’re unable to find oyster mushrooms, you can sub for king oyster mushrooms (also known as trumpet mushrooms). Additionally, you can use a more accessible mushrooms such as button, cremini, or portobello. Just make sure you slice them as thinly as possible.
New Manhattan Chowder is the best, am I right?!
I hope you love this recipe as much as I do! I’ve always loved both New England and Manhattan chowder, so combining the two to make this New Manhattan Vegan Clam Chowder has been a long time coming! If you give this recipe a try, make sure to snap a photo of your creamy & rich chowder, and share it by tagging me on Instagram at @eat_figs_not_pigs and #EatFigsNotPigs.
Til next time, friends! XO!
New Manhattan Vegan 'Clam' Chowder
Ingredients
- 2 pounds oyster mushrooms *see recipe notes
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 TBS apple cider vinegar
- 2 TBS Old Bay seasoning divided
- 6 TBS vegan butter
- 5 TBS all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cup chopped white onion about 1 small onion
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper about 1 small pepper
- 1 cup chopped celery about 2 small stalks
- 6 cloves minced garlic
- 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
- 4 cups vegan chick’n broth *see recipe notes
- 2 cups red potatoes cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups unsweetened and unflavored soy milk *see recipe notes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh thinly sliced green onion for serving
- Fresh minced parsley for serving
- Oyster crackers for serving
Instructions
- Shred the oyster mushrooms and place them in a large bowl. Season the shredded mushrooms with the olive oil, vinegar and 1 tablespoon of Old Bay seasoning, mixing it with your hands to ensure all the mushrooms are coated in the seasonings. Cover and marinate for 30 minutes.
- In a soup pot over medium-high heat, add the marinated mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the outer edges start to crisp and most of the liquid has cooked out of the mushrooms, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the pot and set aside.
- In the same pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Once the butter is melted, add the flour and mix with s wooden spoon until a paste forms. Continue to stir until there are no clumps. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic and season with the remaining tablespoon of Old Bay. Sauté, stirring often, until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices, broth, potatoes, thyme and bay leaves. Give the soup a mix to thoroughly combine and increase the heat to high. Once the soup reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the sauteed mushrooms and soy milk and simmer, stirring often, another 5 minutes.
- Serve immediately with fresh parsley, green onion and oyster crackers. Enjoy!
Notes
* The chick’n bouillon I use comes in either a paste or cube form, in which you mix with water to form a broth. The brands I typically buy are Better Than Bouillon or Edwards & Sons, and I can find them at many grocery stores, including Whole Foods and Sprouts. If you’re unable to find a vegan chick’n broth, your favorite vegetable broth is a great replacement!
*I like to use soy milk in most of my creamy recipes, as it is highest in protein and the most stable in these types of recipes. You can absolutely sub it out for your favorite non-dairy milk, but it may separate (and that’s totally ok – it will still taste delicious!).
This was super good! Oyster mushrooms are pretty expensive in my area, so I only used 1 pound. Still was great! My partner who usually doesn’t like creamy soups also loved it:)