Whole30 Instant Pot Fish Chowder (low-carb, dairy-free, nut-free)
Satisfy your cravings for thick, creamy, and hearty fish chowder with this low-carb Whole30 Instant Pot Fish Chowder recipe! I guarantee you won’t miss the dairy, and this recipe doesn’t use blended cashews as the dairy replacement. Veggie-loaded, super cozy, and ultra nourishing!
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Oh, I love me a good chowder!
Creamy, hot, and hearty — there’s nothing better on chilly nights (or for leftovers!).
I consider myself a sort of chowder connoisseur, especially of chowders that don’t require milk or cream or thickening with a roux.
So, what is a chowder exactly?
Chowder is a type of soup or stew often prepared with milk or cream and thickened with broken crackers, crushed ship biscuit, or roux. Variations of chowder can be seafood or vegetable. — Wikipedia
Whether you’re ordering chowder in a restaurant, making chowder at home, or buying it in a can (saints preserve us!), your typical chowder recipe contains milk or cream, some sort of thickening agent, and (almost always) potatoes.
What about the dairy-free folks? Or the low-carb folks? Or the gluten-free and grain-free folks?
What are we supposed to do for chowder?
Never fear, Momma! I’ve got this!
P.S. I’ve got you covered on dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, low-carb chowders! Check out my Instant Pot Green Chile Chicken Chowder, Keto Instant Pot Clam Chowder, and Bacon-Jalapeno-Corn Chowder recipes!
Cauliflower Cream to the Rescue! (Again.)
I swear on everything I have… cauliflower cream is the most outstanding discovery I’ve ever made in my cooking.
It’s like I cut dairy out of my diet and the Universe smiled upon me with creativity and inspiration for my radical act of self care. 🙂
It’s been over 2 years (as of 2019) since I accidentally figured out how to use blended cauliflower as the dairy/cream AND thickening component of soups, sauces, and you guessed it, chowder.
This is a gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, nut-free, keto, low-carb, paleo, Whole30-approved way to achieve that creaminess and thickness in soups you crave!
I literally can’t think of a diet or eating lifestyle into which it doesn’t fit. Plus, who can say no to adding extra veggies into meals??
What type of fish for Whole30 Instant Pot Fish Chowder?
A mild-tasting, wild-caught, white fish is best for this Whole30 Instant Pot Fish Chowder. Mahi-mahi, whitefish, sole, and/or cod are all great options.
First and foremost, please choose wild-caught fish. Why?
- Wild-caught fish tastes better.
- Farmed fish have been found to contain residues of antibiotics, pesticides, and other chemicals.
- Wild-caught fish eat a more varied diet in the wild, and therefore, their meat is more nutrient-dense and likely to be higher in beneficial omega-3s.
When shopping for wild-caught fish, look for:
- a Friends of the Sea (FOS) or Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) label so you know that your fish was caught responsibly
- smaller species of fish which are less likely to have high levels of contaminants and/or heavy metals; the older a fish is, the more it is likely to contain unhealthy contaminants
I used wild-caught cod for my Whole30 Instant Pot Fish Chowder. Cod has a very mild taste — not fishy at all! It’s also relatively inexpensive to find wild-caught cod — even Walmart carries it.
Potatoes or Celery Root?
That’s entirely up to you!
Potatoes and celery root (aka celeriac) are both Whole30-approved veggies.
If you’ve never tried celery root before, I highly encourage you to seize the opportunity to do so. It’s never a bad idea to expand your veggie variety.
Celery root is also way lower in carbs than potatoes. So, if you’re watching carbs, or doing something like Trim Healthy Mama or keto/low-carb, then you will want to go with celery root instead of potatoes.
Don’t be afraid to eat potatoes! They’re very nutritious (especially if you leave the skin on) and will nourish your hormones with good-for-you carbs!
Potatoes and celery root are interchangeable in this Whole30 Instant Pot Fish Chowder recipe, so you decide which one you like best!
How to Make Whole30 Instant Pot Fish Chowder
This Whole30 Instant Pot Fish Chowder recipe is made from start to finish in the Instant Pot.
You can “kill 2 birds with 1 stone” by cooking the bacon on the stovetop rather than in the Instant Pot, if you like.
First, make the cauliflower “cream”. While it cooks, chop the bacon and begin chopping the onion and celery root or potatoes.
When the Instant Pot beeps after cooking the cauliflower cream, release the pressure and transfer the contents of the Instant Pot to a blender. Blend and set aside.
Now, you can press the Saute button and cook the bacon, if you want to cook it in the Instant Pot. If cooking the bacon on the stove, cook it until crisp.
I love saving the bacon fat to flavor the fish chowder, so I prefer to use the Instant Pot for cooking the bacon so that the fat is already in the pot when I’m ready to finish the chowder. I also reserve about a quarter of the cooked bacon to use as a garnish on each bowl of soup.
Add the onions and celery root (or potatoes) to the Instant Pot. Then, add the broth and seasonings. Press the Keep/Warm Cancel button then press the Manual or Pressure Cook button. Adjust the time to 10 minutes on high pressure.
While it cooks, roughly chop 1-1/2 pounds of cod (or other white fish), making sure to remove any bones you find.
When it beeps, immediately release the pressure. Stir in the cauliflower cream and bacon.
Finally, stir in the chopped fish. Let it sit in the pot for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. This cooks the fish, but ensures that it will not be too tough or too mushy.
Serve and enjoy!
Whole30 Instant Pot Fish Chowder (low-carb, dairy-free, nut-free)
Satisfy your cravings for thick, creamy, and hearty fish chowder with this low-carb Whole30 Instant Pot Fish Chowder recipe! I guarantee you won't miss the dairy, and this recipe doesn't use blended cashews as the dairy replacement. Veggie-loaded, super cozy, and ultra nourishing!
Ingredients
- 2poundsfrozen cauliflower florets
- 1/2cupbone brothor water
- 1/2poundnitrate-free baconchopped
- 1-1/2cupsyellow oniondiced
- 6cupscelery rootor potato, chopped in 1/2" cubes
- 4cupsbone broth
- 1tablespoonsalt
- 1teaspoonblack pepper
- 1teaspoondried thyme
- 1-1/2poundswild-caught whitefishsuch as cod, mahi-mahi, or sole
Instructions
Combine the frozen cauliflower and 1/2 cup bone broth (or water) in the Instant Pot. Press the Manual or Pressure Cook button and adjust the time to 2 minutes on high pressure. When it beeps, manually release pressure, transfer to a blender, blend until smooth, and set aside.
Press the Saute button and add the chopped bacon. Cook until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon and set aside. Leave the bacon fat in the pot.
While the bacon cooks, chop the onion and celery root (or potatoes). Add the onion and celeriac (or potatoes) and cook for about 2 minutes.
Press the Keep Warm/Cancel button. Then, press the Manual or Pressure Cook button.
Add 4 cups bone broth, salt, pepper, and thyme. Place the lid on the pot, seal the vent, and adjust the time to 10 minutes on high pressure.
When it beeps, immediately release the pressure and stir in the cauliflower cream, bacon, and chopped fish.
Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes for the fish to cook in the hot chowder.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition information was calculated using wild-caught cod, chicken bone broth, celery root (not potatoes), and organic, nitrate-free bacon.
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Will you try this dairy-free Whole30 Instant Pot Fish Chowder the next time you’re craving fish chowder?
I made this with pumpkin and butternut and subbed one cup of broth for coconut milk, soooo good and adds extra creaminess!! I even got my boyfriend to try it and he usually hates fish.
I don’t have an instant pot, how would you recommend adapting this recipe? I;m also using cooked leftover fish.
Make the cauliflower cream first by steaming cauliflower and blending it. Then make the soup like you would make a normal soup: saute onions and veggies, add broth, cook. Don’t add your fish until the very end since it’s already cooked!
Can you use fresh cauliflower instead of frozen?
Yep! Just make sure it’s very fresh and hasn’t started developing brown spots or wilted leaves. Otherwise, you get a distinct cauliflower flavor.
Lindsey,
I made your fish chowder yesterday and we all LOVED it!! Excellent recipe. And, you’re right; we didn’t miss the dairy at all! Thanks for a great recipe!
Oh, yay!! I’m so glad! That cauli-cream is the bomb!