Basically the difference between a soup and chowder is the base stock and how creaming and thick it is. A chowder will be thicker and more robust than a typical soup. This tasty chowder can be made as a normal chowder but with a few substitutions can also be keto. If you are fresh food enthusiast, use fresh cauliflower. But if you want a better and more convenient alternative, use frozen, it’s already cut into florets and was harvested at the peak of its development.
Ingredients
- 1 Cauliflower head – or 2 10 oz frozen bags of florets
- 4 Bacon slices – cut into 1″ diagonals
- 23 oz. Vegetable broth – can use stock
- 8 oz. Whole Milk – use heavy cream for keto
- 1 Onion – diced
- 2 Carrots – peeled and diced (can use shredded if you like that look)
- 2 Celery stalks – diced
- 2 Garlic cloves – minced
- 2 TBL Flour – used coconut flour for keto
- 2 Thyme sprigs – stripped and chopped (~ 1 tsp dried thyme)
- Kosher salt and Pepper
Process
- Mise en Place – measure and prepare your ingredients prior to starting.
- Place cut bacon into cast iron Dutch oven as it heats on Med heat.
- Cook bacon and set aside. Drain all but 2 TBL of fat.
- Add onions, carrots, and celery. Season with salt and pepper and cook ~5 mins or until onions are translucent.
- Add garlic and cook 1 min.
- Make Roux
- Stir in flour and cook ~2 mins, until flour is lightly toasted but not burnt.
- Add thyme and cauliflower.
- Add broth in stages to smooth out any lumps in the roux.
- Add rest of broth and milk/cream and bring to boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer 15 mins. Season to taste with salt and pepper in stages.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with bacon strips
