You won't miss the clams in this classic New England-style vegan "clam" chowder made with mushrooms. We were blown away by how authentic this tastes – give it a try ASAP!

side view of vegan mushroom clam chowder in a blue bowl

Vegan clam substitute

Mushrooms are our clam substitute of choice. But not just any old mushrooms –– we cook shiitake mushrooms in a mixture of butter, miso pasta and tamari for a rich, umami flavor and meaty texture!

Shiitake mushrooms work best in this recipe due to their particularly earthy flavor and tender texture (it's the most similar to clams).

If you can't find any shiitakes, the next best choice would be cremini mushrooms. They will release quite a bit more moisture, so be sure to cook them down for a bit longer until the liquid has evaporated.

overhead view of shiitake mushroom "clams" in a pan

Ingredients

Vegan butter: you can also use olive oil, but vegan butter adds extra richness.
Onion & garlic
Potatoes: we used Yukon golds, which have a creamy, buttery texture and hold up well in soup.
Celery: you can also use the leafy part!
Vegetable broth
Vegan heavy cream substitute:
White wine + white wine vinegar: for acidity and depth of flavor.
Old Bay seasoning: definitely an essential ingredient! This gives the soup that classic, New England chowder taste.
Salt & pepper
Fresh parsley

overhead view of vegan clam chowder in a soup pot

Mushroom "clams"

Shiitake mushrooms: to prepare the mushrooms, slice in half, then slice thinly. You don't want any huge pieces, but they also shouldn't be too small since they shrink a bit in the pan.
Vegan butter
Miso paste: we used white miso paste, but you can also use yellow or brown miso.
Tamari: we used low sodium tamari. If using regular, cut back the amount by ½ tbsp. (You can also use regular soy sauce if not gluten free.)

Instructions

Grab a large soup pot, crank the heat to medium and add the butter. Add the onions and sauté for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Next, add the potatoes, celery, Old Bay, salt and pepper. Stir well and cook for 6-8 minutes.

Add in the white wine, vinegar, broth and cream and bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, heat a separate pan over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the miso and tamari until no lumps remain. Add the butter to the pan, followed by the mushrooms.

Cook for a few minutes, until the mushrooms are softened and some of the liquid has evaporated. Reduce the heat slightly and add in the miso/tamari mixture. Stir well and cook for 3-5 minutes.

Remove about 3 cups of soup from the soup pot and blend. This gives the chowder its quintessential creamy texture. Add back to the pot, add in the shiitake "clams" and chopped parsley and stir well.

Enjoy hot topped with soup crackers!

Serving suggestions

This vegan clam chowder makes for a fantastic appetizer. Serve in small bowls (we used mini cast iron cocottes!) and top with soup crackers. Perfect for summer entertaining.

overhead view of vegan clam chowder in small cocottes

If you can't find small soup crackers, just about any kind of plain cracker will do. We crumbled them up and used as a topping. Alternatively, you could make a quick batch of croutons or crispy chickpeas for crunch!

More vegan "seafood" recipes to try:

overhead view of vegan mushroom clam chowder in a blue bowl

If you make this vegan clam chowder recipe, we’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below! We also love to see your creations on Instagram – tag us at @crowded_kitchen so we can see what you’ve been cooking.