Fish Chowder

Why this recipe works

Common ingredients are used in this tasty fish chowder, making it a simple recipe you’ll be sure to add to your rotation.

We used Pollock in this recipe, but your favorite white fish will work just fine. In fact, see what’s on sale, as this is a very adaptable recipe!

Ingredients you will need

How to Make Fish Chowder

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large stock pot. As the olive oil starts to shine, add in the carrots, celery, and onions. You should hear a sizzle indicating the oil is up to temperature.
2. Use a wooden spoon to stir the vegetables in the olive oil every minute or so. Allow the vegetables to saute without browning, until the onions start to become soft and translucent. The carrots and celery will still be more on the vibrant and stiff side. This should take about 10 minutes.
3. Add the potatoes to the pot and give a good stir. Allow them to mingle for just two minutes before adding in the liquid (stock and water).
4. Add the bay leaves on top. Cover and increase the heat to high, bringing the pot to a boil. Boil until potatoes are just fork tender. You do not want the potatoes to become mushy. This will take about 20-30 minutes.
5. Once the potatoes have become tender, bring the heat down to low. Add the chopped fish. Stir so all fish cooks evenly and has been covered by the stock.
6. Meanwhile, create the roux. Melt the butter in a 10 inch skillet.
7. Dust in the flour and whisk to combine and cook out the rawness of the flour.
8. As the mixture bubbles, slowly pour in the evaporated milk in 3 steps, whisking and allowing the mixture to thicken between each. It should have the consistency of a loose cake batter.
9. Add the salt and pepper to the roux giving a final stir.
10. Add the roux to the simmering stock pot and stir well. This will help to thicken the soup into a chowder and give a creamy texture.

Frequently Asked Questions

What to Serve with Fish Chowder

A fresh, crunchy salad is always a welcome side with hot soup. We also love adding crumbled bacon, a sprinkling of fresh Parmesan cheese, or a handful of oyster crackers to the top. Here are some wonderful bread choices as well.

• Homemade Italian Bread
• Herb Buttermilk Biscuits
• Homemade Hawaiian Rolls
• Sweet Cornbread
• Ranch Seasoned Oyster Crackers

We hope you love this fish chowder as much as we do. Use your favorite white fish and you simply can’t go wrong!

More Soup Recipes

• Cheddar Cheese Potato Soup
• Healthy Vegetable Soup
• Chicken Bean Soup
• Italian Sausage Tomato Orzo Soup
• One-Pot Vegetable Rice Soup
• Corn Chowder
• Lobster Bisque

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Fish Chowder

A steamy bowl of delicious fish chowder is a comforting warm-up for a cold winter day. Tender white fish combined with vegetables, broth and seasonings makes a delicious dinner.

5 from 7 votes

IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!

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Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings: 16 (2 cup) servings

1 hour hr

Calories: 240

Author: Amanda Davis

Ingredients

• ▢ ¼ cup olive oil
• ▢ 1 ½ cups carrots chopped
• ▢ 1 ½ cups celery chopped
• ▢ 1 ½ cups yellow onion diced (approximately one large yellow onion)
• ▢ 2 pounds red potatoes quartered and diced into 1-inch cubes
• ▢ 32 ounces seafood stock
• ▢ 32 ounces water
• ▢ 2 bay leaves
• ▢ 2-3 pounds frozen white fish
• ▢ ½ cup unsalted butter
• ▢ ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 12 ounce can evaporated milk
• ▢ 2 teaspoons salt
• ▢ 2 teaspoons white pepper

Things You’ll Need

• ▢
  Stockpot
• ▢
  Whisk

Before You Begin

• Instead of flour, can also use corn starch or add heavy cream instead of evaporated milk for a silkier texture.
• Total you need about 8 cups of liquid to boil the vegetables. I used half seafood stock and half water to achieve this. I’ve found that using seafood stock for all 8 cups (depending on the seafood stock) can be over-powering in the flavor. To let the fish really shine and still taste the flavors your vegetables lend, I would suggest a 1:1 ratio of seafood stock to water, and no more than 6 cups seafood stock with 2 cups water.
• Pollock is pictured but you can use just about any fish. You can use fresh fish as well; it will just cook more quickly. However, you’re adding it at the end so it really will not make a huge difference. You can use a combination of frozen fish too. Whatever white fish is on sale. Pollock, cod, tilapia, etc.
• You can use black pepper, white pepper is just more subtle in flavor and is good for using on delicate flavors such as fish.

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large stock pot. As the olive oil starts to shine, add in the carrots, celery, and onions. You should hear a sizzle indicating the oil is up to temperature.
• Use a wooden spoon to stir the vegetables in the olive oil every minute or so. Allow the vegetables to saute without browning, until the onions start to become soft and translucent. The carrots and celery will still be more on the vibrant and stiff side. This should take about 10 minutes.
• Add the potatoes to the pot and give a good stir. Allow them to mingle for just two minutes before adding in the liquid (stock and water).
• Add the bay leaves on top. Cover and increase the heat to high, bringing the pot to a boil. Boil until potatoes are just fork tender. You do not want the potatoes to become mushy. This will take about 20-30 minutes.
• Once the potatoes have become tender, bring the heat down to low. Add the chopped fish. Stir so all fish cooks evenly and has been covered by the stock.
• Meanwhile, make the roux. Melt the butter in a 10 inch skillet.
• Dust in the flour and whisk to combine and cook out the rawness of the flour.
• As the mixture bubbles, slowly pour in the evaporated milk in 3 steps, whisking and allowing the mixture to thicken between each. It should have the consistency of a loose cake batter.
• Add the salt and pepper to the roux giving a final stir.
• Add the roux to the simmering stock pot and stir well. This will help to thicken the soup into a chowder and give a creamy texture.

Nutrition

Serving: 1(2-cup) portion | Calories: 240cal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 553mg | Potassium: 634mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2283IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 1mg

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