Speedy Fish Chowder Recipe (2024)

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lizhobbins

Really out of my comfort zone to just “make it up” LOL, but this was delicious. Made enough for two hungry people on a really cold night.2 slices baconMedium onion10 baby red potatoes2 carrotsKosher salt and black pepperSmoked paprika (which I think made a HUGE difference)1 C frozen corn4 C fish stock.5 C white wine.25 C heavy cream8 oz cod

LK

Don't cut the raw fish into chunks. Immerse the entire fillets in the liquid; they'll break up naturally as soon as they're cooked through.

lenora

mae

Amazing & yes speedy! Started with jar of anchovies & its oil, garlic w/the other stated ingredients, bottle of clam juice & water. Perfect for this sloshy night in NY.

Susie

Excited that this turned out so well as I don’t cook w/ fish much. Started by dissolving 2 anchovies into olive oil & butter. Added onion, carrot, celery, potato, red pepper flake, smoked paprika & blk pepper. For liquid, used Pinot Grigio, chicken broth & clam juice. Thickened w/ half & half. Added .75lb tilapia & canned minced clams. Rough chopped 15 pre-cooked shrimp into bowls before ladling in stew. Voila! Fish stew. Served with garlic toast. Fam loved it. Does into reg rotation. Thx, Sam!

Susan C

I've made this for years and love to throw in a good lot of chopped parsley at the end along with lots of black pepper. Cod is good.

pix

For yellow color as shown in photo, add 1 t turmeric. Instant yellow magic plus hint of added flavor.

Michelle

Wow am I a chef? Used cod + bacon + leeks + carrots + potatoes + veg stock + clam juice + paprika + slices of hot pepper + a few dashes of Worcestershire for depth. I cant wait to make this again and impress my bf whos not my bf

Catherine

2 slices baconOlive oilOnionCarrotCeleryPotatoCorn 1 cupThyme stemsBay leafPimentonPepperClam juice, water, white wine. 1:1:11/2 cup heavy creamCodWhite fishChopped parsley

Fred

No need to pre-cook the fish. The heat of the chowder will take care of that. Pre cooking or boiling the fish will over-cook. Good rule of thumb for any seafood chowder.

Robin S.

I started off without a recipe for my version of fish chowder. Main difference: I add cooking sherry to the onions and bacon (yes, I'm reckless), no carrots in mine, and I add the potatoes once I've got a broth going. Otherwise, pretty much the same dish ... easy and oh-so-tasty. I splurge though and use pricey shell fish in addition to cod or halibut. It's perfect for a chilly morning, noon, or night :)

NH

A bottle of clam juice mixed in with water and white wine works great.

jen

I would leave out the carrots. that would introduce a flavor I don't want.

Dee

Made this using white miso for broth (my go-to for any broth/bouillon) , added some red pepper flakes, and dressed it at the end with cilantro and lime wedges. Used good quality frozen cod fillets. Fantastic. Will add the 'basic' chowder to our regular meals!

Tony Millionaire

Chicken broth. I add thyme and sage for true New England chowder.

SuFre

I used tilapia, shrimp stock and half & half. Delicious!

Kaye

Excellent. I love just throwing things into a pot. I used white wine and chicken broth with left over sushi fish (yellow tail and salmon) and with the pimenton--terrific.

Nancy

Great non-recipe that helped me deal with about 8oz of leftover cooked Hog Fish. At $30/# I didn’t want to throw away. I followed the suggestions closely, using chicken broth and bacon. I added about 2/3 cup leftover mashed potatoes (why not?) as a thickener. The fish was added at the last minute to only reheat. This is such a great idea to use delicious broiled or sautéed fish. Very tasty!

Potter

Even easier, buy "Imagine Potato Leek Soup" as a base and add the rest minus the potatoes or add a couple of steamed or microwaved potatoes chunks for texture. Add carrot slices and wine/stock as needed. Simmer till carrots are soft- 20 minutes. I use haddock, frozen is fine for this. Serve with olive oil garlic toast. Inspired by the bouride served at Cafe Des Artistes in NYC so many years ago.It was unforgettable. It had saffron in it as well. Drizzle with olive oil!!

Stacy

I always use Old Bay in my chowder... did someone else mention this already??

NCM

superior no-recipe clam chowder modeled on these instructions, with leeks, potatoes, chopped surf clams, cream and a handful of raw bay scallops added to each bowl just before serving

Kathleen Sherin

Love the open endedness of this recipe.Used seafood stock that just made from frozen shrimp shells I had been saving (finally!) Carrots, potatoes, white onion, fennel stems, cheap Pinot Grigio, frozen shrimp, frozen bay scallops, frozen black cod,heavy cream, bay leaves and smoked paprika-- all was going well but I thought it needed something more so added a bit of anchovy paste and in the end stirred in some wasabi fumi furikake (a Japanese rice seasoning) and that really made it!Thanks !!

Kelly M

My thanks to Liz Hobbins who put down a road map on this one. Sam's directions were clear, and with Liz's suggestions in terms of quantity, this was a breeze and so delicious. This recipe is now on rotation at our house, and is much anticipated on our 'Soup Sundays'. Great to prepare and enjoy while watching football.

Rose K.

When I make gefilte fish for Passover, I strain and freeze the cooking liquor in different sized containers, then use it for chowder or cioppino. Once, the label fell off in the freezer, and I mixed it with chicken broth for company. Enough said....

David B

Fun dish to freestyle with. Applied a lot of the recommendations. Will do again in the future, and will definitely mix it up.

Conor

Olive oilAnchoviesCeleryOnionYellow bell pepperPotatoJalapeño pepperGingerGarlicPaprikaTurmericCurry leafKaffir lime leafCoconut milkVegetable stockHalibutShrimpSalmonLime juiceFresh corianderEnded up being kind of a Thai fish chowder, inspired by previous commenters. Very, very tasty. Quick! Will repeat while I still have a stock of curry leaf and lime leaf. A tiny bit of shrimp paste might be a nice addition. Excited to make other variations.

Joy C

We loved this recipe! I'm an excellent recipe cook. I can take a recipe and adjust, add, subtract, and substitute. This was a great opportunity to have a little structure and push me a bit outside of my comfort zone. It turned out delicious, wasn't fussy, and boosted my confidence! Always love reading the comments/suggestions from others. So helpful!

Saskiasch

Yes, this works. Sam supllies the basics (that you really already know) and I trusted my instincts! I added some white miso, which I stole from another NYC recipe and it turned out rather good. Excellent!

SullyCyn

This is one of our favorite NYT recipes. It's different every time. For this week, I used quite a bit of cod, added a few shrimp (I find that they add nice flavor and a bit of color--I cut them up), some corn, lots of carrots, a bit of milk, seafood stock and white wine. The smoked paprika, as some have said, is key. I never cut up the fish before adding, as flaky fish just falls apart during the cooking. This is a nice healthy meal, with a salad. Love the no-recipe recipes!

kate watts

Really good. Used bacon and cod. Needed heat. Added Cholulu because that is what I had. Tabasco would have been better.

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Speedy Fish Chowder Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What two ingredients must be present for the soup to be called a chowder? ›

In its very basic format chowder is a soup made with a base of broth and thickened cream. You'll regularly find chowders served alongside crackers or biscuits too.

What is the best thickener for chowder? ›

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

What is the difference between fish stew and fish chowder? ›

The difference is simple: while the creamy base is similar in both, bisque is a smooth stew with pureed ingredients, while a chowder maintains the consistency of ingredients with a chunky texture.

What is a substitute for heavy cream in seafood chowder? ›

The Best Substitutes for Heavy Cream for Savory Recipes
  1. Evaporated milk works well as a substitute for heavy cream in sauces or soups calling for whole milk. ...
  2. Light cream has a fat content of around 20% (compared to heavy cream's 36% to 40%). ...
  3. Half-and-half.
May 20, 2024

What ingredient does chowder always have? ›

Customarily, chowder included onion, potatoes, and cream.

What's the difference between a bisque and a chowder? ›

Although a bisque and a chowder are both cream-based soups and most often feature seafood, it is their consistency that defines them and makes them quite different from each other. Whereas a bisque is smooth, a chowder is chunky, chock full of hearty pieces of ingredients such as potato and clams or corn.

How do you thicken a fish chowder? ›

Flour: Thicken the chowder up with all-purpose flour.

When to add heavy cream to chowder? ›

Slowly add the the butter/flour/poaching liquid mixture to the pot with the potatoes. Add the fish and scallops. Continue cooking and stirring until chowder thickens. Add the cream and stir until heated through, but do not boil.

How do you make chowder without curdling? ›

Stabilize with a Starch

Starches like flour or cornstarch help stabilize the milk emulsion. This will prevent it from separating. A common technique is to thicken your sauce or soup with roux before adding the milk. This changes the makeup of the liquid and prevents curdling.

What goes with fish chowder? ›

You can go for oyster crackers, warm sourdough bread, salad, french fries… the list goes on. This tasty soup is packed with clam lumps and tender potatoes.

Do all chowders have bacon? ›

Chowder is a hearty meal made with milk or cream and usually with a Salt pork,bacon,or other base for flavor along with potatoes. Corn is a popular ingredient to add too. You can add almost any protein you can think of but most tend to be made with Seafood.

What makes it a bisque? ›

A traditional French chef would define a bisque as being a thick, creamy soup made with shellfish and thickened by a paste made from their shells. Julia Child was one chef to popularize lobster bisque in the United States; her recipe uses both the shells of the lobster and rice to thicken the bisque.

Can I use sour cream instead of cream in chowder? ›

If you prefer to use sour cream or Greek yogurt, you can “temper” it to prevent it from curdling. Simply place the sour cream or yogurt in a heat-safe bowl. Add a few splashes of the warm soup liquid, stirring after each, until the mixture is warmed through. Then stir the mixture into the soup.

Can I use evaporated milk instead of heavy cream in chowder? ›

Unlike cream, which runs the risk of splitting once added, evaporated milk can be mixed into the chowder's entourage when the clams are added. Thus, a steamy bowl of clam chowder is created, whose flavor whole-heartedly sings with a warming fishy essence.

Can you substitute sour cream for heavy cream in soup? ›

Sour cream is an easy replacement for heavy cream. It can be easily stirred into a dish and offers another flavor profile to soups, stews and sauces. Plus, using it as a heavy cream substitute is a great way to use up that lingering tub in the fridge.

What makes a soup a chowder? ›

Chowder is a soup with cream or milk mixed with ingredients such as potatoes, sweet corn, smoked haddock, clams and prawns, etc. Some cream-style chowders do not use cream, and are instead prepared using milk and a roux to thicken them.

What 2 ingredients are used to thicken the soup? ›

Add flour or cornflour

You can also use flour or cornflour to thicken a soup. Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer.

What are the 2 basic categories of soup? ›

Soups are similar to stews, and in some cases there may not be a clear distinction between the two; however, soups generally have more liquid (broth) than stews. In traditional French cuisine, soups are classified into two main groups: clear soups and thick soups.

What are the two types of chowder? ›

New England clam chowder is thick, creamy, and milky-white. Manhattan clam chowder is tomatoey, brothy, and clear. Both types share a clean, briny, and slightly-sweet flavor thanks to the clams—but that's about it.

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