Seafood Chowder is arguably my favorite soup situation of all time. If I make what I truly want in a soup, it's this wonderful recipe. It's creamy and rich without being heavy. The seafood makes me so happy, not only because I love it, but also because it cooks in mere minutes. It just makes the most glorious soup/chowder/hug-in-a-bowl ever! Can't you tell I love it?!
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I am a soup girl through and through and I have a collection of awesome recipes if you're looking for some good ones. You've to to try my Greek Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup for a unique twist on classic chicken noodle! If temps dip below 60 degrees here, it's always the Beef Chili - a fan favorite that is the perfect base to customize until your heart is content!
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This is the most simple Seafood Chowder Recipe ever. Because my entire family loves seafood, they request this often. And, because it only takes about 30 minutes, I will gladly make this quick and easy chowder anytime. The chowder is velvety and so very comforting, but it's not heavy.
We love this anytime of year, but it absolutely hits the mark on those cold days when you're craving that cozy bowl of goodness. Make this for your family, make it for friends, make it for whenever. It just plain good.
ingredients
- Bacon
- Butter
- AP Flour
- Old Bay
- Dried Thyme
- Dry White Wine
- Clam Juice
- Chicken Broth
- Yellow Onion
- Carrots
- Celery
- Red New Potatoes
- Kosher Salt
- Sea Scallops
- Shrimp
- Canned Chopped Clams
- Corn
- Heavy Cream
- Fresh Parsley, Fresh Ground Pepper, Flaky Sea Salt - for finishing
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
- Cutting Board
- Chef's Knife
- Spatula
- Soup Bowls
- Ladle
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instructions
Let's get started on this quick and creamy Seafood Chowder. You won't believe how incredibly easy it is to make!
To begin, we need to render the fat from the bacon. Add the chopped bacon to a dutch oven on medium-high heat. Once it starts to give off it's wonderful fat, add the butter and let that melt. Add the onions and let them begin to soften.
Add the flour, Old Bay, and dried thyme and whisk continuously for a few minutes to cook out any raw flour taste. Continue to whisk and add in the clam juice, chicken broth, and white wine.
Next, add in the carrots, celery, and potato and bring this to a simmer. Continue to simmer until the veggies are tender - about 10-15 minutes. Taste for salt here and determine if you would like to add any.
Once the veggies are nice and soft, add in the scallops, shrimp, and clams along with the corn. Cook until the scallops and shrimp are just done. This will only take a few minutes if you are maintaining a simmer. You don't want to overcook the seafood or it can become quite rubbery.
To finish our simple, creamy Seafood Chowder, pour in the heavy cream and cook until it's just warmed through.
Finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley, fresh ground black pepper, and flaky sea salt. And, never, and I mean never, serve this without a side of your favorite crusty bread.
seafood chowder tips and tricks
- When choosing seafood of any kind, make sure it smells fresh and not fishy. If there is any off-putting smell at all, toss it.
- I almost always buy frozen shrimp for my recipes. I find that the quality is better. We don't live anywhere near the ocean, so that's usually my safest bet. Look for shell-on, deveined shrimp, also known as easy-peel. The shell helps protect the shrimp in the freezer and is a much better product in my opinion.
- Also, because we don't live in an area where good quality fresh seafood is available, I use canned clams. Snow's Canned Clams (and the juice) is my favorite. No, this is not sponsored. I just really, really like their products. You can find them on Amazon.
- A word about chicken broth. You will probably use a different chicken broth and clam juice than me. That means the salt content may be vastly different. As with all of my recipes, I suggest adding the salt in layers and tasting as you go along. Just remember that you can always add it, but you can never take it out.
- Use kosher salt for cooking and flaky sea salt for finishing at the end.
seafood chowder variations
- Use whatever fish/shellfish situation you love for this Seafood Chowder. I do a different combination every time based on what I have, what's available, and what sounds good. Just keep in mind some seafood and fish have different cooking times.
- If you don't like seafood, this chowder recipe is a wonderful base for chicken. Grab a rotisserie chicken and add some at the end to warm through. It is an incredible option.
- If you want a little lower-carb version of this Seafood Chowder, swap out the potato for cauliflower! It is incredible and I do this often.
- Make it spicy! I love to add spice to just about anything. It's just another way to have this creamy soup warm you up! I like red chili flakes, but a dash of cayenne or your favorite hot sauce would be fantastic!
recipe frequently asked questions
What if I don't like seafood?
If you don't like seafood, this chowder recipe is a wonderful base for chicken. Grab a rotisserie chicken and add some at the end and just warm it through. It is an incredible option.
Do I have to use the clam juice or the wine?
You absolutely do not. You can simply substitute both with extra chicken broth.
storage and reheating instructions
- Store this chowder in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- Yes! The trick to freezing and reheating creamy soups is a slow thaw. When you're ready, let the frozen Seafood Chowder that out in the fridge. To reheat, do this slowly in a heavy-bottomed pot on the stovetop. Heating it up too quickly and at too high of a temperature is what you want to avoid.
- This chowder will stay good in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat in the microwave, cover with a damp paper towel and heat in small increments until warmed through.
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If you guys make this Seafood Chowder be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I absolutely love to hear from you all and always do my best to respond to each and every one of your comments!
Seafood Chowder Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon, diced
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 1 med onion, diced
- ¼ cup ap flour
- 2 teaspoon old bay
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 16 oz clam juice
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 1 cup new red potatoes, diced
- 16 oz sea scallops, quartered
- 12 oz shrimp, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 12-13 oz canned chopped clams, drained
- ½ cup corn
- 2 cups heavy cream
- kosher salt, to taste
- fresh parsley, fresh ground pepper, flaky sea salt to finish
Instructions
- Render the bacon in a dutch oven on medium-high heat. Once it starts to give off its fat, add the butter and let that melt.
- Add the onions and let them begin to soften.
- Incorporate the flour, Old Bay, and dried thyme and whisk continuously for a few minutes to cook out any raw flour taste.
- Continue to whisk and add in the white wine, clam juice, and chicken broth.
- Add in the carrots, celery, and potato and bring this to a simmer. Continue to simmer until the veggies are tender - about 10-15 minutes. Taste for salt here and determine if you want to add any.
- Once the veggies are nice and soft, add in the scallops, shrimp, and clams along with the corn. Cook until the scallops and shrimp are just done.
- In goes the heavy cream and cook until its just warmed through.
- Finish with fresh parsley, fresh ground pepper, and flaky sea salt. And, don't forget a piece of crusty bread!
Notes
- A word about chicken broth and salt. You will probably use a different chicken broth and clam juice than me. That means the salt content may be vastly different. As with all of my recipes, I suggest adding the salt in layers and tasting as you go along. Just remember that you can always add it, but you can never take it out.
- Use kosher salt for cooking and flaky sea salt for finishing at the end.
Nutrition
Thank you!
I am so incredibly happy that you are here! I hope you try my Seafood Chowder recipe and fall in love with it. If you make this recipe, please share and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube! And, please leave a comment or star rating below. I absolutely love seeing each and every one of your kitchen masterpieces. It makes my heart so happy! And, as always, if you ever have any questions about any of my recipes, please don't hesitate to contact me!
Happy Cooking!
-Rufus
Rufus for Real is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. I may earn a commission, with no additional cost to you, if you purchase through those links.
Rufus for Real is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Karen says
so delicious and filling
Rufus says
Thank you so very much for letting me know. It truly means the world to me to hear from you. Have a wonderful day!
Aurora Simpson says
We stumbled across this and have made it twice now. My kids are kind of picky and but they actually love this. Changed the seafood to just shrimp and cod, but it’s fantastic. Thanks!
Jenna Preston says
This is such a savory soup! All the ingredients come together so well for a silky smooth chowder! Sooo good!
Rufus says
Thank you, Jenna! Have a wonderful day!