A creamy, dreamy seafood chowder brimming with tender shrimp, sweet scallops, briny clams with buttery potatoes—cozy, indulgent, and totally doable at home!
Some days call for grilled cheese and tomato soup. But other days? You need seafood chowder. Rich, creamy, loaded with your favorite seafood, potatoes, and a splash of cream that feels like a warm hug from the ocean. This isn’t your canned chowder situation. This is treat-yourself creamy seafood soup—still simple to pull off, but layered with enough decadence to make you forget it’s a weeknight.
Let's get started!
Jump to:
- Pull Up A Chair and Let's Chat!
- What You'll Need And Why
- How Not To Mess It Up
- You Do You and Make It Your Own
- Creamy Seafood Chowder Recipe
- What to Dunk, Dip, and Devour with Chowder
- Reheat, Reuse, Rejoice: Storage Instructions
- You Asked, I Answered
- Craving More Stick-to-Your-Ribs Comfort?
- Who’s Stirring the Pot?
Pull Up A Chair and Let's Chat!
This homemade seafood chowder recipe delivers restaurant-level flavor without the fuss. A classic roux builds a velvety base, bacon and clam juice pack in umami depth, and adding the seafood at the end keeps everything tender—not chewy. And the end result? Freaking delicious. Like grab-a-spoon-and-hide-in-the-pantry good.
More reasons to make best seafood chowder recipe everrrr? Lemme tell ya!
- Builds flavor in layers: bacon, wine, clam juice, Old Bay, and cream.
- Adds seafood last—keeps shrimp and scallops soft, never rubbery.
- Thickens with a simple roux for silky, spoon-coating texture.
- Uses smart shortcuts: frozen shrimp and canned clams = high quality, low stress.
- Cozy, rich, and so good you’ll want seconds before you finish the first bowl.
What You'll Need And Why
- Bacon + Butter: Starts the party with smoky richness and a glossy base.
- Aromatics: Onion, carrot, celery—the soup soul trio.
- Flour + Seasonings: All-purpose flour, Old Bay, dried thyme, kosher salt. Creamy + cozy perfection.
- Liquids: Dry white wine, clam juice, chicken broth—layered flavor in every bite.
- Veggies + Starch: Red new potatoes and sweet corn for heft and texture.
- The Seafood Trio: Shrimp, scallops, canned clams. Because one seafood isn’t enough.
- Heavy Cream: Silky finale. Don't panic—this is a treat!
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How Not To Mess It Up
- Fresh Should Smell Fresh: Seafood shouldn’t smell fishy. Trust your nose.
- Frozen Shrimp > Grocery Store “Fresh”: Unless you're seaside, frozen shrimp is usually better quality. Look for shell-on, easy-peel.
- Canned Clams = Underrated Hero: Snow’s is my fave for tender clams and solid flavor. Affordable, easy, and landlocked-approved. Not sponsored, just obsessed.
- Avoid Overcooking: Add clams, shrimp, and scallops at the end—they need just a few minutes!
- Wine or No Wine: No vino? Swap for broth or a squeeze of lemon.
- Thicken or Thin: Mash a few potatoes to thicken even more. Too thick? Add more broth or cream.
- Salt Smart: Broth and clam juice vary wildly in salt. Taste often. You can add salt, but you can’t take it out.
- Scallop Tip: Don’t forget to remove the “foot”—it’s that little tough side muscle that feels like a gummy eraser. Rip it off and toss it. Your teeth (and dinner guests) will thank you.
You Do You and Make It Your Own
- Swap shrimp for crab or lobster for a fancier finish.
- Add smoked salmon at the end for a luxe, smoky twist.
- Sprinkle fresh dill or tarragon for herbal brightness.
- Go lower-carb and use cauliflower instead of potato.
- Mix and match your favorite seafood—shrimp, scallops, clams, fish fillets—just keep cooking times in mind so nothing turns rubbery.
- Love spice? Add red pepper flakes, cayenne, or a dash of hot sauce to give this creamy chowder a cozy kick.
Creamy Seafood Chowder Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon, diced
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 1 med onion, diced
- ¼ cup all-purpose 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 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, clam juice, 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.
Nutrition
What to Dunk, Dip, and Devour with Chowder
Dutch Oven No-Knead Bread: Crackly crust, pillowy inside—perfect for scooping up every last drop.
Beer Bread: Slightly sweet, crazy easy, and always impressive. Bonus points if you dunk while it’s still warm.
Sour Cream Biscuits: Buttery, flaky, bacon-y and tender enough to split in half and glide through your bowl.
Savory Monkey Bread: Pull-apart goodness made for sharing… or not. No judgment if you keep it to yourself. And, it has bacon and cheese.
Reheat, Reuse, Rejoice: Storage Instructions
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw slowly in the fridge.
- Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat. If it thickens, add a splash of broth or cream to loosen it.
- Microwave: Heat in short bursts, covered with a damp paper towel, until warmed through.
Pro Tip: Creamy soups don't love rapid reheating—low and slow is the name of the game.
You Asked, I Answered
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 that anyone can enjoy.
Do I have to use the clam juice or the wine?
You absolutely do not. You can simply substitute both with extra chicken broth and a squeeze of lemon.
Can I use all frozen seafood?
Yep! Just thaw and pat dry before adding.
How can I make this gluten-free?
Swap the all-purpose flour for your favorite gluten-free flour blend or use cornstarch as a thickener (at the end). Just whisk 1–2 tablespoons of cornstarch into cold broth before adding it to the pot—no roux required.
Is there a dairy-free option?
For a dairy-free seafood chowder, sub the butter for olive oil and use full-fat coconut milk or a cashew-based cream in place of heavy cream. The texture will still be rich and velvety, just with a hint of sweetness from the coconut—delicious with seafood!
Craving More Stick-to-Your-Ribs Comfort?
Chicken Pot Pie Soup– Creamy, veggie-packed, and no pie crust required.
Loaded Baked Potato Soup – Bacon, cheese, and potato perfection in every bite.
Creamy Cheeseburger Soup – A one-pot wonder that tastes like fast food but feels like home.
Prime Rib Soup – Rich, beefy, and the cozy-kind-of-fancy way to give your leftovers new life!
Who’s Stirring the Pot?
Hey, I’m Ruth—recipe developer, busy mom, and unapologetic seafood chowder lover. I believe comfort food should feel special and doable…even if you’re cooking between soccer drop-offs and Netflix plays. Hang out for real food recipes, served with sass and simplicity.
I am so incredibly happy that you are here and hope you try my creamy seafood chowder recipe and fall in love with it. If you make this recipe, please share and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube!
Happy Cooking!
-Rufus
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!
Sue Liberto says
I love seafood chowder but never made it. My late Mom always made a delicious one for us. This recipe sounded good and doable so made it. Wow! Fabulous result. I used cod, cooked mussels, minced lobster meat and some chopped lobster meat. And Shrimp broth cubes (because I had them) rather than claim juice. Everything exactly like the recipe. Will definitely make this again! Thanks for the recipe and easy to follow steps.
Rufus says
I can't tell you how happy this makes me! Thank you so much for letting me know! Have a wonderful day!