Creamy Seafood Chowder (Printable Version)
A rich chowder with tender seafood, potatoes, and vegetables in a creamy, flavorful broth.
# What You Need:
→ Seafood
01 - 9 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 9 oz skinless white fish fillets (e.g., cod or haddock), cut into bite-sized pieces
03 - 7 oz sea scallops, cleaned
04 - 5 oz cooked mussels or clams, shells removed (optional)
→ Vegetables
05 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
06 - 1 medium onion, finely diced
07 - 2 stalks celery, diced
08 - 2 medium carrots, diced
09 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
10 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
11 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
→ Liquids and Dairy
12 - 3 cups fish stock or seafood broth
13 - 1 cup whole milk
14 - 1 cup heavy cream
15 - ½ cup dry white wine
→ Seasonings
16 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
17 - 1 bay leaf
18 - ½ tsp dried thyme
19 - ¼ tsp smoked paprika
20 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, celery, and carrots; cook for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
03 - Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir constantly for 2 minutes to form a roux.
04 - Pour in white wine slowly while stirring to deglaze. Add fish stock, diced potatoes, bay leaf, dried thyme, and smoked paprika. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until potatoes are tender.
05 - Add white fish and scallops, simmer gently for 3 minutes.
06 - Add shrimp and optional mussels or clams, cook for 2-3 minutes until all seafood is opaque and cooked through.
07 - Stir in milk and heavy cream, warming gently over low heat without boiling. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Remove bay leaf. Stir in chopped fresh parsley.
09 - Ladle chowder into bowls, garnish with additional parsley, and serve hot.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It tastes like you spent hours on it, but most of the time is just gentle simmering while you relax.
- The broth is velvety and rich without feeling too heavy, and every spoonful has tender seafood.
- Leftovers actually get better the next day once the flavors have mingled overnight.
02 -
- Never let the chowder boil once you've added the cream or it can break and look curdled.
- Add the seafood in stages so everything cooks perfectly and nothing turns rubbery.
- Taste before serving because seafood and stock vary in saltiness and you might need more seasoning than you think.
03 -
- Reserve a little wine to add at the end if the chowder tastes too rich, it brightens everything up.
- Add a strip of cooked bacon crumbled on top for a smoky, salty contrast that makes every bite more interesting.
- Use a Dutch oven if you have one, the heavy bottom prevents scorching and distributes heat evenly.