Smoked Salmon Chowder (Printable Version)

Creamy chowder with smoky salmon, potatoes, and sweet corn for cozy evenings.

# What You Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 7 oz smoked salmon, skin removed, cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
05 - 1 large carrot, diced
06 - 1 celery stalk, diced
07 - 1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

→ Dairy

09 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 - 2 cups whole milk
11 - 1 cup heavy cream

→ Liquids

12 - 2 cups fish or vegetable stock

→ Seasonings

13 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
14 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
15 - ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
16 - 1 bay leaf

# How to Make It:

01 - Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrot, and celery. Cook until softened, approximately 5 minutes.
02 - Stir in diced potatoes, corn, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Cook for 2 minutes to blend flavors.
03 - Pour in stock and bring to gentle boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until potatoes are tender.
04 - Stir in milk and heavy cream. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.
05 - Add smoked salmon and fresh dill. Simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until salmon is heated through. Avoid boiling to prevent dairy separation.
06 - Remove bay leaf. Adjust seasoning to taste. Ladle into bowls, garnish with additional dill, and serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The smoky salmon infuses every spoonful with incredible depth without needing hours of simmering
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you spent all afternoon tending to it
02 -
  • Never let the chowder come to a rolling boil after adding the dairy or it may separate and become grainy
  • Add the smoked salmon at the very end because it only needs to warm through, not cook
03 -
  • Buy the best smoked salmon you can afford since it is the primary flavor source
  • Everything is ready to eat once the potatoes are tender