Creamy Seafood Chowder
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Last Updated on February 26, 2023 by Lisa Johnson
Creamy Seafood Chowder is a hearty and delicious recipe packed with tender scallops, shrimp, cod and vegetables! You can adjust the types of seafood used and even make it dairy-free if you prefer.
It is easy enough to make any night of the week, and the entire family will love it!! What could be better than that?
Check out this Irish Pub Food page for even more delicious Irish recipes.
Seafood Chowder is a complete meal in a bowl, with plenty of protein and vegetables.
What is Chowder?
Chowder a rich soup typically containing fish, clams, or corn with potatoes and onions. It tends to have a creamy base and chunky texture like a stew.
Ingredients needed
- 10 ounces of large scallops, quartered
- 5 ounces of shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 5 ounces cod or hearty white fish, but into bite-sized pieces
- butter
- bacon strips, chopped
- onion, chopped
- celery, chopped
- carrots, diced
- starchy potatoes, like Yukon gold or russet, diced
- fresh thyme sprigs
- chopped fresh parsley
- chicken, seafood or vegetable stock
- whole milk, scalded – or substitute coconut milk
- lemon juice
- sea salt and black pepper
Be sure to check out the detailed printable recipe card below
How to scald milk
Pour milk into a heavy bottomed saucepan. Place on the stove and heat over medium-low heat. Continue heating and stirring the milk for 4 to 5 minutes, until the temperature reaches 181 degrees and bubbles form around the edge of the pan. Scalding the milk will kill bacteria, destroy enzymes, break down the sugars, and denature many of the proteins.
How to make Seafood Chowder
Melt butter in a large Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. When bubbly, add the seafood and cook until lightly colored, about 5 minutes. (shrimp will turn pink)
Remove from pan and set aside, including the butter.
Add the bacon to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until it starts to brown.
Stir in the onions, celery, carrots, and potatoes. Season with sea salt and pepper, then cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften.
Pour in the stock and add the thyme and parsley.
Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until vegetables are soft.
Remove the thyme sprigs and discard. Lightly crush some of the vegetables with a wooden spoon to thicken the soup.
Pour in the scalded milk and stir to combine. Add the seafood mixture back to the pan. Heat until seafood and chowder is heated through without allowing to boil.
Check the seasonings and add a squeeze of lemon juice. Ladle into bowls and garnish with additional parsley.
Serve with Irish Brown Soda Bread, Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits or Sourdough Bread.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- I left some of the liquid in the original pan so the seafood would be visible in the soup pot. There is plenty of creamy goodness in this chowder.
- To make this recipe dairy-free; substitute full-fat coconut milk for the whole milk, and olive or coconut oil for the butter. Yes, it will taste like coconut.
- You can substitute almond or cashew milk, but it tends to separate more and it will not be as thick.
Tools used to create this recipe
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More delicious soup recipes
- Whole30 Clam Chowder
- Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Grilled Shrimp
- Southwest Crab Chowder
- Creamy Parsnip and Apple Soup
- Irish Potato Leek Soup
- Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Soup
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Enjoy!!
Creamy Seafood Chowder
Equipment
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 3.5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 10 ounces large scallops quartered
- 5 ounces raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- 5 ounces cod cut into bite-sized pieces – or any other hearty white fish or mussels.
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon chopped
- 1 cup diced yellow onion one large onion
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 3 Yukon gold or russet potatoes diced
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 Tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
- 2 cups seafood, chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 cups whole milk scalded
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. When bubbly, add the seafood and cook until lightly colored, about 5 minutes. (shrimp will turn pink)
- Remove from pan and set aside, including the butter.
- Add the bacon to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until it starts to brown.
- Stir in the onions, celery, carrots, and potatoes. Season with sea salt and pepper, then cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften.
- Pour in the stock and add the thyme and parsley. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until vegetables are soft.
- Remove the thyme sprigs and discard. Lightly crush some of the vegetables with a wooden spoon to thicken the soup.
- Pour in the scalded milk and stir to combine. Add the seafood mixture back to the pan. Heat until seafood and chowder is heated through without allowing to boil.
- Check the seasonings and add a squeeze of lemon juice. Ladle into bowls and garnish with additional parsley.
Notes
- I left some of the liquid in the original pan so the seafood would be visible in the soup pot. There is plenty of creamy goodness in this chowder.
- To make this recipe dairy-free; substitute full-fat coconut milk for the whole milk, and olive or coconut oil for the butter. Yes, it will taste like coconut.
- You can substitute almond or cashew milk, but it tends to separate more and it will not be as thick.
