Seafood Chowder
This creamy seafood chowder recipe is loaded with tender shrimp, fish, and clams in a rich, velvety broth, the cozy one-pot dinner you'll crave all winter long.
Why You'll Love This Seafood Chowder Recipe
There is nothing quite like a steaming bowl of homemade chowder on a chilly evening, and this seafood chowder recipe with shrimp, flaky white fish, and tender baby clams might just be the coziest one yet. It is a creamy seafood soup in the best sense: rich without being heavy, packed with briny ocean flavor, and balanced by soft potatoes and smoky bacon. If you have ever wondered how restaurants get that velvety, never-grainy texture in their chowder, the secret is a simple roux and a gentle hand with the heat.
This is the kind of cozy seafood chowder recipe that turns into a weekly request once your family tries it. It comes together in one pot, uses ingredients you can find at any grocery store, and is genuinely one of the easier seafood dinners you can make on a weeknight.
Before we get cooking, the right tools and a few key ingredients really do make a difference in how this chowder turns out. A heavy bottomed Dutch oven distributes heat evenly so your roux never scorches, and good quality seafood stock builds a deeper, more savory base than water ever could.
What Makes This Chowder So Creamy
The magic of a great chowder lies in three things: a properly cooked roux, starchy potatoes, and a careful balance of cream and milk. The flour and butter roux thickens the broth from within, so you get that classic spoon-coating texture without relying on cornstarch or excessive cream.
- Bacon fat adds a smoky backbone that plain butter alone cannot replicate.
- Yukon gold potatoes hold their shape while still releasing a little starch into the broth.
- A mix of cream and whole milk keeps things luxurious without tipping into overly rich territory.
Chef's Tip: Never let the chowder boil once the cream and seafood go in. A gentle simmer is all you need. Boiling cream-based soups can cause separation, and boiling shrimp or fish makes them rubbery instead of tender.
Choosing Your Seafood
One of the best things about this recipe is how forgiving it is when it comes to the seafood itself. The combination of shrimp, white fish, and clams gives you variety in both texture and flavor, but feel free to treat this as a guide rather than a strict rule. This is essentially a seafood chowder recipe with shrimp at its heart, with the fish and clams rounding things out.
If you are working with what is fresh or on sale, here is a quick guide:
- Shrimp brings a firm, slightly sweet bite and cooks in just a few minutes.
- Cod or haddock flakes apart gently and soaks up the broth beautifully.
- Baby clams add that classic briny chowder flavor without the fuss of cooking fresh clams in their shells.
This really is a seafood chowder recipe easy enough for a weeknight, yet impressive enough for a dinner party starter or a cold weekend lunch.
Step by Step Seafood Chowder Recipe Instructions
The process for this seafood chowder in pot style recipe follows a simple, classic chowder building method: render the bacon, build a roux, add liquid and potatoes, then finish with cream and seafood. Once you have made it once, the rhythm becomes second nature.
Ready to make it? Here is the full step-by-step recipe:
Seafood Chowder
This creamy seafood chowder recipe is loaded with tender shrimp, fish, and clams in a rich, velvety broth, the cozy one-pot dinner you'll crave all winter long.
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/8 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups seafood stock or clam juice, or low-sodium chicken stock
- 3 cups yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut into bite sized pieces
- 1/2 lb white fish fillets, cod or haddock, cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 can baby clams, 6.5 oz, drained, juice reserved
- 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped, or 1/2 tsp dried
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, optional, for warmth
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
- 1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly cracked
Instruction
In a large heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
Add the butter to the pot, then stir in the onion and celery. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more until fragrant.
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste, forming a light roux.
Slowly whisk in the seafood stock, scraping the bottom of the pot to dissolve the roux and prevent lumps.
Add the diced potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, and smoked paprika. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are just fork tender.
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream and milk. Let the chowder warm through gently for 2 to 3 minutes without boiling.
Add the shrimp, fish chunks, and drained clams to the pot. Simmer gently for 4 to 6 minutes, just until the shrimp turn pink and the fish flakes easily. Avoid boiling, which can make the seafood tough.
Remove the bay leaf, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Ladle the chowder into bowls and top with the reserved crispy bacon and a sprinkle of fresh parsley. Serve hot with crusty bread.
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot
- Wooden spoon or whisk
- Slotted spoon
- Ladle
- Cutting board and knife
Notes
Serving Suggestions
This hearty seafood chowder in pot is a complete meal on its own, but a few additions make it even better:
- A thick slice of crusty bread or buttery dinner rolls for dipping
- A crisp green salad with a light vinaigrette to cut the richness
- A few dashes of hot sauce or a squeeze of lemon for brightness
For a lighter touch, swap half the heavy cream for extra milk, and you will still get that classic creamy seafood chowder in pot texture without quite as much richness.
Storage and Reheating Tips
Leftovers keep beautifully, which makes this a great recipe for meal prepping cozy lunches throughout the week. Store cooled chowder in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. When you are ready to reheat, warm it slowly over low heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of milk to loosen the texture, since chowder thickens significantly once chilled.
Freezing is possible but not ideal, since dairy based soups can separate and the potatoes can turn grainy after thawing. If you do want to freeze a batch, consider leaving the cream and seafood out, freezing just the vegetable and broth base, then adding fresh dairy and seafood when you reheat it.
However you serve it, this chowder delivers that warm, hearty, ocean-kissed comfort that makes it one of those recipes you will find yourself returning to all season long.
