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This hearty Salmon Chowder recipe is bursting with amazing flavor. Use fresh, frozen, or canned salmon to make this cozy soup!
Delicious salmon along with bacon and potatoes in a creamy soup base makes this salmon chowder a perfect bowl of comfort. It only takes about 40 minutes to get this amazing seafood soup on the table.
Scroll down to read more about how it all comes together or click here to jump straight down to the recipe.
What Is Chowder?
Chowder is a rich and creamy style of soup. In the Northeast, seafood chowders are popular like New England Clam Chowder. In the Southwest, you are more likely to find corn and potato chowders.
Whatever the main ingredients are, a chowder is usually characterized by a creamy base with milk or heavy cream and ingredients that are left in chunks instead of being pureed smooth. (Of course, you also have Manhattan Clam Chowder which has a tomato base instead of cream, but maybe it’s the exception that proves the rule.)
Ingredients
For this hearty Salmon Chowder, we of course need salmon, but I’ll get into detail of the various types that can be used below (Hint: both fresh salmon AND canned salmon work here!)
We’re also building a lot of flavor with bacon, onion, celery, and garlic to start. The soup base starts off with clam juice. Clam juice is sold in most grocery stores near the canned fish. If you can’t find it or don’t want to use it, you can use 1 cup of any seafood or fish stock or broth instead. For a quick substitution for clam juice and for fish stock, you can alternatively use water mixed with either fish sauce or anchovy paste. You’ll want to add 1/2 teaspoon of fish sauce or anchovy paste to 1 cup of water. Use that mixture instead of the 8 ounce bottle of clam juice.
The recipe calls for whole milk, as opposed to a lower fat variety. The reason is that the soup is on the heat for a little while and there is a risk that the milk will curdle. What will help stop it from curdling is using a milk with a higher fat content, like whole milk. Even though you are using a higher fat milk, do not let the soup boil. You’ll be bringing it up to a gentle simmer and then immediately dropping the temperature down to low for this reason. Note though that if they soup does curdle, it is perfectly safe to eat.
Want a thicker chowder? Use just three cups of whole milk instead of four.
Potatoes are another classic chowder ingredient. I used Russet potatoes for mine because the starchiness adds to the creamy soup. If you prefer a firmer potato in your chowder that doesn’t fall apart as much, Yukon gold potatoes or red potatoes are great choices.
I love fresh dill in this soup. If you only have dried dill, you can use that instead. Use 2 teaspoons and add it when you add the potatoes. Do not add any more dill later in the recipe. Or, as an alternative to dill entirely, add a teaspoon smoked paprika and a pinch red pepper flakes when you add the potatoes. Whichever direction you choose, this chowder is perfect served with some hot sauce and oyster crackers to garnish. It’s so good!
Types Of Salmon To Use
Okay, so now the important question. Do you have to use fresh salmon? When I have it, I use it, but there’s other options for convenience that I’m going to go through. These are using raw frozen salmon, fully-cooked frozen salmon, canned salmon, fully-cooked or leftover cooked salmon. All of these options are possible. All that changes is how long the soup is simmered after the salmon is added. If the salmon is frozen, it will need a bit more time, and if it is fully-cooked or canned, it will need less time.
Using Raw Frozen Salmon
If it’s already cut into chunks, you can add it to the soup frozen and then cook it in the soup for an extra 3 minutes so that it thaws and then cooks through. If it’s in larger pieces, you’ll need to thaw it, cut it up, and then follow the recipe as written below.
Using Cooked Frozen Salmon
If it’s already cut into chunks, add it straight to the soup frozen and then cook until it’s thawed and heated through, 3-4 minutes. If it’s in larger pieces, thaw it, cut it up, and then add it as instructed for the canned salmon.
Using Canned Salmon
If using canned salmon instead of fresh, you’ll need two 5 ounce cans of salmon. My preference is red sockeye salmon, but any kind of canned salmon will work.
Remove any bones, if desired, but do not drain the liquid out of the cans. Instead, when the recipe instructions say to add the fresh salmon, you will instead add the canned salmon along with the juices from the can. You then don’t need to simmer the soup for as long because canned fish is already cooked.
To make this soup less expensive but still use fresh salmon, you can use half the amount of fresh salmon along with one 5 ounce can of salmon. Add the canned salmon 2 minutes after adding the fresh salmon.
Using Leftover Cooked Salmon
To use already cooked salmon, simply cut it into chunks and then add it when the recipe calls for the salmon. Just like with the canned salmon, you won’t need to cook the soup for as long after adding the salmon. You only need to heat it through for a moment or two.
More Soup Recipes
You can browse my full collection of soup recipes, or try out one of the favorites below.
Hearty Salmon Chowder Recipe
DESCRIPTION
This hearty Salmon Chowder recipe is bursting with amazing flavor. Use fresh, frozen, or canned salmon to make this cozy soup!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 3 strips raw bacon, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 (8 oz.) bottle clam juice*
- 4 cups whole milk**
- 2 medium Russet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1 lb. skinless salmon, cut into 1/2 inch chunks***
- 2 Tbsp. fresh dill****
- Hot sauce, for serving
- Oyster crackers, for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy, stirring occasionally. Add the onion and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add the flour and stir to evenly disperse it. While stirring, slowly pour in the clam juice. While continuing to stir, add the milk. Then add the potatoes, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
- Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring often. Immediately reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 12-15 minutes.
- Stir in the salmon and the dill. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the salmon is opaque and flaky throughout, about 3 minutes. Note that the safe internal temperature for cooked salmon is 145°F. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired.
- Ladle soup into bowls and serve with hot sauce and oyster crackers on the side.
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Notes
*You can alternatively use 1 cup of seafood or of fish stock. Or, mix together 1 cup of water or vegetable stock with 1/2 teaspoon of fish sauce or with 1/2 teaspoon of anchovy paste.
**For a thicker chowder, use 3 cups of whole milk instead of 4.
***If using canned salmon instead of fresh, you’ll need two 5 ounce cans of salmon. My preference is red sockeye salmon, but any kind of canned salmon will work. Remove any bones, if desired, but do not drain the liquid out of the cans. Instead, when the above instructions say to add the fresh salmon, you will instead add the canned salmon along with the juices from the can. Then, reduce the cooking time in that step from 3 minutes to 1 minute since the canned salmon is already cooked and only needs to heat through. Note that you can use 1/2 pound of fresh salmon and one can of salmon. Add the fresh salmon when it’s called for in the recipe, and then add the can of salmon 2 minutes later.
****If using dried dill weed, you will only need 2 teaspoons, but add it when you add the potatoes to the soup, instead of at the end. This gives the dried herb time to absorb some liquid and also spread some flavor into the soup.