Fish Chowder is such a great easy fish recipe that’s can’t-stop-eating-it good! A thick and hearty creamy white fish soup, I adore this combination of tender potatoes, carrots, sweet corn and peas with big flakes of fish.
A wonderful fish recipe for Easter – or anytime! Just imagine that moment when you dunk in a hunk of warm crusty bread…..
Fish Chowder Soup
This is really just a Fish Soup but I like to call it a “chowder” because the immature child within believes it sounds a heck of a lot more interesting to say “we’re having Fish Chowder for dinner tonight” rather than just “fish soup”.
Who’s with me on this? 😂
Well, whatever we think this should be called, it doesn’t matter! What matters is that it’s utterly delicious, and I think it’s a great easy fish recipe that’s a little different to the usual pan frying or baked fish recipes that can be made with many types of fish.
Best fish for fish chowder
“Meaty” firm types of fish are ideal for fish chowder, such as: Snapper, barramundi, tilapia, basa*, cod, ling, monkfish, marlin, latchet (gurnard), leatherjacket, Spanish mackerel, shark (flake), salmon.
Avoid delicate fish such as whiting, garfish, John Dory, flat fish (flounder, sole) and flathead as they tend to fall apart in soup.
Avoid lean fish like Swordfish, tuna, kingfish, normal mackerel. These tend to be a bit dry unless cooked with care if it’s not the super fatty bit like the belly which is hard to get outside of Japan! So best not used in soup.
* Popular economical fish in Australia, this is actually a type of catfish found in South East Asia.
I’m using Barramundi fillets, a popular fish here in Australia. I like how big and meaty the fillets are – 1 fillet usually weighs around 300 – 400g (10 – 14 oz).
What goes in Fish Chowder
Pretty straight forward list of ingredients. Just some notes on a few of the items:
- Wine – optional, but it does add that little extra something something to the soup broth. It’s pretty traditional to use white wine in a seafood broth base. Can be skipped.
- Vegetables – feel free to switch with vegetables of choice, just add them according to the cook time. Potato and broccoli is great (it basically ends up looking like Potato Broccoli Soup with fish in it), or try Corn Chowder type soup with fish added. Anything goes here!
- Best broth for fish chowder – in order of preference:
- homemade fish stock – reserved for special occasions around these parts!
- high quality store bought fish stock ie not standard supermarket brands like Campbells
- clam juice – US product, not sold in Australia, hope it comes to our shores!
- chicken broth /stock – yes really, try it and be amazed how good it is in this recipe. This is what I use for everyday purposes.
Just to be clear, there is no denying that the best seafood soups are made with homemade seafood broths and any respectable seafood restaurant will use house-made broths. But there’s also no denying that it’s not practical for most people to manhandle giant cauldrons of fish heads on any given night, and that’s the basis on which I give my recommendations!
How to make it
Chowder is a great straightforward recipe – sauté onion and garlic, deglaze the pot with white wine, add flour to make a sludge then basically tip everything else in.
The broth for Fish Chowder is thickened with the flour – no need for cream unless you want to add richness (I do not miss it).
I used to sear the fish first before making the broth, believing that this gave an overall better flavour. But actually, for fish soups, I think it’s best to just plonk the uncooked fish straight into the broth so all the fish juices leech into the soup as it poaches.
If you’ve been around since Easter of last year, you’d be forgiven for thinking the ingredients in this recipe are somewhat familiar. In fact kudos to you for picking it up! Because this Fish Chowder is in fact pretty much my favourite Easter Fish Pie – in soup form. 🙂
Try this soup with Quick Cheesy Garlic Bread…. wait until you SEE it in the video below. Makes my knees weak every single time!! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Fish Chowder Soup
Ingredients
- 40g / 3 tbsp butter , unsalted
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 small onion , finely chopped
- 2 small carrots , halved, cut into 0.5cm / 1/5" slices
- 1/2 cup (125ml) dry white wine (can skip)
- 1/4 cup (35g) flour (plain / all purpose)
- 3 cups (750 ml) milk , any fat %
- 2 cups (500 ml) fish stock, clam juice OR chicken stock, preferably low sodium (Note 1)
- 2 cups potato , 1.5 cm/ 0.5" cubes (~1 large potato)
- 1 cup corn , frozen or canned (drained)
- 0.5 tsp salt , plus more to taste
- Finely ground black pepper
- 600 g/1.2 lb white fish fillets , skinless, cut into 2cm / 4/5" pieces (Note 2)
- 1 cup peas , frozen
Garnish/serving (optional):
- 1/4 cup green onions , halved and finely sliced (garnish)
- Crusty bread for dunking
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add garlic and onion, cook for 5 minutes until translucent but not golden.
- Add carrots and stir through.
- Turn heat up to high and add wine. Stir then let it simmer rapidly until it's mostly evaporated.
- Add flour and stir for 30 seconds - it will become sludgy!
- Slow pour in broth while stirring to dissolve paste, then stir in milk.
- Add potato, corn, salt and pepper. Bring to simmer then turn heat down so it's simmering gently.
- Cook, stirring every now and then, for 8 minutes or until potato is almost cooked.
- Add fish and peas, simmer for 3 minutes or until fish is just cooked (should flake easily).
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste. If soup is too thick, add a touch of water or milk.
- Serve, garnished with green onions and crusty bread on the side for dunking!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Dozer! I said FISH chowder, not PELICAN chowder!!!
This is a very nice soup, which my family enjoyed very much. I added 1/2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning.
Thank you!
I’m so glad you loved it Jocelyn!
I had a small carton of cream sitting in my fridge that I can’t even remember what recipe I bought it for.
But fish chowder sounded so good. And it was good and satisfying, simple to make! Thank you for the recipe.
Lucky you! Why do I (a person who loves to swim) end up adopting two dogs in a row that does not like water 😉
I’m so glad you loved it!! How do your dogs not love the water? I can’t get Dozer OUT of the water 😂
Really tasty and quick to make. Will be making it again. Thanks!
First time cooking fish chowder. Turned out very well.
Indeed. I had to sub sweet potato for potatoes but still worked well. I have tried a few recipes from your site and they have all been great! Thanks for your blog!
Sounds like you nailed it Munlee!
My husband loves fish and seafood chowders. I saw this recipe and thought it looked easy enough to try. What a hit. He adored it. It is now in my book of favourites and will be on the menu at least once a month or more.
Great Bev!!
We usually have a meatless Holy Week so I ran out of ideas. Then I remembered your email on the Fish Chowder recipe. I cooked it tonight for dinner and it was so yummy!!! I used basa fillets as it’s the one available in my freezer. I wanted the soup to be thicker so I used some corn flour. It turned out perfect for my taste. Thanks so much Nagi!!
Perfect! I’m so happy you enjoyed it Mia – N x
Hi Nagi
I remembered cooking the Corn Chowder with bacon recipe you shared and it was awesome! So I can on,y imagine this fish chowder recipe, which I plan to do this Friday. Can’t wait! Thank you!
Loving Dozer every time. The expressions on his cute face …priceless.😂💖
Enjoy the day! Hugs🌻
I’d love to know what you think Gail!
Generational residents of the 6 New England states of the US would call this chowder, also–aka: chowdah, in Boston, Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. I do it the way you do, with milk, unless I have some cream needing to be used up. Some people like using evaporated milk in it, especially for slow cooker versions. Some people also save lobster shells to help boost stock flavor, especially when using chicken broth as a base and when using chunked lobster along with or instead of fish. My husband could live on fish chowder, he loves it so much. I lean more toward Lobster chowder or Lobster corn chowder with fresh corn bacon. Whichever, chowder fits squarely into the comfort food category, being as satisfying as it is! Anyone who hasn’t had chowder made this way is missing out! It’s good!
PS: the Hub sometimes buys firm fish (usually cod) for the chowder, plus a bit extra of flaky fish, because he likes some to disintegrate and permeate the chowder. It’s his favorite, bar none.
now THAT is a great idea. We had an amazing bisque at Rick Stein’s restaurant the other week and that was made by blitzing a bit of delicate cooked fish, amazing flavour!! N xx
Oh man! The seafood chowder in New England is SO GOOD!!! Miss it!! N xx
Lucky Dozer ..we are having rain these days in toronto😈
I was surprised when you said clam juice was not available in Australia. .it makes things easier.for seafood chowder. .BTW it’s a really delicious recipe..HAPPY EASY ER IN ADVANCE
I’m really hoping it makes it to our shores, it’s way better than our supermarket fish stock!!!
I’m enjoying a variety of your recipes. I live alone now so I usually have enough to share with neighbors and my daughter. I particularly liked the Vietnamese meatballs and some of your other Chinese dishes. Fish chowder is now on list to try.
Thanks Joe! This is a good one for freezing, if that helps 🙂 N xx
Un délice ,très difficile de ce contenté d’un seule bol ,yam yam
Have not made this for ages, love it to bits and, always a child, love to call it chowder also. Yes, have had difficulties in accessing ingredients for a fish stock, find some on sale wishy-washy and shall use homemade chicken stock, of which there is always some in the freezer, as a substitute. And, no, one cannot skip the white wine 🙂 !
I hear you Eha! Our supermarket fish stock is so ick!
What is the “or” after the white wine? I don’t see another option listed. I assume water.
Oops 🙂 Fixed!! N xx
This chowder looks absolutely wonderful and I can’t wait to try it. Thanks Nagi for posting some fabulous recipes that are quickly becoming our family favourites :o).
You’re so welcome Lorraine! I’,m glad you are enjoying them! N xx
Looks like a delicious recipe, and I can’t wait to try it. 🙂
Good luck with your taxes..!
😩
Hi Nagi, Would it be possible to use Almond milk in this recipe?
Teresa: I’ll be making a dairy-free version. Almond or cashew milk usually works well in soups.
Hi Teresa! I haven’t tried it for this recipe but I am sure it will work 🙂 N xx
Hi Nagi! his chowder sounds delicious! I have some really nice cod in the freezer that I’ve been wondering what to do with and this is perfect! I’ve also got a really nice, crusty loaf of sourdough bread for dunking. I make a seafood chowder at Christmas at has fish, crab, shrimp and scallops in it. It’s a little pricy to make and that’s why it is reserved for Christmas
Hi Dorothy – welcome back!! I heard from Maureen you were having some email issues, I sent an email a few weeks ago but I guess it got lost! N xx
I just love a great fish chowder. I am a cook and know reading it that it will be outstanding. I just love your recipes, and love the Dozer spot also. Beautiful puppy. Thanks again for sharing
Thanks Sue! Glad you like the recipe 🙂 N x
Would you have a recipe for clam chowder.
I just love your recipes.
A Canadian foodie
Hi Rae! I don’t because we don’t have clam juice here 🙂 N x
Another great recipe as always. I love that there is no heavy cream, makes it easier on people with lactose intolerance. You make such easy and delicious recipes, Most importantly, the instructions are so detailed, you mention substitutes for ingredients, you really are a great cook and a teacher. So glad I found your YouTube channel.
Thank you for the compliment Mita! N xx