This hearty creamy salmon chowder is packed with flavour and is the perfect dish to warm you up on a cold winter's night! Just a few simple ingredients come together perfectly to make a meal that not only tastes amazing but is surprisingly easy to make.
Regular readers should have realised by now that I love my soups, stews and chowders. They are such comforting meals to serve when the weather doesn't quite play the game. If you're wondering what's the difference between these three different dishes, this is my understanding:
- Soups are generally thinner and more liquid-based. If you are looking for a tasty soup recipe, try this beef vegetable winter soup.
- Stews are thicker with chunkier vegetables and normally have a meaty base. This recipe for South African beef bredie is the perfect example.
- Chowders on the other hand tend to have a creamy base and are normally made with fish or seafood as in this Irish seafood chowder.
This creamy salmon chowder recipe is long overdue and I'm not quite sure why I took so long to post it! It's loosely based on the recipe for Irish seafood chowder, but I've added some chopped red bell peppers and instead of prawns and seafood I've used succulent chunks of salmon.
The vegetables I've used are a mirepoix of potatoes, carrots and celery along with the f red bell peppers and peas for sweetness.
If you enjoy salmon, I think you'll love this creamy salmon chowder. Apart from the amazing flavours, I think the best part about it is knowing how good it is for you. Salmon is packed with omega-3 which is recommended by the British Heart Foundation who recommend eating at least 2 portions of fish a week, including oily fish such as salmon.
This salmon chowder doesn't take too long to make; in fact, it can be on the table in less than an hour. Not only that, you don't need a whole lot of fancy ingredients! A few salmon fillets, a selection of vegetables, a little cream and some dill for flavour and you're good to go.
Oh yes, don't forget the crusty bread to mop up every last delicious drop!
Jump to:
Ingredients
This recipe will feed 4 people.
- Salmon fillets - I used frozen unsmoked fillets (which were ready-skinned) and which I allowed to defrost before cutting into cubes. You could use fresh salmon instead but I recommend removing the skin first. You can ask your fishmonger to remove it for you.
- Potatoes - these should be peeled and cut into 1-inch (or 2cm) pieces.
- Carrots - peeled and cut into thick rings.
- Red bell pepper - deseeded and cut into half-inch or 1cm cubes.
- Celery - cut into half-inch or 1cm pieces.
- Frozen peas - I like to use petit pois because they are extra sweet. Allow them to defrost before using. You could substitute the peas with a similar amount of sweetcorn kernels (either fresh, frozen or canned). If using canned sweetcorn, drain it first.
- Milk - either whole milk or semi-skimmed will be fine.
- Double or heavy cream - this adds extra creaminess to the chowder. If you don't want to use cream, substitute with extra milk.
- Dill - this goes really well with salmon. I used dried dill but you could use double the amount of finely chopped fresh dill.
- Butter - I used the butter to soften the vegetables. I wouldn't recommend using oil, as the butter also forms part of the sauce.
- Cornflour (or cornstarch) - used to thicken the chowder.
- You may also need a little salt for seasoning - I like to prepare the chowder and then taste once it has cooked before adding salt.
**You can find the exact ingredient quantities needed for making this creamy salmon chowder on the printable recipe card at the end of this post**
Instructions
Step 1: Melt the butter in a large pan and add the vegetables.
Step 2: Cover the pan with a lid and leave on low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring once or twice) until the vegetables start to soften.
Step 3: Add the milk and the dill and leave to simmer for about 5 minutes (uncovered or the milk will boil over) until the potatoes are soft enough to pierce with a fork.
Step 4: While the vegetables are simmering, cut the salmon into bite-sized pieces.
Step 5: Stir in the cream. The mixture may curdle slightly. Don't worry it's simply the reaction of the vegetables with the cream and it will smooth out once the mixture has been thickened.
Step 6: Stir in the salmon and leave to poach (still on low heat) for another 5 to 7 minutes until the salmon is cooked and starts to flake.
Step 7: Combine the cornflour with a splash of milk and stir it slowly into the chowder until it thickens. Then stir in the peas. Taste for seasoning and add salt to taste if necessary.
Serve the chowder hot, with slices of crusty bread.
Tips for a successful outcome
Here are my top tips for ensuring your salmon chowder turns out perfectly every time:
- Cut the vegetables quite small so they cook in the time allowed.
- Cover the pan of vegetables with a lid and let them steam in the butter over a low heat until almost soft. I find that 5 to 7 minutes is sufficient - they will continue to cook once the milk has been added.
- Once the vegetables have been poached in milk they should be soft enough to pierce with a fork. If they are still hard, leave them a few minutes longer. Bear in mind they will still have a few minutes to soften once the salmon has been added.
- If using frozen salmon fillets, allow them to defrost completely and pat them dry with paper towel before adding them to the chowder.
- Please do not worry if the chowder curdles slightly when you add the cream. This will right itself as soon as you thicken the chowder with cornflour.
- When thickening the chowder, mix the cornflour with milk until there are no lumps. Stir it slowly into the chowder until you have a thick creamy consistency. You may not need all the cornflour mixture.
Equipment
I made the salmon chowder in a large saute pan so you could see the steps clearly. You can also make this dish in a large saucepan.
Other than the pan, you will only need a sharp knife and a chopping board to cut the vegetables and salmon, and a spatula for stirring.
Storage
Leftover salmon chowder can be stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat it in a saucepan on the stove.
I like to make a large batch and freeze half for another meal.
To freeze it allow it to come to room temperature and transfer it to a suitable freezer container. You can freeze it for up to three months.
To use, allow it to defrost in the refrigerator and then reheat it in a saucepan on the stove until piping hot.
FAQ
Yes, you can use canned salmon, although the texture will be different. Drain any liquid from the canned salmon, and break the salmon into pieces before adding it to the chowder. Because canned salmon is already cooked there is no need to let it poach; simply stir it in and allow it to heat through.
I like to use a firm potato that holds its shape rather than a floury potato that may soften too much. In the UK, Maris Piper or Vivaldi potatoes are suitable; in the US use Yukon Gold or red potatoes.
Dill has a unique flavour so you won't get the same taste from a substitute. With that in mind, you could use parsley, basil, chervil, tarragon or fennel.
Save for later
If you would like to make this creamy salmon chowder why not save the recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily? Just click on the image below.
Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.
Related recipes
Visit my fish and seafood recipes page for other tasty recipes using fish. Here are a few salmon recipes you might enjoy:
📋The recipe
Creamy salmon chowder
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Large saucepan
- Sharp Knife
- Chopping Board
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 1 pound / 450 grams salmon fllets
- 1 pound / 450 grams potatoes peeled and diced
- 1 large carrot peeled and diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper deseeded and diced
- 1 rib celery diced
- ½ cup frozen peas defrosted
- 2 cups / 480 ml milk
- ½ cup / 120 ml double or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon dried dill or 1 tablespoon fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon cornflour or cornstarch
- 2 ounces / 60 grams butter
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pan and add the chopped vegetables.1 pound / 450 grams potatoes, 1 large carrot, 1 medium red bell pepper, 2 ounces / 60 grams butter, 1 rib celery
- Cover the pan with a lid and leave on low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring once or twice) until the vegetables start to soften.
- Add the milk and the dill and leave to simmer for about 5 minutes (uncovered or the milk will boil over) until the potatoes are soft enough to pierce with a fork.2 cups / 480 ml milk, 1 teaspoon dried dill
- While the vegetables are simmering, cut the salmon into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.1 pound / 450 grams salmon fllets
- Stir in the cream. The mixture may curdle slightly. Don't worry it's simply the reaction of the vegetables with the cream and it will smooth out once the mixture has been thickened.½ cup / 120 ml double or heavy cream
- Stir in the cut salmon and leave to poach (still on low heat) for another 5 to 7 minutes until the salmon is cooked and starts to flake.
- Combine the cornflour with a splash of milk and stir it slowly into the chowder until it thickens. Then stir in the peas. Taste for seasoning and add salt to taste if necessary.½ cup frozen peas, 1 tablespoon cornflour or cornstarch, Salt
- Serve the chowder hot, with slices of crusty bread.
Notes
- Cut the vegetables quite small so they cook in the time allowed.
- Cover the pan of vegetables with a lid and let them steam in the butter over a low heat until almost soft. I find that 5 to 7 minutes is sufficient - they will continue to cook once the milk has been added.
- Once the vegetables have been poached in milk they should be soft enough to pierce with a fork. If they are still hard, leave them a few minutes longer. Bear in mind they will still have a few minutes to soften once the salmon has been added.
- If using frozen salmon fillets, allow them to defrost completely and pat them dry with paper towel before adding them to the chowder.
- Please do not worry if the chowder curdles slightly when you add the cream. This will right itself as soon as you thicken the chowder with cornflour.
- When thickening the chowder, mix the cornflour with milk until there are no lumps. Stir it slowly into the chowder until you have a thick creamy consistency. You may not need all the cornflour mixture.
- Leftover salmon chowder can be stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat it in a saucepan on the stove.
- To freeze it allow it to come to room temperature and transfer it to a suitable freezer container. You can freeze it for up to three months.
- To use, allow it to defrost in the refrigerator and then reheat it in a saucepan on the stove until piping hot.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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