Seafood Chowder

This is the only seafood chowder recipe you will ever need. It’s easy, dependable, and you can toss in the ingredients you love the most. My recipe has three different kinds of seafood, crispy bacon, plenty of garlic, lemon, and dill. Silky smooth, full of vegetables, seafood that isn’t over cooked, you’re going to love this chowder.

My goal for this seafood chowder recipe was to give you a guide that you can use to make your own! We’re building big flavor here, starting with bacon, garlic, and onion …then some bright vegetables to help add color and texture. Then, three different kinds of seafood come together in a brilliant way that makes each one even more flavorful.

Don’t skip the cream and feel free to adjust the veggies and seafood to your favorites!

What is Chowder?

So what’s the difference between a chowder and a soup anyway? Chowders are thick, creamy (from milk, cream, or a roux), and most often made with seafood and vegetables. A soup, on the other hand, may be thick or thin, broth-based or cream-based.

Ingredients in Seafood Chowder

The ingredient list is loaded with seafood and veggies, among a few other things. Here’s everything you’ll need:

• ½ pound of bacon
• ½ of an onion, diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• ½ pound of scallops
• 4 cups of chicken broth
• 1 cup of heavy cream
• 2 cups of frozen corn
• 1 pound of Yukon gold potatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes (no need to peel them)
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
• 1½ teaspoons of sea salt, divided
• ½ teaspoon of black pepper
• ½ pound of crab meat
• ½ pound of shrimp
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• Fresh dill, for garnish

Ingredient Modifications and Variations

• Fresh or frozen seafood – get your hands on whatever sustainably sourced seafood is at the best price. Fresh and frozen will both work!
• Make it dairy-free – use full-fat canned coconut milk in place of the heavy cream for a delicious dairy-free seafood chowder.

How to Make Seafood Chowder

For as fancy and sophisticated as it sounds, seafood chowder is exceptionally easy to make! Follow along for a full step-by-step how-to:

1. Crisp the bacon – heat a large pot over high heat, and, once hot, add the bacon. Cook the bacon on one side until it starts to crisp, then flip the bacon and cook on the other side until fully cooked. Remove the bacon from the pot and set aside to cool. Once cool, chop the bacon into small pieces.
2. Sear the scallops – pat the scallops dry and season them with a ½ teaspoon of salt. Add the scallops to the side to sear for 2 minutes per side. Remove the scallops and set aside.
3. Saute the garlic and onion – reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic and onion to the pot. Saute the garlic and onion for 3-5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
4. Add the carrots, potatoes, corn, broth, heavy cream, salt, and pepper – add the carrots, potatoes, corn, broth, heavy cream, salt, and pepper to the pot and stir to combine.
5. Simmer and cook – bring the chowder to a simmer and cook it, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
6. Add the seafood – add the bacon, scallops, shrimp, and crab to the pot, and cook for 5 minutes, until the shrimp is cooked through. Then, stir in the lemon juice.
7. Serve and enjoy – serve the chowder with a garnish of dill and a lemon wedge, and enjoy!

What to Serve with Seafood Chowder

You’ve got a couple of options when it comes to serving your seafood chowder! Traditionally, seafood chowder is served alongside saltine or oyster crackers. We chose to serve ours alongside a crusty bread, though (THIS is our favorite gluten-free baguette). Either option is great!

Suggestions for the Best Seafood Chowder Recipe

Follow these tips for the very best seafood chowder:

• Don’t overcook the shrimp – overcooked shrimp tend to get really rubbery, so be sure to only keep the pot on the heat for about 5 minutes after the shrimp are added in.
• Don’t skip the heavy cream – I know heavy cream may not be everyone’s thing, but it’s definitely a necessity in this recipe. Milk or half and half won’t do the job nearly as well, so be sure to stick with the heavy cream!

How to Store and Reheat

• Store – store your leftover seafood chowder in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stored this way, it’ll last for up to 4 days.
• Reheat – you can either reheat your leftover seafood chowder bowl-by-bowl in the microwave (start with 45 seconds to a minute and add 15-second increments from there) or in a pot on the stovetop over medium heat.

Frequently Asked Questions