Creamy Seafood Chowder is a seafood mix — of shrimp, clams and salmon in a delicately seasoned cream sauce with tender potatoes and celery. It's a velvety chowder with the distinctive salty flavor of clam chowder but with a sweet and savory boost in every spoonful. It's an upscale version of chowder that's surprisingly easy to make and impressive to serve.
If you're a fan of delicious seafood at home, like Old Fashioned Salmon Patties, you'll love this chowder recipe!
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⭐ Why Melinda Loves Creamy Seafood Chowder
This seafood chowder recipe is incredibly versatile, use any combination of seafood.
It's surprisingly easy to make and perfect for chilly evenings or a touch of elegance at dinner any time.
This is a great way to use smoked salmon or leftovers of smoked salmon!
Note: Some of the links in this recipe post are Amazon affiliate links, which means I make a small commission from Amazon if you link to and purchase the item. The affiliate process never affects your cost and I only link to products that I use and highly recommend.
🦐 Ingredients to Have on Hand
It may look like a long list of ingredients, but be assured that many of these are kitchen staples you will likely have on hand. Like my classic, crockpot clam chowder recipe, this one is easy to make!
Seafood: There are lots of ways to get creative with seafood chowder. I recommend starting with a can of whole baby clams and adding two other types of seafood from there. Chunks of cooked salmon and sweet little shrimp make for a delicious seafood trio with the clams in chowder. (Scroll down for more seafood substitution options.)
Red Potatoes: No need to peel these potatoes, just rinse and dice them.
Vegetable Bouillon: This adds great depth of flavor to the clam juice and water used to make the savory broth. I highly recommend using (affiliate link) Better Than Bouillon Vegetable but you could use your favorite brand of bouillon.
Scroll to the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
👩🏻🍳 Substitutions
Each type of seafood in this Creamy Seafood Chowder Recipe adds its unique texture and taste, but the variety of seafood you can include is unlimited.
Pro Tip
Use any three seafood varieties that your family enjoys. Combine whole baby clams or mussels with big chunks of cooked white fish such as cod, or add lobster, crab or scallops. The seafood combinations are endless!
Just cook, bake, broil or steam the seafood before adding it to the chowder. Canned clams are ready to use from the can, no additional cooking is needed.
My family enjoys the savory flavor of the vegetable (affiliate link) Better than Bouillon, just two teaspoons create the perfect flavor base for the broth. But you could substitute that for chicken broth or seafood stock instead. If you're using packaged liquid broth or stock, substitute it for the water when combining it with clam juice to make 2 cups.
The cream sauce is seasoned with teaspoons of (affiliate link) Old Bay Seasoning and white pepper. Together those two spices blend with the tomato paste and the white sauce to create a delicate and delicious sauce for seafood. Old Bay Seasoning is a blend of 18 spices and it's a staple in my spice cabinet. I also use it for my Buttermilk Chicken Tenders and as an optional seasoning in Old Fashioned Salmon Patties.
📋 Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Drain the whole baby clams from the can. Place in a bowl and refrigerate until you have finished making the cream sauce. (Photo #1)
Step 2: Drain the liquid from the can of baby clams into a 2-cup measuring cup. Add enough water to make two cups. Place the 2 teaspoons of vegetable bouillon in the liquid and stir to combine. (Photo #2)
Step 3: Dice the red potatoes, onion and celery. Place all three ingredients in a 4-quart saucepan on the stove. (Photo #3)
Step 4: Add the 2 cups of clam juice with water and vegetable bouillon to the pan and heat over medium-high for about 20 minutes. (Photo #4)
Pro Tip
As a time-saver, chop the onions and celery ahead of time and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to make the chowder.
Step 5: While the vegetables are cooking, in a separate 2-quart saucepan on the stove, melt and whisk the butter over medium heat. (Photo #5)
Step 6: Whisk in the flour and keep whisking it for about a minute. (Photo #6)
Step 7: Add the milk and half-and-half. Stir and continue heating over medium-low until it starts to thicken - it takes 10 to 15 minutes. (Photo #7)
Step 8: Add the tomato paste, Old Bay Seasoning, and white pepper to the thickened sauce. Stir to combine, reduce the heat and simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors. This is a great time to taste the sauce! (Photo #8)
Step 9: With the cream sauce thickened and seasoned. Now is a great time to test the vegetables to see if they are tender. Check one of the thickest pieces of red potato by removing it with a spoon and using a fork to break it apart. You want the potatoes to be "fork tender" but not mushy. (Photo #9)
Step 10: Add the cream sauce from the other saucepan and stir to combine.(Photo #10)
Now it's time to add the seafood! Place all of the seafood ingredients in the cream sauce, cooked vegetables and broth in the pan. Stir gently to combine and turn the heat to low. We just want to warm up the seafood in the hot chowder, not boil or scorch it. (Photo above.)
Right before serving sprinkle in 1-2 tablespoons of fresh, chopped dill into the chowder and stir. Leave a few little extra sprigs of fresh dill for garnishing each serving. Spoon into bowls and enjoy! (Photo above.)
💭 Recipe FAQs
A one-pound salmon fillet, placed on a baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment will be fully cooked after 15-20 minutes in a 375°F oven. There's no need to cover it.
I like to spread a little olive oil, salt, pepper and a few drops of white wine on the fillet before placing it in the oven.
Salmon is fully cooked once it reaches 145°F in the thickest part.
Yes. I've made it that way and it's delicious. I will note though that the half-and-half boosts the velvety creaminess of the chowder.
Yes, but once defrosted, the texture of the chowder may differ slightly from when it was freshly made. If you choose to freeze it, store it in a freezer-safe container, leaving space to allow for expansion as the chowder freezes.
Defrost the chowder in the refrigerator for a day before reheating over low heat on the stove or using the microwave on low power until it's heated. For the best flavor and texture, defrost and enjoy the chowder within six months.
🥘 What to Serve with Seafood Chowder
Bread, Rolls or Biscuits: The cream sauce in this chowder is so good it could have its own fan club and fresh, 4 Ingredient Biscuits or Homemade Potato Rolls are wonderful to dip into that sauce.
Crisp Salad Greens: A fresh, crisp salad goes great with a bowl of warm chowder. Toss the greens with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette Salad Dressing for a tangy burst of flavor on the side,
Fried Fish: If you serve seafood chowder as a first course, it's a great idea to follow it up with a serving of Ivar's Copycat Fried Cod.
Corn: This is a wonderful flavor companion to seafood chowder. Serve fresh corn on the cob or make Homemade Creamed Corn as a side dish.
Crackers: Just like in any restaurant, serving your favorite crisp and crunchy crackers is delicious with chowder. Saltines or small, round oyster crackers are popular choices.
🥣 Leftovers and Storage
Store leftover seafood chowder in a covered, airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy it within three days. Be sure to use low heat, or low power on the microwave oven when reheating. The seafood is already fully cooked so we just need to warm up the chowder to serving temperature.
🍽 Other Tasty Soups and Chowder
Creamy Seafood Chowder is a creamy and delicious recipe to enjoy any time of year and during any season. Here are more of my favorite recipes for soup and stew that are perfect for a busy weekend, a holiday celebration or a cozy weeknight.
If you make Creamy Seafood Chowder I'd love to hear how it turned out. Please leave a 🌟 star rating and a comment below. I'm looking forward to hearing from you!
Recipe
Melinda O'Malley Keckler says
(Admin Melinda's rating.)