Seafood Chowder Made Simple: A Deliciously Creamy Recipe

This seafood chowder is deliciously creamy, made with shrimp, mussels, crab, scallops, clams and crab. In just under 30 minutes, have a warm bowl of rich goodness on your dinner table on a chilly evening. This easy seafood chowder recipe is perfect for entertaining and impressing guests but as simple as an easy weeknight meal idea!

Looking for more soup recipes? Next, try my sausage and potato soup, creamy chicken tortilla soup or Southern turnip green soup!

Lover of all things seafood? These grilled oysters

Jump to Recipe

WHAT IS SEAFOOD CHOWDER?

Seafood chowder is a rich soup that is creamy, bold, hearty and filled with plump delicious seafood. This soup is typically has ingredients such as an array of seafood (shrimp, fish, lobster, crab), potatoes and vegetables simmered in a cream based broth.

Picture all of your seafood favorites with potatoes and vegetables served together in a tasty creamy broth with fresh herbs and seasonings. This recipe does not miss and does not lack in the flavor department. During each layer of this recipe, we will season every component to ensure for maximum flavor.

WHY THIS SEAFOOD CHOWDER RECIPE IS A MUST TRY!

This recipe is an absolute must-try as it surprisingly comes together in a little under thirty minutes. With that said, you can have one of the most impressive meals on the dinner table or ready for guests in no time.

Seafood chowder is also considered a one-pot-meal equalling less clean up time and minimal kitchenware and tools.

If you are a seafood lover like me, you will absolutely love this bowl of goodness. This dish is typically served during the colder months but can absolutely be enjoyed year-round, similar to clam chowder.

CHOWDER VS SOUP: WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?

If you have ever wondered the difference between chowders and soups, keep on reading. I think you will enjoy learning about these interesting facts!

WHAT EXACTLY IS CHOWDER?

Unlike traditional soups, chowder tends to be thicker, creamier and heartier. Chowders are known for their thick texture and will most likely include potatoes, vegetables cooked with a creamy base.

Think about it, if you have ever had clam chowder, more of the popular type of chowders, it consists of clams, cream and potatoes in a delicious broth! With that said, chowders are more substantial than traditional soups.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE CREAMY SEAFOOD CHOWDER

With simple-household ingredients, you will have delicious and hearty seafood chowder ready to serve in minutes. Continue reading below to understand exactly what to shop for if you don't have these ingredients on hand!

1. Bacon. Purchase beef or pork bacon. This ingredient will be used as the base of the recipe. We will cook the potatoes and vegetables in bacon fat, yum!
2. Potatoes. Russet potatoes were used for this recipe. Be sure to get small to medium sized potatoes, a few will go a long way.
3. Carrots. Fresh carrots work best, you can purchase a bag of carrots similar to the ones I purchased from Kroger here. Of course find products that are local to your region.
4. Onion. Yellow or sweet brown onions work best releasing delicious flavor notes for this recipe.
5. Garlic Paste. If you are crunched for time, garlic paste works best for this recipe but freshly chopped garlic will work too.
6. Garlic Bouillon. If you are an avid cook, consider swapping chicken stock or broth and going right for concentrated bouillon flavors. This will aide in being able to control the depths of flavor and a great way to make your own broth! If not, we will share additional ideas below for great substitutions.
7. Water
8. Shrimp. Medium sized frozen or fresh shrimp with shells on preferably. We will share later in the post why. This is another great tip for making at-home flavored broths!
9. Mussels. I was able to source a great brand of mussels from Kroger. These muscles were even precooked in a savory garlic broth that I added right to the soup, yum!
10. Clams. These snow chopped clams are packed in a can and we will use the clams and clam juice for added flavor, delicious!
11. Scallops. I was able to source frozen scallops and these were plump and juice, perfect for this seafood chowder.
12. Crab. Any type of fresh crab will work. Snow or king crab and even blue crab. I used this wild caught claw crab meat and folded into the soup right before serving. So good!
13. Cream. Heavy whipping cream will result in the most creamiest and hearty soup, will be easy to source in any of your local grocers.
14. Cajun Seasoning. These are my top two favorite cajun seasonings. Tap here and here to purchase or find in your local stores.
15. Corn. Freshly shucked corn would be best but canned corn is optional as well!
16. Fresh Dill. When preparing any recipes that have seafood items, always add fresh dill which pairs perfectly.
17. Fresh Chives. For garnish and an added flavor of onion and garlic, we are garnishing this chowder with fresh chives.

STEP- BY- STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING PERFECT SEAFOOD CHOWDER

1. In a soup pot or dutch oven, add chopped bacon to the pan on medium to high heat. Cook bacon down until crispy and fat renders. Remove cooked bacon bits from the pan, drain on a papertowel towel and set aside. 
2. In the same pot with bacon fat, add chopped potatoes, onions and carrots. Sauté for five minutes and add a pinch of salt and pepper. 
3. Next, pour in water and bouillon base and stir. If you are creating the shrimp stock at this step, remove the shells from shrimp and add to pot. Simmer on low for 5-10 minutes, until potatoes and carrots are cooked through. 
4. Remove shrimp shells from pot and add shrimp, scallops and corn. Cook for 5 minutes until cooked through. 
5. Pour in cream, cajun seasoning and fresh herbs. Stir. 
6. Finally, add mussels, clams with clam juice and stir. Let simmer for five minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust to your liking. 
7. Lastly, add fresh herbs and crab and give one final, but gentle stir. 

TIPS FOR MAKING YOUR SEAFOOD CHOWDER EVEN BETTER

1. This recipe is best prepared with all ingredients prepped. With that said, make sure to take 10 minutes to roughly chop and clean the potatoes and vegetables and prepare the seafood.
2. If your budget allows, using fresh seafood works best for this recipe. Fresh seafood will make a huge difference in this recipe but as noted, I opted for frozen or canned seafood too and this chowder was absolutely flavorful.
3. Do not overcook the seafood. This is probably the most important step in preparing this easy seafood chowder recipe. Seafood cooks faster than most proteins so it is extremely important to time and watch the seafood as it cooks. You'll note in each section of the recipe instructions, I have included time markers for each ingredient.
4. Great soups or chowders have best results with quality broths and stocks. As mentioned above, preparing or purchasing quality stocks and broths will work best. In this recipe, I prepared a homemade broth using concentrated garlic flavored bouillon. Also, after adding the garlic flavored broth to the soup, I allowed the potatoes and vegetables to simmer in the broth with added shrimp shells for better flavor, don't skip this part if you have time.
5. Season and taste every layer of this recipe. As mentioned, this recipe is bold in flavor and that is because we will season and/or taste-test each layer of this recipe to your taste. With that said, be sure to follow the recipe notes in it's entirety and be sure not to over season (as the seafood and bacon fat will render salt) and the cajun seasoning will help also.

FAQ's ABOUT SEAFOOD CHOWDER

What type of seafood works best for seafood chowder?

In traditional seafood chowder, you will find shrimp, white fish, clams and scallops. You can certainly use what items you have on hand such as crab, lobster, oysters, etc.

Can I use frozen seafood to make this recipe?

Yes, you can use frozen seafood to prepare this seafood chowder if that is more cost effective. Be sure to thaw every ingredient and make sure it is drained of any access fluid/water.

I don't eat pork, what are my options for that step in the recipe?

You absolutely can omit the starting instructions with cooking bacon and rendering the fat. If you'e like to try different options, you can try turkey bacon, chicken sausage, olive oil or avocado oil, oil with smoky flavor infused, butter or ghee.

How long does it take to prepare seafood chowder?

This recipe is simple and can come together in under one hour. If you are able to prep your ingredients ahead of time, this chowder should be ready in about 30 minutes!

How to store and reheat seafood chowder.

It is important to note that you will need to allow the soup to completely cool off and come to room temperature, (no longer than 2 hours) before storing it. Once the chowder has cooled, simply store in an airtight container and place in your refrigerator. This chowder will last up to 3-4 days.

To reheat the chowder, it is best to rewarm on the stove over low heat allowing the chowder to slowly re-warm. Be careful not to boil too high as the cream can separate from the chowder and the seafood may overcook.

Can I freeze chowder?

You can absolutely freeze chowder to serve and store for later use. As mentioned above, be mindful that the soup needs to cool off first before freezing (no more than 2 hours).

Simply freeze in an airtight container or freezer safe storage bag and allow a bit of room for expansion. When ready to reheat, allow the frozen chowder to thaw in the refrigerator over night and gently reheat as mentioned in the steps above.

I CAN'T WAIT FOR YOU TO TRY THIS DELICIOUS SEAFOOD SOUP & SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS!

If you try this recipe, I'd love to see it! Please rate your feedback on this recipe post as it helps me more than you know. You can also share your feedback with me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!