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5 from 2 votes

Salmon Chowder

Salmon Chowder with potatoes, bacon and corn - an incredible soup that's richly satisfying, hearty, surprisingly filling and not at all fishy!
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chowder, salmon, soup, stew
Servings: 4 -6 servings
Calories: 912kcal
Author: Tricia

Ingredients

  • 1 pound yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 8 ounces sliced bacon, cut in half (I used nitrate-free Applewood Smoked Bacon)
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • ½ small onion, diced
  • 6 scallions, chopped - both white and green parts
  • 2 cups fresh corn or frozen
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 3 medium cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 8-ounce bottle clam juice
  • 3 cups half-and-half, plus ½ cup addition milk if needed
  • 1 ½ pounds salmon fillets, wild caught skin removed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • salt
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
  • Lemon wedges and fresh chopped fresh chives for serving

Instructions

  • Bring a 3 quarts of water to a rolling bowl in a heavy bottom sauce pan. Salt the water and add the potatoes. Cook just until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Drain well in a colander and set aside.
  • Cook the bacon until crisp in a 5-quart heavy bottom pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Remove the cooked bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Cut or break the bacon into ½-inch pieces and set aside.
  • Remove all of 2 tablespoons bacon fat from the pan. Add the butter and cook the onions, scallions, corn, thyme and red-pepper in the dutch oven until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and bay leaf and sauté for about 1 minute or until garlic becomes fragrant. Add the clam juice and deglaze the pan, scraping up any pieces struck to the bottom of the pan.
  • Add the half and half to the onion mixture and bring just to a boil over medium heat. Add the potatoes, ⅔ of the chopped bacon (reserve ⅓ for serving), and the salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook the potatoes for about 10 minutes.
  • Salt the salmon pieces and add to the chowder along with the lemon zest. Occasionally stir gently and cook gently just until the salmon is cooked through, about 5 to 8 minutes.
  • Discard the bay leaf and serve the chowder topped with chopped chives and the remaining bacon pieces. Garnish with fresh ground black pepper and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Serve with crusty bread for a complete and hearty meal.

Notes

  • Recipe inspired from Epicurious
  • Don't forget to serve each bowl with a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice. It really makes this soup come alive with a fresh, bright taste.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition

Calories: 912kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 58g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 202mg | Sodium: 586mg | Potassium: 1966mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 1250IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 262mg | Iron: 4mg