How to make a lovely quick and easy Irish fish chowder from scratch.
Creamy soup made with bacon lardons, onion, potato and fish pie mix, of smoked haddock, cod and salmon. Cooked seafood mix of prawns (shrimps), mussels and squid rings and sweetcorn are added to the stock, milk and cream sauce soup.
Resulting in the best chunky and thick stew texture to the fish broth. Serve in a bread boat or in bowls with bread to dip. Can be made ahead, reheated and is freezable.
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How to make Fish Chowder?
We will guide you through each step of the way to create a delicious yet easy fish chowder with our recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Check out the slideshow video below to see how quick and simple it is to create this fish comfort dish at home.
Ingredients
The ingredients you will need to make fish chowder from scratch are as follows. We also give you suggestions of what to substitute with if needed?
Bacon lardons, for the best flavour use smoked. You can use smoked pancetta or chop up slices of bacon instead.
Onions, or can use shallots instead.
Garlic & Chilli, we use 1 teaspoon each of the Gia range of garlic puree and chilli puree to help bring the chowder to the table quick. Substitute with 2 garlic cloves and 1 chilli finely chopped.
White Wine, use a dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay.
Flour, this helps to thicken the broth into a thicker soup.
Stock, either fish, vegetable or chicken stock can be used to add a flavour to the chowder soup base.
Milk, we use whole milk for creamiest results but you can use any!
Potato, we used rooster potatoes and left the red skin unpeeled. Giving a splash of colour to the fish chowder. Of course, you can use any starchy potatoes.
The starch helps to thicken the chowder into a thick soup. At the same time, the potato chucks help give the chowder a more stew like consistency.
Herbs, a sachet of bouquet garni has mix of thyme, bay leaf and parsley in a bag, easy to remove at the end of cooking. We also add some fresh parsley and paprika.
Fish, in this case we find it easiest to use a fish pie mix. Smoked haddock, cod and salmon already diced and ready to add. You can substitute with any fish you like, it is best to have at least one smoked fish though.
Cooked seafood mix, available to buy from most supermarkets. Ready cooked prawns (shrimps), mussels and squid rings. You can use just cooked prawns (shrimp) if preferred? If using frozen cooked seafood defrost before adding to the chowder.
If you choose to use raw seafood, make sure to add at the same time as the fish instead.
Sweetcorn, frozen or tinned can be used.
Double cream, for the best creamy fish chowder always use a heavy cream.
How to prepare a bread bowl for Chowder
As seen in pictures we used a large unsliced tiger loaf to serve the creamy fish chowder in for all to share. You can use any thick and firm crusted bread.
Cut a big rectangle in the bread loaf making sure not to cut all the way through to the bottom.
Next, cut the rectangle into smaller 2-inch sections. Push your fingers in deep to gently pull each chunk out. Serve on the side for dipping into the fish chowder.
If you want to stick with the Irish theme why not use smaller soda bread rolls and serve individually instead.
Or keep it simple and serve fish chowder in bowls and add sliced bread on the side.
Sprinkle with extra parsley to serve. The perfect comfort food, a big hit in our house, all stick a spoon in and share the delicious fish chowder straight from the bread bowl!
Fish Chowder leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2 days in a airtight container.
How to reheat chowder?
To reheat fish chowder, simply place in a pan and stir until well heated throughout.
Freezable?
Cream based soups don't do well in the freezer, the cream can split during defrosting.
If you really wanted to make and freeze chowder ahead, simply cook without adding the cream at the end. Freeze the fish chowder in an airtight container for up to a month. Make sure to defrost in the fridge overnight.
Then stir in the cream during reheating in a pan.
If you want more fantastic seafood recipes, check out our seafood risotto or our haddock and clams recipe.
📖 Step by Step Recipe
Fish Chowder Bread Boat
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 60 grams (¼ cup) smoked bacon lardons or diced smoked pancetta
- 1 teaspoon Garlic puree or 2 garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon Chilli puree or 1 red chilli minced or finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon plain flour
- 350 ml (1 ⅓cup) fish stock can use vegetable stock instead
- 50 ml (¼ cup) white wine
- 2 medium red potatoes (chopped) any potatoes will work
- 175 ml (¾ cup) milk we use whole milk but you can use any type of milk
- 1 bouquet garni mix of thyme, bay leaf and parsley in a bag
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- 300 grams fish pie mix salmon,cod,smoked haddock cubes
- 350 grams (11oz) seafood mix prawns, mussels, squid rings
- 1 tin sweetcorn drained
- 150 ml (⅔ cup) double cream
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tiger bread optional can use other types of breads
Instructions
- Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large pan, add the bacon lardons and onion. Cook for 4 minutes until softened1 tablespoon olive oil, 60 grams (¼ cup) smoked bacon lardons, 1 onion
- Add garlic and chilli and stir together.1 teaspoon Garlic puree, 1 teaspoon Chilli puree
- Add white wine50 ml (¼ cup) white wine
- Stir through plain flour1 tablespoon plain flour
- Add fish stock whilst stirring.350 ml (1 ⅓cup) fish stock
- Add potatoes, then pour the milk over them. Bring to the boil then lower to a simmer.2 medium red potatoes, 175 ml (¾ cup) milk
- Add bouquet garni, paprika, parsley and salt & pepper, and leave to simmer for 12 minutes.1 bouquet garni, ½ teaspoon paprika, 2 tablespoon fresh parsley, salt and pepper
- Meanwhile, prepare bread by cutting out an opening in the middle. Cut the inner chunk of bread into bitesize pieces used for dipping.1 tiger bread
- Add salmon, cod and smoked haddock. Stir and simmer for 7 minutes300 grams fish pie mix
- Stir in the cooked seafood mix of prawns mussels and squid rings.350 grams (11oz) seafood mix
- Add sweetcorn1 tin sweetcorn
- Finally, add the cream stir through and simmer for 5 minutes until heated through.150 ml (⅔ cup) double cream
- Remove the Bouquet garni from the pan.Pour the fish chowder inside the tiger bread boat.
- Add a sprinkle of parsley and serve up with the remaining bread and spoons.2 tablespoon fresh parsley
Video
Nutrition
We hope you enjoy our Fish Chowder Bread Boat as much as we do, please send us a message below to let us know how you get on.
Lathiya
Wow, this brad boat looks great. Thank you for giving detailed step wise instructions.
Kay
Our pleasure, it is delicious give it a go x
Diana
BRAVO! The attention to detail and clarity conveyed in your “Instructions/How to” demonstrates a desire to share; and care. Thank you for the way you present, guide us “less than competent (😂) armature cooks.
You truely GET the concept of SOCIAL and MEDIA👍🙌👏.
🙏THANK YOU 💖. And 🎄😄. 🧑🎄
ps Recipe looks/reads delicious too😉.
Luke
Thank you it means a lot to receive comments like yours! We love to share our recipes!
Natalie
This looks soooo good! And so easy to make. I will definitely give this recipe a try. My family will love it too, I'm sure!
Kay
It's a firm favourite in our family! My son requests it all the time!
Pavani
Wow, what a flavorful and delicious looking meal that is. Love that you served the chowder in a bread boat - looks awesome.
Kay
Hi Pavani
Thank you for your comment, glad you liked the recipe!!
Candice
Holy moly! This was such a showstopper... everyone was so excited to see this giant bread in the center of the table. We all loved it... it was so hearty and healthy. Will be making it again!
Kay
Hi Candice
Thank you for your comment, I'm glad the fish chowder boat was a showstopper for you!!
Angela Greven | Mean Green Chef
Looks like the perfect fall meal, love the bread boat!
Kay
Thank you, no washing up required!! All gets eaten up even the soggy bottom!
Beth
This so reminds me of clam chowder served in bread bowls in San Francisco, but this one looks exceptionally creamy and rich. That's a gorgeous choice of bread to serve it in, too.
Kay
Hi Beth
Thanks for your comment
That clam chowder sounds good, would love to try that!!
Let us know what you think of our chowder if you make it!
Sonila
OMG I need this recipe!!! I love fish chowders but I have never ventured to make it myself. This looks perfect and totally doable. Plus, the looks of it in that bread, yum, yum, yum!!
Kay
Hi Sonila
Thank you for your comment
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did, it was lush!!!
Simone
I love the way you're serving this in a bread bowl, simply awesome! Oh... and the chowder sounds fabulous!
Kay
Hi Simone
Thank you for your comment
Please let us know what you think if you make this recipe, we absolutely loved it!!
Jacqueline Debono
Wow this fish chowder would be a fabulous dish for a dinner party. I love how you've served it in a bread boat! On my to make list for sure!
Kay
Hi Jacqueline
Thank you for your comment, we loved this recipe, please let me know what you think if you make it at home
Patrice
I've never seen a recipe quite like this before. Sounds delicious and looks so pretty too!
Kay
Hi Patrice
Thank you for your comment, this is one of my favourites for when friends come over!
Erika
This looks amazing! I love chowders and bread boats.
Kay
This is right up your street then! x
angela
Fish chowder in a fun bread boat - great way to serve for a dinner party.
Kay
Even my fussy eater of a daughter joins in with this recipe!
Tamara J
Such a fun crowd pleasing recipe! This would be perfect for entertaining, or even a fun family meal. The flavors are so robust also!
Kay
Totally agree with you Tamara!
yasmin
Love fish chowder! Can't wait to try this.
Kay
A family favourite!
Christen
This is a recipe that I didn't know that I need until now! Bread and potatoes with my chowder? Yes please! I can't wait to try this out.
Kay
Thank you Christen, let us know how you get on. I'm sure you will love it!
Chris burrell
Fish CHOWDELICIOUS again so good and a very easy recipe to make a perfect sharing meal nice one flawless 👍❤️