Salmon Chowder

The best creamy healthier Salmon Chowder packed with corn, potatoes, and cauliflower. The ultimate cozy, lightened up soup perfect for a cool-weather lunch or dinner. Super easy and packed with protein and veggies, plus it’s dairy-free. On the table in 45 minutes, this soup tastes like it came from a restaurant!

I was a latecomer to salmon. Up until a few years ago, I only ate salmon raw (in sushi) or cold smoked (on a bagel). For some reason, cooked salmon just didn’t appeal to me. Then I had one perfect portion of cooked salmon at a work lunch and my eyes were opened to the wonders of this delicious fish. Nowadays I eat salmon on an almost weekly basis. I cook it in the oven, glaze it on the stovetop, and add it to rice bowls. It’s probably my favorite fish to cook at home. 

That said, salmon is a tough sell in wintertime. I associate flaky fish with light, summery meals — not the kind of cozy, hearty fare I’m typically preparing in the dead of winter. That is, until I found out about salmon chowder. Warm, comforting chowder is the perfect cold-weather vehicle for salmon. It’s full of the kind of ingredients you find in a hearty soup — carrots, potatoes, celery, etc — and is bolstered by salty bacon, fresh dill, and just a touch of cream. This hearty chowder proves that salmon can do so much more than top summery salads and bowls. It’s a great winter option, too. 

Why You’ll Love It

  • Hearty and filling. Between the salmon, bacon, and the vegetables (plus bonus oyster crackers), a bowl of this soup makes for the perfect dinner. 
  • It comes together in a flash. This is one of my favorite weeknight soups because it comes together so quickly. Unlike soups where the protein needs time to cook and tenderize in the broth, chunks of salmon cook through in under five minutes. 

Key Ingredients in Salmon Chowder

  • Salmon: Boneless, skinless salmon fillets work well here. If you can’t find salmon without the skin, you can remove it without too much trouble yourself.
  • Bacon: Adds saltiness and a delicious porky backbone to the soup. Stirring the cooked bacon in at the end of cooking keeps it from becoming rubbery in the broth.
  • Potatoes: Look for Yukon gold or russet potatoes, which will hold their shape in the soup.
  • Seafood stock: Because the salmon is added only at the end of cooking, seafood stock gives the soup extra seafood flavor. 
  • Heavy cream: A little added at the end of cooking gives the soup a pleasant creamy texture without it becoming too rich.

How to Make Salmon Chowder

  1. Cook the bacon. Brown chopped bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven and remove with a slotted spoon.
  2. Sauté the vegetables. Add diced carrots, onion, and celery to the pot and cook until softened. Stir in a couple tablespoons of flour to help thicken the soup.
  3. Simmer the soup. Add seafood stock, chopped potatoes, and a bay leaf. Simmer until the potatoes are cooked through.
  4. Add the salmon. Add the salmon, heavy cream, and dill. Continue to cook until the salmon is cooked through.
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