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4.9 from 225 votes

Fish Chowder Soup

Recipe video above. Fish Chowder is such a great easy fish recipe that's can't-stop-eating-it good! A thick and hearty creamy white fish soup, I adore this combination of tender potatoes, carrots, sweet corn and peas with big flakes of fish.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings: 5
Calories: 418 kcal
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 40g / 3 tbsp butter , unsalted
  • 2 garlic cloves , minced
  • 1 small onion , finely chopped
  • 2 small carrots , halved, cut into 0.5cm / 1/5" slices
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) dry white wine (can skip)
  • 1/4 cup (35g) flour (plain / all purpose)
  • 3 cups (750 ml) milk , any fat %
  • 2 cups (500 ml) fish stock, clam juice OR chicken stock, preferably low sodium (Note 1)
  • 2 cups potato , 1.5 cm/ 0.5" cubes (~1 large potato)
  • 1 cup corn , frozen or canned (drained)
  • 0.5 tsp salt , plus more to taste
  • finely ground black pepper
  • 600 g/1.2 lb White fish fillets , skinless, cut into 2cm / 4/5" pieces (Note 2)
  • 1 cup peas , frozen
Garnish/serving (optional):
  • 1/4 cup green onions , halved and finely sliced (garnish)
  • Crusty bread for dunking

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.
  2. Add garlic and onion, cook for 5 minutes until translucent but not golden.
  3. Add carrots and stir through.
  4. Turn heat up to high and add wine. Stir then let it simmer rapidly until it's mostly evaporated.
  5. Add flour and stir for 30 seconds - it will become sludgy!
  6. Slow pour in broth while stirring to dissolve paste, then stir in milk.
  7. Add potato, corn, salt and pepper. Bring to simmer then turn heat down so it's simmering gently.
  8. Cook, stirring every now and then, for 8 minutes or until potato is almost cooked.
  9. Add fish and peas, simmer for 3 minutes or until fish is just cooked (should flake easily).
  10. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. If soup is too thick, add a touch of water or milk.
  11. Serve, garnished with green onions and crusty bread on the side for dunking!

Notes

  • Broth / liquid stock - in order of preference:
  • a) first choice is homemade or good quality store bought fish stock (I avoid standard supermarket fish stock like Campbell's, good fish stock is sold at fish shops)
  • b) clam juice (not sold in Australia, it's in the US and Canada. Great for seafood soups, pastas, etc, way better than supermarket fish stock)
  • c) chicken broth - this is what I use for everyday purposes, you still get GREAT flavour in the soup from the fish that is poached in the broth. 
  • This is not a soup suitable to make with stock cubes or bouillon powder - you really need to buy or make a liquid stock.
  • Fish - this is ideal made with "meaty" firm fish such as: Snapper, barramundi, tilapia, basa, cod, ling, monkfish, marlin, latchet (gurnard), leatherjacket, Spanish mackerel, shark (flake), salmon.
  • Avoid delicate fish such as whiting, garfish, John Dory, flat fish (flounder, sole) and flathead as they tend to fall apart in soup.
  • Avoid lean fish like Swordfish, tuna, kingfish, normal mackerel. These tend to be a bit dry unless cooked with care if it’s not the super fatty bit like the belly which is hard to get outside of Japan! So best not used in soup.
  • Nutrition per serving (meal size bowl!)

Nutrition Information

Calories 418cal (21%) Carbohydrates 39g (13%) Protein 37g (74%) Fat 10g (15%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Cholesterol 68mg (23%) Sodium 431mg (18%) Potassium 1419mg (41%) Fiber 5g (20%) Sugar 12g (24%) Vitamin A 5035IU (101%) Vitamin C 29.2mg (32%) Calcium 273mg (27%) Iron 4.3mg (24%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 5Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 418

% Daily Value*

Calories 418cal 21%
Carbohydrates 39g 13%
Protein 37g 74%
Fat 10g 15%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 68mg 23%
Sodium 431mg 18%
Potassium 1419mg 30%
Fiber 5g 20%
Sugar 12g 24%
Vitamin A 5035IU 101%
Vitamin C 29.2mg 32%
Calcium 273mg 27%
Iron 4.3mg 24%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.