Irish Seafood Chowder Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Irish Seafood Chowder is a creamy, hearty soup made with a rich blend of fresh seafood like salmon, white fish, and shrimp, combined with tender veggies and herbs. This comforting dish uses butter and half and half, offering a taste of the sea with a velvety texture and savory depth.

Course chowder, Soup

Cuisine Irish

Keyword Irish seafood chowder

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 30

Total Time 55

Servings servings

Calories 412kcal

Author Sue Ringsdorf

Ingredients

** Read entire blog post for tips and tricks, recipe faqs, and step-by-step photos.

For the veggies:

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup onion - diced
1 cup carrots - peeled and diced
1/2 cup celery - diced
2 cups russet potato - peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic - minced

The seasonings:

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes - or more for additional heat
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

The broth and fish:

3 cups seafood stock
2 cups half and half
1/2 pound salmon - cut into chunks
1/2 pound white fish (sea bass, cod, halibut, tilapia) - cut into chunks
1/2 pound shrimp - peel, deveined, and chopped
chopped cilantro or green onions - to serve

Instructions

Prep veggies. Peel the russet potatoes and carrots. Then dice the onions, carrots, celery, and potatoes into small pieces. Peel and mince the garlic.
Prep fish. If the fish has skin on it, use a sharp knife to remove it. Chop it into cubes. Peel and devein the shrimp, if needed. Remove shrimp tails and cut in half.
Sauté veggies. Heat a medium pot over medium heat. Add butter and when melted, add the diced veggies. Cook veggies until slightly softened, about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 cup onion, 1 cup carrots, 1/2 cup celery, 2 cups russet potato, 3 cloves garlic
Add flour and seasonings. Then add the flour and seasonings to the pot and stir constantly for a minute or two, or until flour is fully absorbed.
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Add broth and half and half. Pour in liquid ingredients - the seafood broth and half and half. Stir well and turn heat up to medium-high (until boiling). Then reduce heat to a simmer and cook mixture until thickened, about 6-7 minutes.
Make sure the vegetables are fork tender before adding the seafood (especially the potatoes).
3 cups seafood stock, 2 cups half and half
Add seafood. Add the chopped seafood to the pot and stir well. Let cook for 3-5 minutes or until seafood is JUST DONE.
NOTE: The seafood is done when the white fish and salmon flake easily with a fork. The shrimp should be pink when done. Be careful to avoid over-cooking the seafood.
1/2 pound salmon, 1/2 pound white fish (sea bass, cod, halibut, tilapia), 1/2 pound shrimp
Serve chowder. Serve seafood chowder with extra black pepper, some sliced bread, and sides of your choice. You could also add some fresh dill, parsley, or chives to serve.
chopped cilantro or green onions

Notes

Let the chowder cool, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. We also like to add leftover soup to individual mugs for meal prep.
Gently reheat over low heat, avoiding boiling to prevent the seafood from becoming tough.

Nutrition