Seafood Chowder with Clams, Shrimp, and Fish

5 from 1 vote

Creamy chowder with an abundance of clams, shrimp and fish for hearty soup to please a crowd.

Prep Time1

Cook Time45

Total Time1 45

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings: Servings

Calories: 413kcal

3/4 pound bacon , chopped and cooked
51 ounces canned chopped clams , retain juice (equal to 3 3/4 cups clam juice and 3 3/4 cups chopped clams)
1 cup finely chopped sweet yellow onion (1 medium)
1/2 cup chopped green onion (2 bunches) white and light green parts
3 cups red potatoes (4-5 medium), scrubbed and unpeeled, cut into 1/2" cubes
2 cups chopped parsnips , peeled, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 cup chopped celery (2 large ribs)
1 small celery root (about the size of a large orange) -- peeled, cut into 1/2" cubes
3 3/4 cups clam juice , from canned clams (juice amount is approximate and can be topped off with chicken or vegetable stock) *See notes
5-6 sprigs fresh thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 cup whole milk , as needed for desired thickness
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 tablespoon hickory liquid smoke flavoring
1 pound white fish (halibut, Barramundi, cod) -- cut into bite sized chunks
1 pound shrimp , cut into bite sized chunks
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 lemon , for finishing the soup, to taste

Get Recipe Ingredients

Cut bacon into 1/4 inch strips by cutting across the long strip, and cook in a soup pot over medium heat until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate and retain the bacon fat.
While the bacon is frying, prepare all other ingredients before starting soup. To prepare the clams, drain the juice into a large measuring cup or bowl and then strain through a fine mesh sieve to trap any sand or debris. NOTE: If you don't have a fine sieve, line a colander with cheese cloth before straining the juice.
Saute all the onions in 2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat in the soup pot until tender, about 8 minutes.
Add the potatoes, celery root, celery, parsnips, clam juice, dried and fresh thyme, salt and white pepper. Simmer uncovered until vegetables are just fork tender, about 10 minutes.
In a blender, puree 1/4 of the raw shrimp with 1 1/2 cups of the cooked vegetables and liquid. Add the milk and blend again to thin the puree; add to the soup.
Stir in cream, liquid smoke, bacon, clams, fish, and the rest of the shrimp; gently simmer for 20-30 minutes to cook and meld flavors; stirring occasionally. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon, pepper, and salt, to taste.

YIELD: 4 quarts

TIPS & VARIATIONS:

Chopped clams & clam juice—each brand of canned clams is different and will have differing amounts of juice with the clams. The 51 ounce can of chopped clams from Sea Watch produces approximately 3.5 cups of clam juice. If the clams that you use do not have enough juice for the recipe, chicken, fish, or vegetable stock can be used to top off the amount needed. Separate clam juice can also be purchased as a backup.
Celery root—if (celeriac root) is not available, substitute with more celery, potatoes, or parsnips.
Bacon—for the best texture, cook the bacon until completely crisp so when it is added to the soup it doesn't taste fatty.
Green onion and sweet yellow onion—while you can certainly use only one or the other, we like both types of onions in this soup for the different aspects each brings to the overall flavor. Green onions add a bright, fresh element while the sweet yellow onions add to the depth of flavor.
White fish—any mild flavor, quick-cooking fish will work in this recipe, though a more dense flesh like cod will hold its shape better than flakier fish like orange roughy.

Make-ahead Tips: Chowder freezes well, so if you have a stockpot, I recommend making a double batch.

The soup will be very thick once chilled or frozen but resist the urge to thin it until it is warmed through.

Thin with milk, chicken, or fish stock, if desired.