A rich and creamy wild salmon chowder with fresh dill. Tender flakes of fresh salmon swimming in a creamy rich broth, with potatoes, lots of fresh dill, and savory veggies. This hearty, healthy, and superbly delicious chowder is the ultimate comfort food.
If you think a homemade soup is as rewarding, and soul-rejuvenating as I do, check out my Chicken Soup From Scratch. It starts with a whole chicken and ends is your entire kitchen smelling amazing. The best part is that it tastes just as good, if not better the next day. For another take on chowder, by way of Iceland, give my Icelandic Fish Soup Fiskisupa) a try. I think you are going to love it!
You are going to love this simple salmon chowder recipe. Bite-sized pieces of salmon fillet, diced potatoes, and a creamy broth infused with aromatics make this salmon soup one of my personal favorites to warm my bones on chilly days. The best part is that this easy salmon chowder recipe is so satisfying and delicious and tastes as good as something you would get in your favorite restaurant.
You'll Love this Recipe
You'll agree from the very first bite, as healthy soups go, this one feels indulgent. Perhaps it's the lush succulent wild salmon chunks in each bite or the velvety texture of the creamy broth, made complex and sophisticated with fennel, vermouth, and dill. Whatever it may be this heavenly bowl of chowder is destined to occupy a special place in your repertoire of seafood classics.
- Creamy and Dreamy- This chowder uses less cream than most (1/4 cup than the typical 1 cup of cream) and still achieves a luxurious velvety texture and consistency.
- Quick and Easy- Including prep time, you can have this soup on the table in 30 minutes. While it tastes like it took hours to prepare, this is a truly quick meal prep.
Let's Get Cooking!
Ingredients You Need to Make Wild Salmon Chowder
This is not the complete list but a highlight of the main ingredients used to make this recipe
- Wild Salmon
- Fingerling potatoes
- Onion, celery, garlic
- Fennel
- Dry vermouth or white wine
- Dill
- Heavy cream (optional)
Tools You'll Need
- A cutting board
- A good knife
- A large pot, or dutch oven. my preference is an enameled cast iron.
- A wooden spoon
- A serving spoon
Storage, Reheating, and Freezing
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat at a gentle simmer on the stove top or microwave. I prefer stovetop reheating.
I don't recommend freezing.
Two Important Reasons to Choose Wild Salmon Over Farmed
Of all the facts and information I have forgotten since graduating from my master's program, there is one food fact that I will never forget, farmed salmon is the most contaminated food in our food supply.
- Farmed salmon contains high levels of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins. Both of these chemicals are considered persistent organic pollutants and typically have a half-life of over 15 years (the amount of time it will take for 50% of the chemical to leave your body). Farmed fish on average contain upwards of 10x the amount of POPs (Persistent Organic Pollutants) than wild fish. Dietary exposure to these pollutants has been linked to an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, infertility, and more.
- The ratio of 0mega-3 to omega-6 is better in wild salmon. Higher levels of omega 3 fats have an anti-inflammatory effect while omega 6 can be pro-inflammatory.
Tip on How To Make Chowder Healthier
Typically chowder is made using at least 1 cup of heavy cream and oftentimes begins with bacon. I am here for some bacon creamy chowder, but you can lighten it up without sacrificing flavor.
Step 1 – Begin by sauteing a lot of aromatic vegetables. Onion, celery, and garlic are traditional but I love adding fennel for more flavor.
Step 2 – Deglaze the pan using dry vermouth, white wine will also work, but dry vermouth is a fortified wine made using various botanicals. Allow the alcohol to burn off and what you are left with is an herbaceous pot of deliciousness!
Step 3 – Add broth. Homemade will make a big difference (here is a simple recipe to make homemade seafood stock), but if you don't have homemade broth try to find a good quality seafood stock (although I've made this with chicken stock in a pinch and it worked quite well).
Step 4 – Puree at least 2 cups of the broth. Simply ladle some broth into a high-speed blender and blend until creamy. This step is fundamental to a healthier, thick and creamy chowder! Blending the broth intensifies the flavors and thickens the soup.
Step 5 – Add fresh herbs! Never underestimate the flavor powerhouse of fresh herbs. I sauteed the veggies with thyme and added a huge handful of dill into the soup, and then topped with even more dill and fennel fronds. Flavor, flavor, flavor (and nutritional benefit, but really FLAVOR!)
Step 6 – Eliminate the cream – I know, I know… everyone calm down! Hear me out. The first time I made this recipe I didn't use cream and didn't tell Jordan (in case you are new here, Jordan is my partner and he is the BIGGEST food snob in the history of the world). He gobbled the soup down and couldn't believe how delicious it was. The second time I added cream, and yes it was lovely and silky and more creamy, but honestly, I could take it or leave it. If you want a healthier soup, just don't use the cream.
More Seafood Recipes You Will Love
Halibut with Spiced Chickpeas and Carrots
Simple Italian Olive Oil Shrimp Salad
Wild Salmon Chowder
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. wild salmon filets skinless *see notes on how to skin salmon*
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 small onion chopped, 1 cup
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 celery stalk chopped, 1/4 cup
- 1 small fennel bulb chopped, 1 cup
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/4 cup dry vermouth or white wine
- 24 ounces fish stock or chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 cups fingerling potatoes cut into 1" pieces
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
Instructions
- In a large soup pot over medium heat melt butter and olive oil together. Add onion, garlic, celery, fennel, and thyme sprigs and cook for 5-7 minutes until vegetables are softened.
- Add dry vermouth and cook, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid has evaporated (about 3-5 minutes).
- Add salt, stir well, then add stock and potatoes. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot, and allow to cook for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Ladle out about 2 cups of broth into a high-speed blender and blend until creamy. Return the pureed broth to the pot and stir well.
- Add cream and stir well to combine. Add salmon and dill and cook for 2-3 minutes or until salmon is just cooked through.
- Serve with an additional sprig of fresh dill and fennel.
