Salmon Chowder with Potatoes, Carrots & Dill
A creamy chowder with salmon added last
Cook the potatoes and vegetables until tender before adding the fish. That gives the broth time to develop while keeping the salmon in larger pieces. This recipe serves four as a main with bread, or six smaller portions.
Choose fresh king salmon fillets or thawed sockeye fillet portions, removing skin and bones. If using Ora King, portion it the same way; a brand change does not require another chowder method.
Ingredients
- 1 lb uncooked salmon, cut into roughly 1-inch pieces
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 carrots and 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2–3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 medium potatoes, cubed
- 4 cups fish or vegetable stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp fresh thyme, or ½ tsp dried
- 1 bay leaf
- Chopped dill or parsley, pepper and salt to taste
- Optional: ½–1 cup corn, or cooked bacon for serving
Make the chowder
- Keep the cut fish refrigerated. Melt the butter in a pot and soften the onion, carrot and celery over medium heat for about 5–7 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme.
- Add stock, potatoes and bay leaf. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, beginning to check after about 12 minutes. Add corn during the last few minutes if using.
- For a thicker base, mash a few potato pieces against the side of the pot before adding the fish. Stir in the cream and return to a gentle simmer.
- Add the salmon and cook gently. Begin checking after about 5 minutes and continue until the largest pieces reach 145°F. Do not rely on a few minutes off the heat to cook the fish through.
- Remove the bay leaf. Taste for seasoning, add herbs and serve with bread. Spoon carefully to avoid breaking all the fish into fine flakes.
Useful variations
Coconut: use olive oil instead of butter and unsweetened coconut milk instead of cream. Ginger and a squeeze of lime change the flavor; check stock and other ingredients if avoiding dairy.
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Cauliflower: replace potatoes with cauliflower florets and simmer until tender before adding salmon. The base will be thinner unless you mash some vegetables.
Spicy: add a pinch of cayenne or a little smoked paprika with the garlic. For a fish that is already smoked, use our separate hot-smoked salmon chowder recipe.
Storage and reheating
Divide leftovers into shallow containers and refrigerate promptly. Reheat to 165°F, stirring so the center heats evenly. The FoodSafety.gov chart lists 145°F for fish and 165°F for leftovers.
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For freezer preparation, freeze the cooked vegetable-and-stock base separately, then thaw under refrigeration and add cream and uncooked salmon when finishing. Cream can separate after freezing; this approach avoids reheating the fish twice.
Choose cuts in the Salmon collection, part of our Fish catalog.
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