Description
This easy seafood chowder is a comforting, creamy soup packed with tender potatoes, sweetcorn, and succulent prawns or smoked fish. It’s perfect for a quick and nourishing meal, with bright lemon zest and fresh parsley adding a lively finish. Serve with crusty bread for a satisfying lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 small potato (about 150g), cut into 2cm cubes
- 1 celery stick, finely chopped
- 1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 75g fresh or frozen sweetcorn or peas (or use a mixture)
- ½ tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus extra to serve (optional)
- 1 small lemon, zested and juiced
Liquids and Dairy
- ½ tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 200ml semi-skimmed or whole milk
- 100ml vegetable or fish stock
Seafood
- 80g frozen prawns or smoked fish
Optional
- Crusty bread, to serve
Instructions
- Prepare the Potatoes: Place the cubed potatoes in a small saucepan and cover with cold salted water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 5-6 minutes until just softened. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped celery and shallot and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Add the grated garlic and fry for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Create the Sauce: Stir in the plain flour and cook for 1 minute to eliminate the raw flour taste. Lower the heat to low and gradually whisk in the milk to form a thick sauce. Then stir in the stock and simmer gently for 2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Add Seafood and Vegetables: Tip in the prawns or smoked fish, the sweetcorn or peas, and the cooked potatoes. Simmer gently for 4-5 minutes to allow the vegetables to defrost and the seafood to cook through.
- Finish the Chowder: Once the mixture is creamy and coats the back of a spoon, add the lemon zest and juice. If the chowder is too thick, stir in up to 50ml of water to loosen it. Season with salt, black pepper, and the chopped parsley to taste.
- Serve: Ladle the chowder into bowls, topping with extra black pepper and parsley. Serve hot with crusty bread, if desired.
Notes
- Use smoked fish for a richer, smoky flavor or prawns for a lighter taste.
- Adjust the thickness of the chowder by adding more milk or stock if preferred.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute milk with coconut milk and use vegetable stock.
- Fresh or frozen vegetables can be used — if frozen, ensure they are fully thawed during cooking.
- Adding crusty bread makes the meal more filling and adds a lovely texture contrast.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: seafood chowder, easy chowder recipe, seafood soup, quick chowder, comfort food, healthy chowder
