This flavorful keto fish chowder is hearty and filling and makes a wonderful winter meal. I make it with cod and flavor it with onions and bacon. Heavy cream makes it wonderfully creamy, and paprika gives it a beautiful color.
This delicious chowder is so hearty and filling! It's one of my favorite winter meals to make for my family, and I love that it's indeed a full meal - you don't need to serve it with any side dishes (but you can definitely serve it with these keto cheese biscuits!). It has this wonderful combination of being flavorful, creamy, filling, and gorgeous.
Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this chowder. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here are my comments and tips about some of the ingredients:
- Cod fillets: Make sure they are skinless and that the pin bones have been removed. You can also use skinless halibut in this recipe. I typically buy 2-pound bags of frozen cod at Whole Foods or Costco and simply defrost the amount I need in the fridge the day before.
- Olive oil: I use it to cook onions, garlic, and spices before adding the broth. Many chowder recipes use butter, but I love the taste of extra-virgin olive oil.
- Spices: In addition to salt and pepper, I use dried thyme, paprika, and cayenne pepper. I love the color these spices add to the soup, and of course, I love the flavor! The cayenne does make it spicy, though not too spicy for my taste.
- Clam juice: You can also use fish stock.
- Bacon bits: Another departure from traditional recipes where you cook the bacon and crumble it. You can do that, of course, and then you can cook the onions in the bacon fat. It's just that I'm lazy so I simply sprinkle bacon bits on top of the finished soup.
Variations
- You can use butter instead of olive oil for cooking the onions.
- Replace the paprika with smoked paprika - it adds a wonderfully smoky flavor.
- Halibut works well in this chowder, though it's more expensive than cod.
- If you don't like spicy foods, omit the cayenne.
Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:
You start by cooking chopped onions in olive oil, then you add minced fresh garlic and spices. Next, add clam juice and bring the mixture to a simmer.
Add chunks of cod. Make sure the liquid in the saucepan covers the fish. Bring the chowder back to a low simmer, then cover and cook until the fish is cooked through. This should take about 7 minutes.
Briefly heat the heavy cream in the microwave and stir it into the chowder.
That's it! The chowder is ready. Pour it into bowls, garnish it with chopped parsley and bacon bits, and serve.
Expert Tip
Make sure not to overcook the fish. Start checking after 5 minutes. You want it cooked through, but you don't want it overcooked, or it will be dry and gummy instead of tender and flaky.
Recipe FAQs
I highly recommend using heavy cream for the richest, creamiest, and most flavorful results.
Chowder is a hearty soup made with seafood and thickened with potatoes and milk or cream. The word "chowder" comes from the French word chaudière (“cauldron”).
A chowder is creamier, chunkier, and thicker than soup. If soup is at one extreme and a stew is at the other, then a chowder is somewhere in the middle in terms of its texture.
That's indeed a challenge. Since it's made without potatoes (and the starch they add), this chowder is not thick - it has the consistency of a rich soup. It's excellent - creamy and flavorful - but it's not thick.
If you'd like to thicken it, you can use a keto thickener. One example is glucomannan powder - you can mix ½ teaspoon in a tablespoon of cold water and stir that into the finished chowder.
However, keep in mind that authentic chowders are not necessarily thick.
Serving Suggestions
Keto fish chowder is a full meal. It's very and doesn't really need any sides, but it's nice to serve it with keto bread. I often serve it with one of the following:
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to three days. Reheat them gently in a saucepan on the stove over low heat, stirring frequently. To prevent the heavy cream from curdling, don't allow the chowder to boil. I don't recommend freezing the leftovers.
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Recipe Card
Keto Fish Chowder
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil - extra-virgin
- 1 yellow onion - medium, chopped; about 1 cup
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic - minced
- 2 cups clam juice - or fish stock
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 pound cod fillets - skinless, pin bones removed, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons parsley - chopped
- 4 tablespoons bacon bits
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 more minute.
- Stir in the salt, pepper, dried thyme, paprika, and cayenne.
- Add the clam juice. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the fish pieces. Make sure they are completely submerged. If not, add a little water or more broth.
- Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook on a low simmer until the fish is just cooked through, 5-7 minutes.
- Heat the heavy cream in the microwave for 60 seconds. Stir it into the soup. Turn the heat off.
- Divide the chowder between four bowls. Top with parsley and bacon bits, and serve.
Notes
- As you can see, this chowder is very high in sodium. If this concerns you, you could omit the bacon and salt. According to my estimate, this should reduce the sodium to 897 mg per serving.
- Make sure not to overcook the fish. Start checking after 5 minutes. You want it cooked through, but you don't want it overcooked, or it will be dry and gummy instead of tender and flaky.
- Since it's made without potatoes (and the starch they add), this chowder is not thick - it has the consistency of a rich soup. It's excellent - creamy and flavorful - but it's not thick. If you'd like to thicken it, you can use a keto thickener. One example is glucomannan powder - you can mix ½ teaspoon in a tablespoon of cold water and stir that into the finished chowder. However, keep in mind that authentic chowders are not necessarily thick.
- You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to three days. Reheat them gently, in a saucepan on the stove over low heat, stirring frequently. To prevent the heavy cream from curdling, don't allow the chowder to boil. I don't recommend freezing the leftovers.
Nutrition per Serving
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KRISTIN says
It's delicious. I made because I don't eat meat on Friday and it came out great per the recipe.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you liked it, Kristin!
Lynn says
This was easy, tasted great, and just because I had a can of pink crabmeat, threw that in and it thickened the stew nicely. I had leftover sea scallops, thus, your inspiration!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Lynn!