This flavorful keto fish chowder is hearty and filling. I make it with cod and flavor it with onions and bacon. Heavy cream adds creaminess, and paprika gives it extra flavor and a beautiful color.
This delicious chowder is 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 and Variations
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Cod fillets: I typically buy 2-pound bags of frozen cod at Whole Foods or Costco and thaw 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. Butter is a delicious alternative, traditionally used in chowder recipes.
- Spices: In addition to salt and pepper, I use dried thyme, paprika, and cayenne pepper. The cayenne does make it spicy, though not too spicy for my taste, so omit it if you don't like spicy food.
- Clam juice: You can also use fish stock.
- Bacon bits: A 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. But I'm lazy, so I simply sprinkle bacon bits on top of the finished soup.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Saute the onions, garlic, and spices in olive oil. Add the clam juice and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add chunks of cod. Bring the chowder back to a low simmer, then cover and cook until the fish is cooked through, 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.
It's delicious. I made because I don't eat meat on Friday and it came out great per the recipe.
Kristin
Read more comments
It's delicious. I made because I don't eat meat on Friday and it came out great per the recipe.Recipe Tips
- When adding the fish to the saucepan, make sure the liquid covers the fish. This will ensure it cooks fully and evenly.
- It's important to avoid overcooking 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.
- Halibut works well in this chowder, though it's more expensive than cod.
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.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge 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.
Serving Suggestions
Keto fish chowder is a full meal. It's very rich and filling 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:
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, including Morton kosher 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 an airtight container in the fridge 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!