Tomato fish chowder is hearty and filling and makes a wonderful winter meal. I make it with cod and cream it with coconut milk.
This delicious chowder is so hearty and filling! It’s one of my favorite winter meals to make for my family and yes – it’s a complete meal.
It’s especially easy to make if you use leftover fish and veggies as I did tonight. But the recipe below provides easy instructions in case you need to cook the fish and veggies first.
The ingredients you’ll need
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty fish chowder. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:
Cod fillets: Make sure they are skinless. You can also use halibut in this recipe.
Olive oil: My favorite oil! It’s so delicious. But you can use avocado oil instead if you want an oil with a higher smoke point.
Kosher salt and black pepper: Reduce the amount of salt if using fine salt.
Vegetables: Carrots and celery.
Seasonings: Minced garlic, paprika, dried basil, and red pepper flakes.
Chopped tomatoes, undrained: See the comments below about which brand to use.
Seafood stock or fish stock: If you can’t find any, it’s OK to use chicken broth.
Coconut milk: Canned full-fat. You can use heavy cream instead.
The tomato brand you use makes a difference
I use Pomi chopped tomatoes in this fish chowder recipe. They are imported from Italy, and they are noticeably sweeter, thicker, and less acidic than American canned diced tomatoes. You can find them in supermarkets, at Whole Foods, and on Amazon. I highly recommend them in this recipe for the best results. 🍅
Another good Italian brand that might be easier to find in regular supermarkets is Cento. I believe that Cento Crushed Tomatoes should work in this recipe, although I haven’t tried it.
Alternatively, you could try using two (14 oz) cans of American diced tomatoes, undrained. But if the tomato chunks are big, please chop them so that they are smaller, or use petite-diced tomatoes. And do taste the chowder – you might need to add just a touch of a sweetener (maybe a teaspoon of honey) to balance out the acidity of American canned tomatoes.
How to make a fish chowder
It’s so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
1. Cook the cod and the vegetables.
2. Then cook aromatics (garlic, paprika, basil, and red pepper flakes) in some olive oil.
3. Next, add tomatoes, seafood broth, and coconut milk.
4. Finally, add the cooked fish and vegetables and heat through. That’s it!
I make this recipe without potatoes, to keep carbs in check. And although I like to use cod, any mild white fish, such as halibut, would work.
What if I have leftover fish chowder?
Leftovers keep in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to three days. Reheat the leftovers gently, covered, in the microwave on 50% power, to prevent the fish from drying out.
However, if you’ve used leftover fish in this recipe, you should probably finish it all off on the same day you made it.
More cod recipes that you might enjoy
I find that I enjoy white fish (which I often find quite bland) much more when they’re cooked in a flavorful broth.
Another good example is this fine recipe for spicy fish stew. But if you need a basic recipe for cooking cod, you should definitely try this baked cod recipe. It’s excellent!
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Fish Chowder
INGREDIENTS
- 4 (7 oz) cod fillets
- Olive oil spray
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 0.5 cup sliced carrots
- 1 cup sliced celery
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 26 oz Pomi chopped tomatoes, undrained
- 3 cups seafood stock
- 1/4 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk (or heavy cream)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray the cod fillets all over with olive oil, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Set aside on a plate. When cool enough to handle, crumble into bite size chunks.
- While fish is baking, place the carrots and celery in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Add 1/4 cup water, cover, and cook on high until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain and place on a plate.
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, paprika, basil and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the tomatoes, seafood stock, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes, to allow flavors to meld.
- Stir in the coconut milk, then add the cooked cod, carrots and celery. Simmer, stirring occasionally, just until heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve the fish chowder immediately.
NOTES
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, Reader's Digest, and Better Homes and Gardens.