Smoked Salmon Chowder (Creamy, With Potatoes)
By Emily Carter ·
Published
Quick answer
Cook onion, celery and garlic in butter, add potatoes, stock and corn and simmer 20 minutes until tender, then stir in cream and smoked salmon off the heat and serve with dill and lemon. The salmon goes in last so it stays in soft flakes instead of cooking dry.
Smoked Salmon Chowder (Creamy, With Potatoes) is the Pacific Northwest bowl for a cold evening: tender potatoes and sweet corn simmered in a creamy broth, finished with flakes of hot smoked salmon, lemon juice and fresh dill. One pot, about an hour, and a soup that tastes rich without feeling heavy.
Why you’ll love it
- One pot, about an hour, from onion to table.
- Tender potatoes and sweet corn in a silky cream broth.
- Flakes of smoked salmon in every bowl, added last so they stay soft.
- Bright lemon and dill keep the rich broth from feeling heavy.
- Comforting enough for a cold night, simple enough for a weeknight.
Ingredient notes
Hot smoked salmon: the heart of the soup. It flakes into soft pieces and gives the chowder its smoky depth. Cold smoked salmon works too, torn into ribbons at the very end.
Potatoes: the body. Small even cubes cook tender in 20 minutes and thicken the broth slightly as they release starch. Waxy potatoes hold their shape best here.
Heavy cream: the silk. A full cup makes the broth rich and smooth, and gentle heat keeps it from splitting.
Corn: the sweetness. Fresh or frozen kernels both work, and the sweetness balances the smoky salmon.
Dill and lemon: the finish. Fresh dill and a squeeze of lemon lift the whole pot, so add them at the end when their flavor is brightest.
The gentle simmer rule that makes or breaks it
Two rules decide this chowder, and both are about gentle heat. First, simmer the potatoes gently until tender, then keep the heat low once the cream goes in. A hard boil splits cream and turns the broth grainy, while a gentle simmer keeps it silky. Second, add the salmon off the heat. Hot smoked salmon is already cooked, so it only needs the heat of the pot to warm through. Cook it in the simmering broth and it dries out and shreds away. Fold it in last, rest the pot for 2 minutes, and every bowl gets soft visible flakes.
Variations
- Bacon salmon chowder: cook 4 slices of chopped bacon first, use the bacon fat in place of the butter, and sprinkle the crisp bacon on top.
- Spicy salmon chowder: add a pinch of cayenne and a finely chopped jalapeno with the onion for gentle heat.
- Leek salmon chowder: swap the onion for 2 sliced leeks, washed well, for a softer sweeter base.
- Dairy free salmon chowder: skip the cream and use a full fat coconut milk instead, with the same gentle heat.
What we learned testing it
- Adding the salmon last beat adding it early clearly in the side by side test. The late batch had soft visible flakes, while the early batch had dry shreds that disappeared into the broth.
- A 20 minute potato simmer beat a 12 minute simmer. The longer simmer gave tender potatoes and a slightly thickened broth, while the short simmer left hard centers.
- Heavy cream beat half and half for richness. The cream batch stayed silky and full, while the half and half batch tasted thinner and a little sharp.
Read how we test recipes.
Smoked Salmon Chowder (Creamy, With Potatoes)
Makes 1 large pot, about 6 servings · 55 min total · Medium
Ingredients
Equipment
Large Dutch oven or stockpot · Wooden spoon · Ladle · Sharp knife
Instructions
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Cook the potatoes until tender
Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat and cook the onion and celery until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, then add the potatoes, stock and corn. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.
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Build the creamy chowder broth
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, without boiling, until the broth turns creamy and coats the back of a spoon. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. A gentle simmer keeps the cream smooth, while a hard boil can split it.
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Add the smoked salmon last
Take the pot off the heat and fold in the flaked smoked salmon, lemon juice and dill. Let the chowder rest for 2 minutes so the salmon warms through in the hot broth. The salmon is already cooked, so it only needs the heat of the pot, not more cooking.
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Serve with dill and lemon
Ladle the chowder into warm bowls, making sure each bowl gets potatoes, corn and plenty of salmon. Sprinkle with extra dill and serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over the top.
Notes
- Add the salmon off the heat. Hot smoked salmon is already cooked, so extra cooking dries it out and breaks it into shreds.
- Do not boil the chowder once the cream is in. A gentle simmer keeps the cream smooth, while a hard boil can split it and turn the broth grainy.
- Cut the potatoes small and even. Small even cubes cook in 20 minutes and thicken the broth slightly, while large uneven chunks stay hard in the middle.
- Taste before you add extra salt. Smoked salmon and stock are both salty, so the pot may need very little added salt.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition information is being calculated.
Substitutions
- Hot smoked salmon
- Use cold smoked salmon instead, torn into ribbons and stirred in off the heat. It will be silkier and less flaky, so add it at the very end.
- Seafood stock
- Use vegetable stock or chicken stock instead. The chowder will be a little less briny, but the salmon still carries the flavor.
- Heavy cream
- Use 1 cup of whole milk plus 2 tablespoons of butter instead. The chowder will be lighter and thinner, so simmer it 5 minutes longer to thicken slightly.
Storage and make-ahead
Store leftover chowder in the fridge for up to 2 days in a sealed container. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat until just warm, and do not boil it again, since the cream can split and the salmon dries out. Do not freeze this chowder, since the cream and potatoes turn grainy.
Frequently asked questions
What is in smoked salmon chowder?
A creamy potato chowder with sweet corn, onion, celery and garlic, finished with flakes of hot smoked salmon, lemon juice and fresh dill. It is a Pacific Northwest style soup, rich but not heavy.
Can I use cold smoked salmon in chowder?
Yes. Tear cold smoked salmon into ribbons and stir it in off the heat at the very end. It turns silky in the hot broth, while hot smoked salmon stays in soft flakes.
Is smoked salmon chowder gluten free?
Yes, this version is gluten free, since it uses potatoes and cream to thicken instead of flour. Check your stock label if you need to be certain, since some stocks add gluten.
How long does smoked salmon chowder keep?
It keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days in a sealed container. Reheat it gently over low heat until just warm, and do not boil it, since the cream can split.
What do you serve with smoked salmon chowder?
Crusty bread for dipping, plus a simple green salad with a lemon dressing. Oyster crackers also work well for crunch on top.
