New England Fish Chowder Recipe
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Real New England fish chowder isn’t thick and gluey. It’s brothy and creamy, with big, flaky chunks of cod that break apart the second your spoon touches them. As a born and bred Mainer, this is the version I make at home, and there’s one simple thing I do with the fish that makes it the real deal.
Here’s something people don’t expect a Mainer to say: I didn’t eat much fish as a kid. It was a luxury in our house, and if it was on sale at Hannaford that week, my mom would stock up. A baked cod or a bowl of chowder felt like a treat (like the one at Gilbert’s Chowder House on the Portland waterfront). So when I made my own, I wanted big chunks of tender fish like Gilbert’s, but a broth light enough to finish a whole bowl.
The secret to those big chunks? You don’t cube the fish. You lay the fillets in whole and let them break apart on their own as the chowder simmers. Cubed fish disappears, and so does the whole principle of the chowder at that point. Whole fillets stay tender and fall into big, hearty flakes, the way good chowder should be. It’s how it’s done up here, and it’s less work too.
There’s also no roux. The cream and milk do the work, so the broth is rich enough to feel like a treat but light enough that you can actually finish a real bowl. And that soft golden color, with no butter in the pot? That’s the olive oil and sautéed carrots, not a mistake. This is a lighter, fresher version of a typical Creamy Corn Chowder or Classic Clam Chowder recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Fish Chowder
- Big, hearty chunks of fish. Because the fillets go in whole, every spoonful has real chunky pieces of cod or haddock, not minuscule flakes that disappear in the broth.
- A broth you can actually finish. There’s no roux and no heavy thickening. The cream and milk do the work, so it’s rich enough to feel like a treat but light enough to eat a whole bowl of.
- Olive oil instead of butter or bacon fat. Most Maine chowders lean on butter or bacon fat, but those flavors can take over. Cod is mild, and I want the fish to be the star, so I use olive oil. It’s neutral, it lets the fish stand out, and it still gives you that warm golden color.
- A pop of color from the carrots. Everything in this chowder is white, and we eat with our eyes. The carrots add a little color that makes the whole bowl more appetizing, plus a few extra nutrients along the way.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- White fish: I used cod for this recipe, but you can easily make this a haddock chowder recipe by replacing the cod with fresh or frozen haddock filets.
- Potatoes: I like Red potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes, because they hold up well in soups and chowders. Russets will work too in a pinch, but will break down quicker.
- Carrots: Not a typical ingredient, but I like the little pop of color it gives the chowder.
- Onions: I love a sweet onion in this chowder. Yellow onions work well too!
- Milk and cream: These add thickness and richness to the chowder without adding butter and flour. The richness and silkiness of the cream will complement the lean chunks of fish swimming throughout the chowder.
- Dill and parsley (optional): For a pop of color and to brighten up the flavor of the chowder.
Best Fish For Fish Chowder
- Cod, haddock, pollock, or any meaty white fish are the best in terms of texture and flavor. Look for thick fillets so the fish stays in big, hearty chunks throughout the chowder. Frozen fish works great too! Just thaw the fillets completely before adding them to the chowder.
- Avoid delicate fish like flounder or trout, and oily fish like tuna or bluefish. Oily fish can overpower the chowder and change the texture.
Not sure what to buy? Ask your local fishmonger or seafood counter for the best fish they have available. Many stores even sell fish trimmings specifically for soups and chowders.
How To Make New England Fish Chowder
Fill a 4 quart saucepan with water and add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Set aside.
Peel the potatoes and dice them into cubes about 1/2” to 3/4” in size.
Add the potatoes to the pot of salted water and place on a burner set to high heat. Bring the potatoes and water to a boil.
Boil the potatoes until just fork tender, about 7-10 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when you pierce a potato with a fork and there is little to no resistance.
When the potatoes are ready, remove them from the heat and drain off the water. Set the potatoes aside and wipe out the pot.
Return the pot to medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
Add the onions and carrots and cook until soft. Stir occasionally. If the vegetables start browning too quickly, reduce the heat to medium.
While the vegetables cook, check your fish fillets. If they’re about 4–5 inches long, leave them whole. If they’re very large, cut them just enough to fit inside the pot. Keeping the fillets as whole as possible gives you bigger chunks of fish in the finished chowder.
Once the vegetables are soft, add the potatoes back to the pot along with the cream and milk. Stir to combine.
Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.
Once simmering, add the cod or haddock and kosher salt. Gently press the fish into the cream to submerge as much as possible. It may look like too much fish at first, but that’s exactly what you want. The fillets will shrink and break apart as the chowder cooks.
Simmer the cod until opaque and breaking apart about 7-10 minutes. Once the fish is cooked, gently stir the chowder, breaking the fish fillets into bite sized chunks.
Reduce the heat to medium low and finish cooking for another 20-30 minutes. This will thicken the chowder slightly and allow the flavors to blend.
Stir in the fresh parsley and dill, and taste the chowder to check for seasonings. Add pepper to taste and more kosher salt if desired.
Serve with some homemade Parker House Rolls and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It just won’t hold up. This chowder is best consumed within a couple of days after making it.
This chowder is best consumed the day it’s made, but will remain delicious for another 2-3 days after.
You can microwave leftovers in a microwave safe bowl until heated through. Or you can transfer the chowder to a saucepan and reheat it slowly over low to medium heat on the stovetop. Heat until just warmed through, but do not bring to a boil.
Absolutely! You can totally transform this from a fish chowder into a seafood chowder by adding chunks of shrimp or lobster, diced clams, and bay scallops! You want about 2 1/2 pounds of seafood total, so have fun playing around with combinations of your favorite seafood!
What To Serve With Fish Chowder
I love serving this chowder with homemade garlic bread, my garlic crostini, or crispy oyster crackers. For the ultimate comfort food, serve this fish chowder in a bread bowl, with a light and zesty salad on the side.
I have a whole list of delicious fall salads that will pair perfectly with this chowder if you’re looking for some cold-weather dinner inspiration! If you’re making this chowder in the summer, serve this chowder alongside Pan-Fried Asparagus with Lemon for the perfect veggie complement.
Other Recipes From New England You’ll Love
If you love New England seafood, you’ll want my Maine Lobster Rolls, crispy Air Fryer Fried Fish, and a classic Fried Fish Sandwich for your next coast-inspired dinner.
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Old Fashioned Fish Chowder Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb about 3-4 medium russet or Yukon gold potatoes
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 cup of diced yellow onion
- 1 cup of shredded carrots
- 2 cups of heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups of whole milk
- 2 1/2 lbs of cod or haddock fillets
- 1 tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley minced fine
- 1 tablespoon of fresh dill minced fine
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Fill a 4 quart saucepan with water and add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Set aside.
- Peel the potatoes and dice into cubes about 1/2” to 3/4” in size. Add the potatoes to the pot of salted water and place on a burner set to high heat. Bring the potatoes and water to a boil.
- Boil the potatoes until just fork tender, about 7-10 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when you pierce a potato with a fork and there is little to no resistance. When the potatoes are ready, remove them from the heat and drain off the water. Set the potatoes aside and wipe out the pot.
- Return the pot to the burner and set over medium high heat. Add the olive oil. Add in the diced onions and the shredded carrots and saute the veggies until soft, about 7-10 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium if the veggies start to brown too quickly. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
- While the vegetables cook, turn your attention towards the fish fillets. If your fillets are about 4”-5” in length, there’s nothing you need to do. But if your fillets are quite large, cut them down just small enough to fit the width of your pot. We want to leave the fish fillets as whole as possible. This will help give you nice big chunks of fish in the chowder when it’s finished cooking.
- Once the onions and carrots are soft, add the potatoes back to the pot and pour in the cream and milk. Give the pot a quick stir to incorporate the ingredients. Allow the cream and veggies to come up to a simmer, but do not boil. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
- Once the pot is simmering, add your fish fillets and 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Press the fish gently into the cream to submerge as best you can. It’s ok if some of the fish pokes through the surface. It will look like too much fish at first, but that’s what you want. The fish fillets will shrink and break apart during the cooking process.
- Simmer the cod until opaque and breaking apart, about 7-10 minutes. Once the fish is cooked, gently stir the chowder, breaking the fish fillets into bite sized chunks.
- Reduce the heat to medium low and finish cooking for another 20-30 minutes to slightly thicken the chowder and allow the flavors to blend.
- Stir in the fresh parsley and dill, and taste the chowder to check for seasonings. Add pepper to taste and more kosher salt if desired.
NOBODY can make fish chowder look that “yellow” without adding a ton of butter….which is not in the ingredients!!! Poooffff!! Another crazy recipe….
Hello! The yellow comes from the sauteed carrots in the recipe and the use of olive oil!