Rich and hearty, this creamy New England Fish Chowder recipe has a flavorful broth with chunks of white fish and plenty of vegetables.
I can’t think of a more comforting chowder.
This one is easy to make, features layers of flavor, and will have you spooning up every last drop from your bowl.
Traditional New England Fish Chowder Recipe
A few characteristics of traditional New England fish chowder are: no tomatoes, no flour, and a light, delicately-flavored broth.
And for me, this dish is really all about the broth. There is a subtle sweetness from the milk and veggies, smokiness from the bacon, brightness from the thyme, and complexity from the white wine.
It’s pure comfort food.
Ingredients
- Bacon (I use beef bacon, but you could use pork bacon or turkey bacon + 2 tablespoons butter)
- Onion
- Carrot
- Celery
- Garlic
- Thyme
- Dry white wine
- Salt and black pepper
- Bay leaf
- Waxy potato (yellow or golden)
- Fish stock
- Whole milk
- Heavy whipping cream
- Haddock (or fish of choice)
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Heat a pot over medium to medium-high heat. Once hot, add the bacon and sauté until starting to get crispy, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Turn the heat down to medium. Add the onion, carrot, and celery, and cook until starting to soften but not brown, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic and thyme and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add the wine and cook until the liquid is reduced by 1/2 to 3/4, about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the fish stock, bay leaf, salt, black pepper, and potato, and let it come up to a boil (the veggies should be just barely covered with liquid). Turn the heat down to low, cover the pot, and simmer until the veggies are fork-tender, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in the milk and cream.
- Add the whole fish fillets, making sure they are completely submerged in liquid (it’s fine if the fish breaks into smaller pieces while cooking). Cover the pot and cook until the fish is cooked, about 10 minutes.
- Once the fish is cooked, use a wooden spoon to flake it into bite-sized pieces.
Cooks Tips
- I use beef bacon here, but you could use pork bacon or turkey bacon + 2 tablespoons butter.
- Make sure to use whole milk in this recipe (not low-fat milk) to avoid curdling. Alternatively, you can swap out the whole milk for half and half for even more richness and body.
- Once you add the fish, avoid stirring because this can break up the fish too much and can cause it to completely disintegrate. Just add the whole fish fillets and tuck them into the liquid so they’re submerged. Then once the fish is cooked, use a wooden spoon to flake the fish into bite-sized pieces.
- When reheating, don’t let this boil because this can cause the milk to curdle.
Fish Chowder FAQs
What Kind of Fish Should I Use for Fish Chowder?
Flaky white fish is typically used to make chowder.
A few good types of fish are:
- Haddock
- Halibut
- Cod
- Pollock
How Do You Thicken Fish Chowder?
Traditionally, it’s only thickened with potatoes and cream.
Pro Tip: Don’t swap out the whole milk in this recipe for low-fat milk because it may curdle. Additionally it won’t give it the thickness you’re looking for.
How Long Does Fish Chowder Keep in the Fridge?
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, this creamy soup will keep for about 3 days.
Can I Reheat Fish Chowder?
Yes! To reheat it, cook it gently on the stovetop over low heat until warm.
Pro Tip: When reheating, be sure not to let it boil because this can cause the milk to curdle. Also, avoid stirring because this can break up the fish too much and can cause it to completely disintegrate.
What Goes Well with Fish Chowder?
- Garlic Bread Drop Biscuits
- Homemade Oyster Crackers
- No Knead Bread
- Low Carb Biscuits (Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits Copycat)
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xoxo, Faith
New England Fish Chowder Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 slices beef bacon chopped (see Note)
- 1 medium onion diced small
- 2 medium-large carrots diced small
- 1 large stalk celery diced small
- 2 large cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc
- 1 1/2 cups fish stock or use 1 1/2 cups water + 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium-large waxy potato such as Yukon Gold, peeled cut into about 1-inch cubes
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk at room temperature
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream at room temperature
- 1 pound fresh white fish fillets bones and skin removed (see Note)
Instructions
- Heat a pot over medium to medium-high heat. Once hot, add the bacon and sauté until starting to get crispy, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Turn the heat down to medium. Add the onion, carrot, and celery, and cook until starting to soften but not brown, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and thyme and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add the wine and cook until the liquid is reduced by 1/2 to 3/4, about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the fish stock, bay leaf, salt, black pepper, and potato, and let it come up to a boil (the veggies should be just barely covered with liquid). Turn the heat down to low, cover the pot, and simmer until the veggies are fork-tender, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in the milk and cream, and then add the whole fish fillets, making sure they are completely submerged in liquid (it's fine if the fish breaks into smaller pieces while cooking). Cover the pot and cook until the fish is cooked, about 10 minutes. (Try to keep the soup at a simmer and make sure it doesn’t boil so the milk doesn’t curdle; the fish is done when it is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.)
- Once the fish is cooked, use a wooden spoon to flake it into bite-sized pieces.
- Taste the chowder and season with additional salt and pepper as desired.
Faith’s Tips
- Recipe adapted from The Heart of New England’s recipe for Authentic New England Fish Chowder.
- Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes about 10 cups of soup total, for 5 (2-cup) servings.
- Bacon: I use beef bacon here, but you could use pork bacon or turkey bacon + 2 tablespoons butter.
- Whole Milk: Make sure to use whole milk in this recipe (not low-fat milk) to avoid curdling. Alternatively, you can swap out the whole milk for half and half for even more richness and body.
- What Type of Fish to Use: For this chowder, I like to use haddock, halibut, cod, or pollock.
- Don’t Stir After You Add the Fish: Once you add the fish, avoid stirring because this can break up the fish too much and can cause it to completely disintegrate. Just add the whole fish fillets and tuck them into the liquid so they’re submerged. Then once the fish is cooked, use a wooden spoon to flake the fish into bite-sized pieces.
- Storage: Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, this chowder will keep for about 3 days.
- Reheating: To reheat this chowder, cook it gently over low heat until warm. Be sure not to let it boil because this can cause the milk to curdle. Also, avoid stirring because this can break up the fish too much.
Nutrition
This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on January 4, 2011. It was updated on October 23, 2022. As a point of comparison to show how much my photography has evolved, I kept one of my original photos (below).
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
This was last night’s dinner – new favorite here!
This has become a staple in my household, and ALL family gatherings 😂 What did I get myself into lol
This has become a staple in our home, it’s a favorite! We added some cream to give it a bit of a thicker creamer texture!