Is there anything more wonderful than coming inside on a cold day and eating a hot bowl of soup? There’s a reason Campbell’s Soup still runs that commercial with snowboy – as the air gets colder, soup gets more compelling. Few people know that like Alaskans. When I polled my Alaskan friends about their favorite comfort foods, they all said the same thing: salmon chowder.
This delicious, simple soup starts with a classic mirepoix. Add in baked or sauteed salmon, potatoes, and dairy and you’ve got a filling, hearty, delicious meal perfect for long cold months. Best of for the celiacs out there: it’s gluten-free!
Tips for Making Salmon Chowder
For the experienced soup makers out there, this soup should give you no trouble. It’s chock full of accessible veggies like celery, and can be made in one pot provided you have cooked salmon. Finally, it pairs deliciously with some nice crusty bread. However, there are a few things to take note of when making this recipe!
Leftovers Beget Leftovers
For families, this recipe is a great way to extend the life of your salmon! Use baked, sautéed, or otherwise cooked salmon you might have left over from a previous meal (as long as you have at least 1.5 pounds). I didn’t try to use a salmon with any kind of glaze. I imagine lemon pepper or garlic salmon would add some nice depth, but brown sugar salmon might be a bit odd. You can even used canned salmon (two 16 oz cans), though know that it will disintegrate a bit more into the soup.
Pan-Searing Salmon
If you prefer to start with fresh salmon (as I do), here are tips for pan searing skin-on salmon:
- Season the pink side of your salmon generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil on medium-high heat until it starts simmering.
- Place your salmon filet face down (skin side up) into the oil.
- Cook, untouched!!, for 4-ish minutes. If you leave it, the salmon will develop a lovely crust.
- Flip your salmon and cook another 4 minutes.
- Remove the salmon from the stove and peel the skin off (a paring knife will help, but it’s a pretty easy task.
I like the pan-seared method for salmon chowder, because salmon tends to disintegrate in soup. If the salmon has a nice crispy crust, however, it tends to hold together better.
It’s All in the Dairy
When making this soup, many people are tempted to remove the cheese. However! The cheese adds a lovely depth of flavor to this recipe. Also, dairy is a key component of a chowder; without it, it’s no longer a chowder, but a salmon soup. If you’re skeptical that the cheese and the salmon will fight, rest assured: it works. Same with the evaporated milk – it’s a must! Do NOT use sweetened condensed milk, but evaporated milk doesn’t need to be tempered like regular milk.
How to Make Salmon Chowder
Salmon Chowder
Equipment
- Large stock pot or dutch oven
- Paring Knife
- Cutting board
- Spatula or wooden spoon
- Can opener
- Ladle, for serving
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 small white or yellow onion diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 whole carrots diced
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 medium russet potatoes cubed
- 3 c chicken broth
- 1 tsp dried dill
- 1 ½-2 lbs cooked salmon
- 1 15 ounce can creamed corn
- 12 oz can evaporated milk
- ½ pound (8 oz) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- Additional salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add butter to a stock pot and heat over medium heat until the butter is melted.
- Add the onions, celery, carrots, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir well to coat veggies evenly with butter and spices, then sauté until the onions are tender and translucent.
- Add the broth, potatoes, and dill. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes on simmer, covered.
- Check that the potatoes are cooked through. When the potatoes are cooked, add cooked salmon, corn, evaporated milk, and cheese. Turn the heat up to medium low and stir continuously until the cheese is melted.
- Serve with a loaf of crusty bread!
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