Irish Seafood Chowder
This Irish Seafood Chowder is a perfect for this wintery, snowy weather, although to be honest, I can see myself eating this soup all year round. It’s warming, satisfying, packed full of flavour and super easy to make.
I decided on salmon, haddock, prawns, and mussels, but feel free to use whatever fish, shellfish, or seafood you prefer. That’s the beauty of a classic Irish seafood chowder—it’s incredibly versatile. Traditionally, it’s made with the freshest catch of the day, so whether you have cod, hake, clams, or crab, just toss them in. The rich, creamy broth, infused with leeks, garlic, and a splash of white wine, ties everything together beautifully.
Not only is this creamy Irish seafood chowder a flavour-packed meal, but it also comes together in just 30 minutes! Serve it with a thick slice of crusty bread to soak up all that velvety goodness, and you’ve got the ultimate comfort food for chilly days.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
✔️ Quick & Easy – Ready in just under an hour, perfect for a weeknight dinner.
✔️ Versatile – Use whatever fresh seafood you have on hand.
✔️ Rich & Creamy – The perfect balance of creaminess and fresh seafood flavours.
✔️ Authentic Irish Flavours – Inspired by traditional Irish seafood recipes.
✔️ A Meal in Itself – Hearty, filling, and best enjoyed with crusty bread.
If you’re looking for a comforting, homemade seafood chowder, this is it! Give it a try and let me know which seafood combo you choose—I’d love to hear how you make it your own. For extra Irish vibes serve it with this homemade Irish Soda Bread.
This recipe is inspired by BBC Good Food. Here are some other great seafood chowders or soups: Portuguese Seafood Stew with Saffron or Classic Prawn Bisque or Bouillabaise with Rouille and Garlic Croutons.
Irish Seafood Chowder
(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading...Warm up with Irish seafood chowder, a versatile dish packed with flavour and made with fresh seafood in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 250g smoked bacon, cubed
- 1 tbsp olive oil or 50 g butter
- 1 leek, rinsed and sliced
- 2 stalks celery, rinsed and sliced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise & thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled & thinly sliced
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped into ± 3-4 cm cubes
- 1.2 liter fish stock (I used stock cubes)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp fresh dill
- 1 tsp crushed peppercorns
- 50 g all purpose flour
- 250 g salmon filet, cubed
- 250 g haddock, cubed
- 200 g raw prawns, cleaned and peeled
- ± 20 mussels, rinsed and cleaned
- Pepper & Salt to season
- A drop of cream to serve
Instructions
Bring the fish stock to a gentle simmer in a large pan and add the salmon and haddock.
Cook for ± 2 minutes, the outside will be cooked but the inside still slightly raw.
Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Set aside.
In a separate large sauce pan add the olive oil or butter. Add the bacon and sauté on medium heat for ± 5 minutes until most of the fat has rendered out, but they aren't crispy yet.
Transfer the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving behind the oil.
In the same pan on a low to medium heat sauté the onion, garlic, carrots, leek and celery for about 10 minutes until they're softened, don't let them brown.
Add the dill and peppercorns.
Cook for a further 5 minutes.
Stir the flour into the vegetable mixture and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly so the flour doesn't burn.
Gradually pour in the fish stock, stirring until smooth after each addition.
Add the potatoes.
Boil and simmer for 15 minutes until all of the vegetables and potatoes are completely tender and the liquid is slightly reduced.
Season to taste.
Gently add in the salmon and the haddock and lay the mussels and prawns on top, cook with the lid on for 5 minutes.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with cream, some extra dill and serve with crunchy fresh bread.
Notes
This is a great dish to make ahead of time, I even like the consistency a bit better the next day to be honest. Make the chowder as explained but don't add in any of the fish or seafood yet, so also not the salmon and haddock in the beginning. When ready to serve heat up the soup until simmering and then add in the haddock and salmon. After 2 minutes add the mussels and the prawns and put the lid on. Simmer away for another 5 minutes until the mussels have opened.
