New England Fish Chowder
Servings 4 - 6
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 large or 2 small carrots, chopped
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, divided
- 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 6 cups water
- 1 lb yukon gold (or yellow) potatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 2 cups frozen riced cauliflower
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1-1.25 lb haddock, cod, or other white flaky fish
- ½ cup heavy cream*
- Black pepper
- Fresh herbs (chives, scallions, cilantro, parsley)(optional)
- Oyster crackers (optional)
- Lemon wedges
- *See substitutions for vegan/dairy-free options.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Chop 1 yellow onion
- Chop 1 large carrot
- Chop 3-4 cloves garlic
- Cut 1 lb yukon gold potatoes into ½-inch cubes
- Make the soup
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion, carrot, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute.
- Stir in the water, potatoes, cauliflower, soy sauce, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Increase the heat to high to bring to a boil. Give it a stir, then reduce the heat to medium to keep it at a rapid simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until potatoes are cooked through.
- (If you want a thicker soup, you can remove some of the broth/potatoes, blend it up, and stir it back into the pot. Or you can use an immersion blender. I like it more brothy!)
- Place the fish filets on top of the soup and nestle them into the liquid so it’s submerged. Bring back to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low or medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer for 3-5 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily. Once the fish is cooked, you can flake it up directly in the pot. Stir in the heavy cream.
- Serve topped with black pepper, fresh herbs (if using) oyster crackers (if using), and a generous squeeze of lemon.
Notes
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian, substitute cubed tofu or 2 (15 oz) cans of beans (rinsed and drained).
- To make dairy-free/vegan, you could sub the cream with a (13.5 oz) can of full-fat coconut milk. Reduce the water to 5 cups and add the coconut milk in with the water. My preferred substitute is to use cashews. Before adding the fish, transfer about 1 cup of the soup liquid to a blender. Simmer ½-¾ cup cashews in water for 5 minutes (or soak overnight). Drain and add to the blender and blend until totally smooth, about 1 minute (making sure to let the steam escape). If too thick/not blending well, add a bit more water and blend again. Stir into the pot.
- Easily substitute any white fish, shrimp or even salmon for the haddock.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I don’t like to freeze cooked fish, but you could!
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up the soup in the microwave or on the stove. Top with a squeeze of lemon and any other toppings.
- Stir in some greens while reheating the soup on the stove.
- Put a boiled egg on it.