Fish Chowder Recipe - An Easy French Soup

This is a great fish chowder recipe with a definite French influence. The broth is rich with cream, white wine, and just the right blend of herbs and spices. As for the fish, you can make it with cod or another fish, and the scallops are entirely optional.

Recipe Notes

One of the great things about fish chowder is that it makes wonderful use of frozen seafood. The soggy fish issue just does not come up if you are cooking it in a liquid. That means that this soup can be put together on the spur of the moment, making it a great quick dinner solution, even for weeknights.

If you are using frozen fish, you will need to defrost it slightly to be able to slice it. But do not worry about fully defrosting it before adding it to the chowder. It can defrost and cook in one easy step.

For quick cooking be sure to cut the vegetables in small pieces and do not be afraid to boil this fish chowder recipe before you add the fish. Once you have added the fish, it will cook quickly. You should remove the chowder from the heat as soon as the fish is done.

Fish Chowder Recipe - Soupe de poisson

• 1 onion


• 1 red pepper


• 2 carrots


• 3 potatoes


• 4 tomatoes


• 3 tablespoons olive oil


• pinch of cayenne pepper powder


• 1 tablespoon mixed dried herbs (such as thyme, basil, or oregano)


• 1 teaspoon salt


• 1/2 teaspoon pepper


• 1 cup dry white wine


• 1 cup water


• 1 pound whitefish filets (cod works well)


• 1/2 pound scallops (optional)


• 1/3 cup heavy cream


• 1/4 cup parsley

Begin by preparing all the vegetables. Peel and chop the onion. Wash, dry and chop the red pepper. Peel and dice the carrots in 1/4 inch cubes. Scrub and dice the potatoes in 1/2 inch cubes. Wash and chop the tomatoes.

Place a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add the olive oil and heat for one minute. Stir in the chopped onion, chopped red pepper, and diced carrots. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for five minutes.

Stir in the cayenne pepper, herbs, salt and pepper. Pour in the wine and add the tomatoes. Bring the chowder to a boil and add the potatoes. Cover the pot with a lid and cook the potatoes at a low boil for 10 minutes.

Remove the lid and add 1 cup water (a little more if you wish). Boil uncovered just until the potatoes are tender, about five minutes.

Meanwhile, slice the fish into bite sized pieces. Once the potatoes are cooked through, add the fish (and scallops if you are using them) to the pot. Cook for five minutes or just until the fish is cooked through.

Stir in the heavy cream and parsley and remove from heat. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

Serving Suggestion

Try serving this hearty fish chowder recipe with garlic bread and you will not need to fix anything else. You can gently rewarm leftovers the next day and the chowder will be just as tasty.