This Creamy Blackened Salmon Chowder is sure to keep you warm and comforted throughout the cooler months of the year and you're guaranteed to be satisfied. A great weeknight option or weekend addition, this ultra creamy soup boasts of it’s major flavor factor and comes loaded with the tenderness of potato chunks, savory blackened salmon pieces, corn, and bold cheesy goodness! Dairy-free + Slow Cooker options.
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Soup is by far one of my faves. There's just something about the versatility of soup that has always been one of the major reasons why I love it so much. Especially growing up in a Jamaican household, soup is one of the things that is a staple. This Creamy Blackened Salmon Chowder is incredible and the flavor is there--trust me.
It’s packed with deeply rich and savory flavors from the roasted blackened salmon and a fragrant herb blend that can be stored for future use. If you aren't restricted to only meatless options and want to enjoy something other than salmon, then you can spruce things up by adding chicken breasts, shrimp, lobster, etc. and I can guarantee that you won't be disappointed. Don't believe me---try this Creamy Garlic Chicken Gnocchi Soup.
Surprisingly, I'm in complete love with this soup and I love the fact that you can add your favorite greens (i.e. kale, spinach, etc.) into the mix and create a really nice flavor, if desired. Plus, these Easy Weeknight Blackened Chicken Tacos are on weekly rotation in our house and they're a definite crown-pleaser!
Overall, this Creamy Blackened Salmon Chowder is super easy to make, only uses a few staple ingredients, ultra creamy, velvety, warm + cozy, and flavorful. Plus, you can totally make it dairy-free or with a slow cooker option.
Once you make and eat this Creamy Blackened Salmon Chowder—– you’ll fall in absolute love. Haha. More importantly, here are also the reasons why you’ll love it the most:
Basically, a chowder is a rich, hearty version of soup with seafood or potatoes that starts with a base of pork or bacon followed by the mix of onions, celery, etc. Overall, most chowders are creamy and chunky in texture for the most part and are served hot.
To make this delicious Creamy Blackened Salmon Chowder, you'll start by seasoning and roasting the salmon to perfection! In the meantime, you'll begin sautéing your minced garlic and chopped onions, until fragrant. Then you'll add the flour, seasonings, cubed potatoes and chicken stock and allow everything to boil and then simmer for at least 10-15 minutes, until potatoes are tender. To naturally thicken your soup, I allow the potato to simmer for a bit of extra time. This is optional!
To finish the soup, you'll add the remaining ingredients, stir until creamy and wallah! Nice creamy results guaranteed. But if you'd like to make this Potato Soup in your Slow Cooker aka Crockpot, simply: sauté the garlic and onions before adding everything (besides the roasted salmon, heavy cream and cheese---save those for the last few minutes) into your slow cooker and cooking on a low setting for 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally.
Here's what you need to make this Creamy Blackened Salmon Chowder at home:
Sure, you can find pre-made seasoning blends at the grocery store. But there's nothing like the fresh, customized flavor you get by making your own blend. The herbs and spices in the Blackened spice mix for this recipe are inspired by my love for bold flavor, rather similar to cajun seasoning (except that blackened seasoning isn't as spicy).
You can Store the seasoning blend in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 months as you would your regular ones. Use it on anything from simple roasted vegetables to salad dressing to herb oil for dipping bread or other meats/meat alternatives.
What You'll Need:
Although, I don't roast the potatoes or garlic in this chowder recipe, I've definitely tried it and it's incredible! Knowing how to roast all vegetables (in general) perfectly is definitely a learned skill. All veggies are different and they all have vast cooking times.
The most common rule of thumb is to roast thicker vegetables at a higher temperature because they can handle the heat. For example, potatoes or sweet potatoes can roast at a higher temp because of their thickness. Broccoli, on the other hand, lends well to a lower heat when cut into florets.
If you choose to roast your potatoes + garlic, you simply prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper, adding them to it and drizzling them with 2-3 Tbsps of olive oil and a few pinches of salt + black pepper. Let them bake for 20-25 minutes or until tender, caramelized, and golden at the edges.
Remove them from the oven, let the cool a bit, and then add the potatoes and insides (flesh) of the roasted garlic to the pot, finishing everything over the stovetop per the recipe.
While many soups are thickened for texture, it is not inherently necessary. My recipe calls for flour as a thickener, but you can definitely simmer for long enough to reduce enough to create a natural thickness with the potatoes, but you may want to have larger chunks of potatoes included, in which case you can use a thickener if needed.
All in all, it depends on how you like it! Use 1 tablespoon at a time mixed with 1 tablespoon of water to dilute. Then pour the mixture into the soup, simmering for an additional few minutes to activate the thickener.
Some thickening agents you can use are:
Here, I’ve curated a list of cooking + baking essentials that I use to achieve my favorite baked goods or cooked meals, especially with this Creamy Blackened Salmon Chowder. Everything from my fave high-powered blender, dutch ovens, wooden spoons, mixing bowls, and more. SEE THEM HERE!
It's so important to use freshly-grated sharp cheddar cheese for the creamiest results in your Salmon Chowder. While you can use shredded cheese, it won't melt as seamlessly because it has a special "coating", which prevents it from melting smoothly.
NOTE: If you only have shredded cheese, then I recommend adding it the soup while it's simmering in the last 5 minutes or so, stirring until melted and then topping it immediately after serving it into bowl(s).
Of course! Although, kale is my most commonly used veggie when making this salmon chowder, you can definitely use other greens such as spinach, collard greens, bokchoy, etc. for a nice twist! When it comes to vegetables, there are so many benefits as we all know. While some veggies pack a greater punch when it comes to nutrients, we’ve curated a special list of our Our Top 12 Favorite Healthy Green Leafy Vegetables! Most of these are super popular while others are under utilized in many dishes. Lettuce Eat, Shall We?
I like to add some extra texture to creamy soups like this one. Most people might enjoy this Creamy Blackened Salmon Chowder with a side of bread, which is totally fine. But I wanted to share a few more ideas incase you make this chowder more than once and want to switch things up!
Other side dish ideas include:
Leftovers can be stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, for optimal freshness. Can also be frozen for 4-6 months. To defrost, simply place soup in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature before re-heating on the stove top to serve.
Absolutely! To make this chowder in the slow cooker, simply sauté garlic and onions before adding everything (besides the cooked salmon, heavy cream and cheese---save those for the last few (10-15 minutes) into your slow cooker and cooking on a low setting for 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally.
Yes! To make this chowder entirely dairy-free, simply substitute the butter with vegan butter, heavy cream with full-fat coconut cream/milk, cheeses with dairy-free cheese shreds.
If you make this Creamy Blackened Salmon Chowder, tag @orchidsnsweettea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #orchidsandsweettea!
Tag @orchidsnsweettea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #orchidsandsweettea
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This is probably one of the best soups I've ever had. A local brewpub makes a fantastic blackened salmon chowder, which is what had me seeking out how to make such a thing at home and come across this recipe. I made it exactly as written (opting for the gouda over the mild cheddar) and it was amazing! I let the potatoes simmer for an extra 20 minutes or so and the consistency came out great once the remaining ingredients were added.
This one's a winner, for sure!
Hi Justine! WOW! This truly brings me such joy that you enjoyed it as much as you did! It's always the best when we can recreate a restaurant fave at home! Thanks so much for giving it a try! 🙂
Wonderful!
Corn added the perfect balance. Perfectly baked fish and entire meal was seasoned well (once it was all put together). Cooked potatoes the recommended 20+ minutes.
Will be making again.
Hi Jasmin! This makes me so happy to hear that you enjoyed this chowder! Definitely one of my faves! Thanks so much! 🙂