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Shrimp Chowder has a delicious and creamy broth loaded with chunks of shrimp and potatoes. It’s the perfect way to warm your belly this winter!
The Best Shrimp Chowder
Our Shrimp Chowder recipe is one of the best around because the simple flavors allow the freshly cooked shrimp to really shine through! This easy soup has tender chunks of shrimp and potatoes in a creamy broth, and it’s perfect served with some crusty toasted bread on the side.
We make this soup using frozen, shell-on, uncooked shrimp – and the shrimp shells are simmered with bottled clam juice plus a variety of aromatics to create a flavorful broth for the base of this soup. You can make this broth ahead of time, then do the rest of the prep just before your meal.
Why you’ll love Shrimp Chowder
- Every spoonful is loaded with chunks of shrimp and a simple, flavorful broth that’s brimming with flavors from the sea.
- This chowder is very a delicious way to warm up on a cold winter day.
Shrimp Buying Guide
- Buy frozen, shell-on, uncooked shrimp for this recipe. Frozen shrimp is typically flash-frozen shortly after the catch, so it retains its quality even after thawing at home.
- Look for de-veined frozen shrimp – the tail and outer shell should still be intact with a small slit cut into the outer arch of the body where they removed the vein of the shrimp.
- Fresh shrimp can also be used in this recipe – just make sure you are buying it from a reputable seafood market.
- Frozen shrimp is sold with a number printed on the bag that corresponds to the number of shrimp per pound. For example, we use 16-20 shrimp in this recipe – meaning you should find between 16 and 20 shrimp in a one-pound bag, or 32 to 40 shrimp in a two-pound bag. The higher the number on the bag, the smaller the shrimp. The lower the number on the bag, the larger the shrimp.
An individual shrimp is classified as a “U”, so a one-ounce shrimp is a U-16. A two-ounce shrimp is a U-8, etc. – you might see recipes that call for a certain number of “U-16” shrimp as an example.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Shrimp – Buy shell-on, de-veined raw shrimp. We used size 16/20 per pound, but smaller or larger is fine.
- To Make the Stock:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Water
- Bottled Clam Juice
- Yellow Onion
- Fresh Celery – Ok to include any leaves still on the stalk.
- Fresh Garlic
- Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley
- Bay Leaves
- Fresh Thyme
- Whole Black Peppercorns
- To Prepare the Chowder:
- Salt Pork
- Unsalted Butter
- Yellow Onions
- Fresh Celery
- White Wine
- All-Purpose Flour
- Prepared Stock (from above list)
- Russet Potatoes
- Ground White Pepper
- Shrimp (noted above in this list)
- Half and Half (or half whole milk, half light cream)
- Chopped Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley
Special Tools Needed
- Cutting Board and Sharp Knife
- Various Measuring Cups and Spoons
- 6-quart Pot with Lid or Dutch Oven
- Spider Strainer or Large Slotted Spoon
- Colander
- Large Bowl – For the ice water bath when cooking the shrimp
- Two-Quart Measuring Cup
- Large Mesh Strainer
- Cheesecloth
- Wooden spoon
- Ladle
- Whisk
- Paper Towels
How do I make Shrimp Chowder?
- Thaw shrimp in the refrigerator.
- Peel shrimp but keep the shells.
- Cook shrimp in a pot of boiling water (save that cooking liquid), then cool in an ice bath. Drain shrimp, cut into bite-sized pieces and refrigerate for later.
- Pour shrimp cooking liquid into a two-quart measuring cup and set aside.
- Add olive oil and the shrimp shells to the pot and cook for five minutes on medium high. Add the reserved cooking liquid, bottled clam juice, and all other stock ingredients. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook 45 minutes uncovered, or until the liquid has reduced to six cups. Discard solids.
- Strain the stock through a strainer lined with cheesecloth and placed over a two-quart measuring cup to collect the strained stock.
- Wipe the pot dry with a few paper towels, then add the salt pork and cook over medium high heat until crispy. Add butter and stir as it melts.
- Add the onions and celery and sauté for three minutes. Add white wine to deglaze the pan and cook to evaporate.
- Lower heat to medium and add the flour and stir and cook for two minutes.
- Add the stock while whisking.
- Add the potatoes and cook over medium heat until they are tender, about ten minutes.
- Add the half and half and the cooked, cut-up shrimp and heat just to serving temperature.
- Taste and only add salt if needed.
- Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over servings.
Tips & Tricks
- Once the shrimp is added to the chowder, avoid overheating. The shrimp will overcook and get rubbery.
- If you prefer a thicker chowder, use heavy cream instead of half and half and increase the flour by a few tablespoons.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make Shrimp Chowder ahead of time? Yes, but this soup is best served freshly made. You could, however, make the chowder earlier in the day without the cream or cooked shrimp. Then reheat when ready and stir in the cream and shrimp.
- How do I store leftovers? Store covered and refrigerated for up to two days.
- How do I reheat leftovers? Reheat gently in a saucepan or in the microwave. Avoid getting the chowder too hot.
- Can I freeze? We do not recommend freezing this shrimp chowder.
You might like these other Shrimp Recipes:
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Shrimp Chowder
Shrimp Chowder has a delicious and creamy broth loaded with chunks of shrimp and potatoes. It’s the perfect way to warm your belly this winter!
Ingredients
2 pounds 16/20 shell-on raw deveined shrimp
2 quarts water
Stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
Shrimp shells from above
Cooking liquid from above
1 medium yellow onion, quartered
2 stalks of celery with leaves, coarsely chopped
1 medium garlic clove, smashed
8 sprigs of fresh parsley, with stems
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
6 whole peppercorns
2 8-ounce bottles clam juice
Chowder
4 ounces salt pork, diced small
4 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups yellow onion, diced
1 large stalk celery, diced
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Stock from above
2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced into bite-sized pieces
2 cups half and half
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
Chopped fresh parsley, to garnish each serving
Instructions
- Thaw the shrimp under refrigeration. Remove shells but do not discard.
- Heat a pot with two quarts of water to boil and once boiling, plunge in the peeled shrimp and cook for 1 ½ minutes. Remove using a spider to an ice water bath and cool for two minutes. (Keep the cooking liquid, see step 3 below). Pour cooled shrimp into a colander to drain and move to your cutting board. Cut into bite sized pieces and refrigerate.
- Pour cooking liquid left in the shrimp water pot into the two-quart measuring cup and set aside.
- Place olive oil into the pot over medium high heat and add the shrimp shells. Stir and cook for five minutes then add the shrimp cooking liquid, along with all other stock ingredients. Bring to a boil, then simmer on medium for about 45 minutes or until the liquid has reduced to 1 ½ quarts.
- Place a strainer over the two-quart measurer and lay a piece of cheesecloth over that. Pour the stock into the cheesecloth and move around with the wooden spoon to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids.
- Wipe the stock pot with a few paper towels and then heat over medium high heat.
- Add the diced salt pork and cook until crisp.
- Add the butter and once melted, add the onions and celery and cook for three minutes.
- Add the white wine and stir to deglaze. Cook for a few minutes to evaporate the alcohol.
- Lower heat to medium and stir in the flour and cook for two minutes.
- Whisk in the stock, increase the heat to medium high and add the diced potatoes. Cook for about ten minutes until tender.
- Stir in the half and half and white pepper, then taste for salt. Only add if needed.
- Stir in the cooked shrimp pieces and heat only to serving temperature.
- Remove from heat and serve in bowls with chopped fresh parsley over each bowl.
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