Quick Fix Salmon Chowder
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Quick Fix Salmon Chowder is a warm, comforting soup you can make in minutes using mostly pantry ingredients. Creamy, savory, and gently flavored with dill, it's the kind of simple meal that feels especially welcome on cold, blustery days - but easy enough to enjoy year-round.
Love seafood chowder? Try JFK's Favorite Fish Chowder recipe or travel to the Emerald Isle with this Irish Seafood Chowder recipe.
Recipe Overview
This quick salmon chowder is:
- Made with canned salmon
- Ready in about 30 minutes
- Creamy but not heavy
- Perfect for weeknights, lunches, or quiet weekends
What to Love About This Salmon Chowder
This canned salmon chowder recipe is for busy nights when you want something nourishing and homemade without a trip to the store. If you keep canned salmon on hand (as I do), this recipe is always within reach.
Here's why I love it:
- Pantry-friendly - canned salmon makes this recipe approachable and reliable
- Fast and flexible - easy to adapt with what you have on hand
- Comforting without being heavy - creamy, but balanced
- Naturally protein-rich - hearty enough to stand alone as a meal
For a soul-warming seafood supper beyond chowder, this Finnish Salmon Soup (Lohikeitto) offers tender salmon, potatoes, and fresh dill in a gently creamy broth.
Jump to:
Ingredients
- Canned salmon - Wild Alaska canned salmon works beautifully here. Drain well and gently flake, keeping some larger pieces for texture.
- Dill - Fresh or dried dill both work; dill is classic with salmon and gives this chowder its signature flavor.
- Cream - Just enough to create a silky broth without overpowering the salmon.
- Vegetables - Simple chowder vegetables keep the focus on the fish.
I like to keep canned salmon on hand for quick salmon pasta and weeknight quick-fix recipes like salmon burgers.
Variations & Substitutions
- Fresh salmon: You can substitute cooked fresh salmon if you have leftovers - gently fold it in at the end.
- Extra vegetables: Corn, celery, or leeks are natural additions.
- Lighter version: Use half-and-half instead of cream for a lighter chowder.
Storage & Reheating
Store leftover salmon chowder in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring occasionally. Avoid boiling to keep the salmon tender.
More Chowder Recipes
- Light and Fresh Spring Soups
- Irish Vegetable Potato Leek Soup
- Finnish Salmon Soup (Lohikeitto)
- Grandmother's Tomato Potato Soup
If you try this recipe, I'd love to hear your comments and consider giving it a 5-star rating. Explore the recipe index for more easy, delicious ideas, and stay updated by subscribing to our newsletter and following us on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email, and we'll send it to your inbox. Plus, you'll get delicious new recipes from us every Friday!
Quick Fix Salmon Chowder
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon cooked and crumbled (I like turkey bacon)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion chopped
- ½ cup chopped celery
- 1 clove garlic minced or pressed
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup potato finely diced, peeled or unpeeled
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 3 cups chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon dried dillweed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup corn frozen or canned and drained
- 14 ounces canned salmon
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese optional
Instructions
- Melt butter in a dutch oven over medium heat; add onions, celery, and carrots; saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add flour, stir until mixture is smooth. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
- Gradually whisk in chicken broth. Add garlic, potatoes, dillweed, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until broth is thick and bubbly and potatoes are fork tender, about twenty minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add milk, corn, and salmon. Heat 5 more minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve with a sprinkling of grated cheese on top (if desired) and crumbled bacon.
Notes
- Canned Salmon: Drain well and gently flake, keeping some larger pieces for texture. Wild Alaska canned salmon works especially well here.
- Fresh vs. Canned: Cooked fresh salmon can be substituted if you have leftovers, but canned salmon keeps this recipe quick and pantry-friendly.
- Dill: Fresh or dried dill both work. Start light and adjust to taste - it should complement, not overpower, the chowder.
- Reheating: Warm gently over low heat. Avoid boiling to keep the salmon tender and the broth smooth.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
I have been making the recipe for the past 3 years and have added and change some Ingrid’s but the foundation of this recipe is true. I like to use a seafood mix instead of salmon and it works really well.
This chowder is so delicious!! Made exactly as written! I know I will be making this often.
I'm so glad you enjoyed the chowder! It's one of my favorite quick fixes!
This recipe is perfect! I served it at a small family luncheon and everyone loved it!
This recipe is absolutely delicious!!! So happy to have found this one. We fish for salmon in Lake Michigan and can the larger salmon and needed a quick easy soup and wanted to use up some of it and this was just the ticket!!! My husband and I just love it
I'm SO glad you liked this soup recipe, Peggy! What a treat to have your own canned salmon from Lake Michigan. I always have canned salmon in the pantry, although not canned by me :)!. This is my go-to soup for quick and easy salmon soup. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for letting me know!
Had to leave a review to put this recipe out there more! This soup was delicious. I did what one of the other reviews did and did two cups of milk, two cups of heavy cream (i doubled the recipe), and then i just straight up added all the cooked bacon in at the end. I legitimately should have just tripled the recipe.
I don’t eat pork so skipped the bacon and added a squirt of liquid smoke at the end. Sautéed onions and garlic in butter in my Instantpot. Added the broth and veggies and cooked on high 6 minutes. Added corn, salmon, 1 cup milk and 1 cup half and half. Wow!!!!
I'm a bit nervous making recipes that haven't been rated yet, but the ingredients were exactly what I had on hand, so I took a chance and I'm glad I did. This was delicious! I didn't have pre-cooked bacon, so I diced my bacon up and cooked it in my pot. I removed the bacon and soaked the grease up with a paper towel, then started with the butter, onions, etc. I deglazed the bacon burny bits when I added the chicken stock and I believe it gave so much additional flavor. I was a huge fan of not having to add heavy cream like so many other recipes call for. The starch from the potatoes made this thick enough as it was. I'll be making this again and again and again. I think it would work perfectly for leftover turkey stew too, if I switched the dill for thyme/rosemary!
My husband and 2 year old also loved this recipe!