My sister made this recipe when we were camping in a rustic cabin on the Strait of Juan de Fuca running between Vancouver Island and Washingtons Olympic peninsula. Its very, very warming and delicious.
This was absolutely wonderful Of course, you must like smoked salmon to enjoy this rich, delicious chowder. I was a little suspicious of 1/2 cup flour for the roux, but it turned out wonderfully, I added a total of 8 cups of chicken stock and a little extra pinch of each herb. Dont skip the tarragon, it adds a wonderful dimension to this chowder. Because of all of the flour, the lemon and wine are very important to giving this a tang, again, dont skip them. I used smoked salmon from our local gourmet store. The rich arroma this fills the house with This would be terrific for the holidays I topped with shredded cheddar, and served with cheddar/garlic biscuits. Sincere thanks for sharing A definite keeper.
I am the Salyers ten year old son and I made this for dinner one night. Every one adored it except my five year old brother. We did not have all the ingredients so I did some minor adjustments.I used evaporated milk instead of cream and we used canned salmon( take the big bones out) with a little liquid smoke.We also did not have any tarragon or white wine.Enjoy All 7 of us did
Having grown up in the Pacific Northwest, I am an expert on salmon chowder. This is a wonderful, authentic recipe, and I really like the fact that its "sensible" in fat (as opposed to having cups of cream in it). I followed the recipes as it was written, and was very pleased with the result. A definite keeper
Rich tasting. Leave out the half & half & the salt. Only cook the salmon 5 minutes or drys out. Use sodium reduced chicken broth is salty enough.
Easy and elegant, although I find its easy to over-salt this dish. It can vary some in taste each time I make it but its always good. P.S. If youre looking for a partner dish to serve to guests, try pairing it quiche and crusty bread.
Wow DH and I loved this. Very tasty and simple to make. I made a few changes: skipped the dill, used low fat evaporated milk, and added corn and white beans.
I made this exactly as written with the exception of not peeling my red potatoes. :-) Served with a tossed green salad and French garlic bread. It was very good, Hils. Thank you from your neighbor on the Olympic Peninsula
Amazing flavor ... we all loved it. I lightly poached some fresh salmon and then flaked it into chunks in place of the smoked salmon since I didnt have smoked salmon.Next time I make it, I am adding more potatoes too .... there is plenty of flavor to handle more substance from additional potatoes in my opinion.Awesome recipe. Thanks for sharing it.
This is a 5 star recipe. Make it exactly as the recipe calls for, and YUM Its low in fat, and tasty
Scrumptious My husband made this tonight. Followed the suggestions by other reviewers to use unpeeled red potatoes and added a can of corn. We had fresh salmon on hand, so used that instead of smoked. "pure PNW comfort food" indeed
Made this again, more than 10 years later, and it is still delicious. Yum 12/16/2008 I added a lot more garlic than the recipe called for, and 4oz. more salmon. This recipe was delicious my boyfriend and I devoured it, with crusty bread on the side.
This was very good chowder. After reading all the reviews I chose to follow the recipe as written. The only ingredient I did not have was tarragon and I made my own 1/2 & 1/2 using heavy cream and milk. The 1/2 cup of flour makes it hard to call that step a roux because it is so dry. I added a little chicken stock to make it more of a paste. The important part of this step is to make sure you "cook" the flour so it doesnt taste like paste:) My soup thickened up nicely and I had no issues with a runny chowder. I had no issue with the chowder being salty, but I use very good organic chicken broth. I usually have to add salt when I use the broth, but after tasting the smoked salmon (which can be salty) I decided not to season with salt and Im glad I made that decision. I think this is one of those recipes that you really need to us good quality ingredients. I would also recommend sampling your smoked salmon to make sure it is not real salty. You can always season at the end- much easier then fixing something that is to salty. Thank you for sharing this recipe. We love soup and this one is a good, tasty filling one. I can not wait to eat the leftovers for lunch today.
Great recipe, loved the herb blend and subtleties of flavor. A word to the wise: dont salt it at all until all is done; some smoked salmon is very salty & you dont want to overdo. Taste it before adding salt Mine was perfect without any added salt. Only things I did different was I thickened it with 6 T. instant mashed potatoes instead of flour to make a gluten-free, wheat free soup, and used vermouth instead of white wine because thats what I had available. Im going to try this base for other chowders too My BF loved it
Awesome chowder... The perfect way to use up some leftover smoked salmon. I followed the directions except for leaving the peels on the potatoes and cooking them on low instead of medium because I didnt want the potatoes to fall apart; after adding the cream I only simmered until it was heated (about 10 min). Also subbed about 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper for the hot sauce Great on a cold day with crusty french bread ;)
This was dinner tonight and am I ever glad for that. Really simple and delicious soup/chowder that will be on the rotation for a good long time. I happened to have vegetable broth on hand and used that. I dont like the taste of tarragon, so I didnt use that. Everything else was exactly as written except I had a small amount of leftover mashed potatoes that I added in addition to the red potatoes I used. That was fine because it did give the chowder a nice thick consistency. My daughter was rather skeptical at the thought of a smoked salmon chowder but after she tasted it, all doubt was erased. Thanks so much for submitting a true taste of the Northwest from a resident of the Northwest.
I dont eat fish chowders normally, but this one was fantastic We made it gluten free by adding mashed cauliflower instead of the flour. We also used frozen salmon instead of smoked. It was still delicious Wow
Wow -- this was fantastic I was upset to discover halfway through that I didnt have any tarragon in the house, but it was too late to turn back. It still turned out great I used fat free half and half and it just couldnt have been better. I almost never cook the same thing twice, but I will definitely be making this again for Christmas -- after I buy some tarragon. Thanks for an awesome recipe
This is fabulous. I followed the recipe to the letter. I couldnt believe it was low calorie, so I added it all back up myself. I was pleasantly surprised at how spicy it is. If you dont like yours spicy, you may want to reduce the paprika and hot sauce. It is wonderful as is, but I think it would also be a great base to try with grilled chicken or other meats also. Then my husband could eat it too
After reading all the reviews, I made this for company. I used no extra salt and extra potatoes per some of the reviews. We have a ton of smoked salmon in the freezer so I used a little extra. I did leave out the wine only because a guest cant have any. Because I strongly dislike overcooked salmon I added it last and cooked for only 5-6 minutes, again per some of the reviews. Thank you so much for this recipe, I had never heard of smoked salmon chowder. We are going to be making this again and again Everyone loved it, good thing I doubled the recipe =-)
I used this recipe for the basic idea and technique. Added diced carrots with the celery/onion/garlic, did not have chicken broth but added some dried fish powder, used canned salmon, skim milk instead of 1/2 and 1/2 and accidentally used a little too much hot sauce. It was delicious, warming and filling and I am enjoying the leftovers. I am sure it would be outstanding with smoked salmon and creamier with 1/2 and 1/2.
Pretty good. Made this for dinner tonight. Im not a fan, so Id give 3 stars for that reason alone, but am not going to dock a recipe its worthy star just because I didnt care for it (theres nothing wrong with hils recipe; its just not my thing, I guess) so I am awarding 4 stars. Because I only had 2 (14.5) oz. cans of chicken broth on hand, I decided to scale this to make 5 servings (in this case, I should have used 3 3/4 cup broth, but didnt want to waste the 1/4 cup that was left, so I used all 4 cups of it). I could only find a 4 oz. package of Jim Beam brand smoked salmon, so I didnt use the 5 oz. called for. My only other change was adding 1 small carrot (chopped) to my chowder simply because I had it on hand and wanted to use it up. I used a good ol russet potato and a good quality smoked Spanish paparika that I purchased at my local spice shop. My choice of wine was chardonnay. Served in sourdough bread bowls (thank goodness for Panera Bread Co.), this was a hearty and warming meal. Im sure this would be good topped with seasoned oyster crackers too, and if I had them on hand, I would have. Even though this is not for me (and my fiance is not a big fan of chowder anyways), I am glad I gave it a try. The smoky flavor was the best part, so dont skimp - use real smoked salmon Thanks for sharing your recipe, hils :)
This is delicious. Its a little plain, so next time I will add more salt. But it is SO good.
I bet this soup, when made correctly, is the bomb The way I made it, bombed I screwed it up, probably by NOT using fresh salmon. I used canned. So note to self, use fresh salmon the next time. The end.
This is AWESOME I love the taste. Already posted it on Facebook so friends can try it.
Sorry I did not like this at all
I had to try it............I substituted some cream cheese for the half and half. OMG So amazingly good I also tried adding some canned corn and mushrooms. For the paprika, I used smoked paprika. These were all wonderful additions. The recipe itself is a excellent blend of flavors and is a wonderful base for all sorts of experiments with variations.
I have made this recipe several times. I have not varied from the ingredients. The smoked salmon I have used is wild smoked salmon from Costco, which you purchase in two 8 oz. packages. and I cut it up small -- 1 " squares. I did cut down on the fat content by adding 1/2 milk with the half and half. The dill really makes it. Everyone in our home loves this recipe. Thanks for a great recipe
This chowder recipe is outstanding I would definitely recommend seeking out wild Alaska salmon, as Ive found the flavor is much better than Atlantic farmed salmon (better for the environment too). BTW, like others, I added almost a cup of corn. I also thinly sliced the potatoes (1/8 inch or so) for a different presentation. Yum
This chowder was fabulous, a wonderful treat on a cold day. My husband and I enjoyed it with some fresh bread from our bakery and made two full meals out of it. Delicious
Oh my goodness, this is absolutely amazing Made exactly as written and everyone raved. It had a great little kick to it and was creamy and delicious. I served it with Savory Bubble Bread from this site and that was a nice match. Love it, love it, love it
Excellent recipe to liven up smoked salmon and give it some variety. i used cauliflower instead of potato, as well as added 1 cup persian rice for body. very tasty.
I made this exactly as written with one very important exception - I didnt add the 1 tsp. salt. Truly, its not needed and I think it would have ruined the finished product by making it too salty.I think some other reviews could leave some readers confused. This really isnt a cajun dish, BUT it does call for hot sauce. If you dont like spicy food, dont add the hot sauce (or add just a teeny tiny bit - it really does add a wonderful dimension to the chowder). Lots of folks dont like the taste of tarragon and/or dill - leave either out if youre one of them. I think these herbs add a lovely complexity to the dish, but hey, if you dont like them, it wont work for you. And if youre watching calories or fat/cholesterol levels, then you could use a lower fat alternative to the half and half. Yes, it adds a richness, but thanks to all the other wonderful ingredients, it will be almost as rich and decadent with a lighter version.
Awesome recipe I followed it to a "T" except for the tarragon which I didnt have and I cut down on the salt as my chicken broth was rather salty. VERY good
This was an excellent chowder, a perfect blend of ingredients and wonderful texture, the smokiness from the smoked salmon makes this dish. Next time I make this chowder I will try using sherry for the wine and add the lemon juice to taste or offer lemon wedges off to the side for each person to add to their liking.
What a fabulous recipe. Making do with what I had in my kitchen I used 4 c. of chicken stock, 2 c. water, left out the tarragon and wine. I had smoked salmon from Haida Gwaii, this was an excellent way to use it and the chowder was even better the next day.
This was really good - my 1st attempt at a chowder and it turned out great, everyone liked including the kids :)
This chowder is spectacular I have made this for 2 small and 1 large dinner parties. Everyone raved I followed the directions using Coho Salmon I caught this past summer and smoked 2 days ahead of time. Thank you
If I would have known chowder was this easy and this good....I would have been making it a long time ago. Yummmm
Substitued 98% fat free chix broth, fat free 1/2 & 1/2, added 1/2 can of corn and sm can of mushrooms. All other intructions followed to a T. Delish
This is a very good chowder, especially because it isnt overly creamy and the other flavors really shine through. I added corn because we like that in our chowder and it was wonderful. This is on our "Lets make it again" list.
I could have sworn I rated this already Anyway, we had some leftover smoked salmon a couple of weeks ago, and I didnt want it to go to waste, so I decided to make this. It was quite the ordeal, I dont know if the flour/butter/veggie ratio is off or what, but I couldnt get my roux to turn out right. It may have been my pot b/c I had problems w/ it later (will explain in a minute), but the roux just wouldnt set up right, and Ive made roux many times, and never had a problem. Anyway, then it took over an hour to get it to simmer, this is why I think I had a problem w/ the pot, maybe it was too big or something, (just a regular stock pot), but the chowder was very thin and runny, never did thicken up, and I cooked it for HOURS It could have been user error, but I was just frustrated by the end of the process. However it did have a good flavor and my son gobbled it up, so all in all I would call it a success. Will try again, in a few months lol
Its important to note that this is a heavily Cajun flavored soup. If I were judging this for its Cajun flavor, I would give it a perfect 10. It tastes likes its loaded with spicy smoked andouille sausage. Unfortunately, I have to be in the mood for a Cajun dish of this caliber and thats not what I had in mind when I set out to make this. I love smoked salmon and was hoping for a recipe that highlighted the delicate and wonderful flavor of a good quality smoked salmon, not cover it up so you cant taste it. Sorry, just not a combination that worked for me.
I followed the recipe with one exception: I cut the added salt in half. It was delicious, but thin and the potatoes were a little underdone. I believe this was my fault and will try to cook the chowder after the potatoes are added at a higher temperature for a longer period of time.
I thought I had celery but turns out I didnt so I used green bell pepper instead. I am not a huge salmon or cream based soup fan but I was very impressed with this recipe. Celery would have been better and I didnt have tarragon (used extra dill instead) and this did turn out more of a soup than a chowder (add more flour if you like) but it had everything going for it. Great recipe that I will use for any leftover fish. Thanks
Absolutely incredible - jam packed with flavor, beyond restaurant quality. I cooked this in my slow cooker for about 4 hours so that everything would mix together and the salmon wouldnt get dried out. I added corn and fresh mushrooms which added even more flavor. Because my girlfriend is lactose intolerant, I replaced the half & half with 1/2 cup coconut milk creme (one can, the stuff that settles at the top) and 1/2 cup lactaid brand lactose-free milk. Worked like a charm. Thanks for this recipe - yet another Northwest/Seattle person.
Just finished making a batch with some smoked salmon that a friends husband caught and that I was lucky to receive. This is a flavorful chowder thats hearty enough for a rainy Seattle day. I did add three bacon strips chopped up very small, in with the butter and olive oil and the other ingredients at the beginning and it really gave a little more boost to the already flavorful broth. Very easy to make too
"EXCELLENT" MADE TONIGHT FOR FAMILY ITS BEEN REQUESTED TO ADD TO THE MONTHLY MENU GREAT TASTE THANKS SO MUCH FOR SHARING LOVE IT
This is excellent and nutritious
This turned out delicious I added some crab & corn too and then sprinkled a little shredded, aged white cheddar on top Yum... Easy to follow recipe My husband LOVED it He added more hot sauce to his once it hit the table. Says it was "Perfect"...
Fabulous recipe I also left out the salt, and added the hot sauce at the table. Dont scrimp on the full fat half and half, fat free would not give it the same wonderful consistency. Kids and adults alike all enjoyed this. This is a perfect chowder for a rainy Pacific Northwest day. Thanks for sharing
OMG Thos was the best chowder we ha ever had. I was afraid it might have a slight fishy taste from the smoked salmon, but the herbs, especially the dill and terragon added so much flavor the smoked salmon provided just a hint of smokey flavor to the chowder. I added a cup more broth and did not peel the potatoes. My hus and had a bad. Old and said this was exactly what he needed. A five ztR wAy to use leftover smoked salmon
Oh my goodness, this recipe is so good Living just outside of Spokane WA, we are the backwoods of the Pacific Northwest. We do not have many stores that have good, quality seafood. We do, however, have one amazing little store that prides themselves on getting seafood from the coast which made this recipe so worth it. Give this a try and follow the recipe, you cant go wrong. It is seafood comfort food at its best.
This is one of the best things I ever made. Truly amazing. This is first time I made my girlfriends dad really happy. I recommend this recipe whole heartedly. I followed the recipe fully.
This was excellent. We had too much salmon that we grilled and didnt want it to goto waste. i tried this recipe and i though it was great. I used all ingredients but the half and half. I would most certainly make this again
Love this recipe Were dairy-free in our house, so I make this using soy creamer instead of heavy cream and margarine instead of butterworks wonderfully I also add carrots if I have some on hand.
Excellent The whole family enjoyed it
I grew up in Alaska and by far this is the best Salmon chowder I have had. Hats off to Mimi and this wonderful recipe. The only thing I changed was to add a can of corn. Im sure a fresh ear of corn would have been better but its all I had at the time.
Very rich, smoky, and hearty. This was excellent, even by Alaskan standards
Great jumping off point for whatever seafood youve got on hand. I added a carrot, jumbo prawns, and used Blue Russian potatoes in it and it was fantastic. Thanks Mimi
Overall, average recipe. I and two kids said it was OK, but the third wouldnt eat more than the first bite. I attempted to do a half recipe, which probably resulted in too long of a cooking time for the amounts. As such, it was pretty thick at the end. Nonetheless, I think it was probably close to the intended taste. The tarragon taste was relatively strong, and I think this was the biggest turn off.
This was very, very good My guests asked if I had any left overs to send home with them, of course I loved that. I will make this recipe again. We used a chum salmon that my husband caught and smoked. This was probably the best way to use it.
DELICIOUS thanks for sharing this recipe--I love it, my friends loved it I have even thickened up the leftovers, added cooked prawns and scallops, and used it as a fish pie Great recipe
I did not like this soup. May be the tarragon. It was way too salty
Very good. I changed it a little - used fat free evaporated milk in place of cream, frozen salmon + liquid smoke, added peas and corn - but otherwise basically as written. I would be happy to serve this to company any winter night.
We have made this many times. My family likes salmon, so this is a flavour we enjoy. Dont put salt until the end as your broth or fish might already be very salty. We find it tastes best with organic chicken broth and you can make it with milk instead of cream. Love this recipe - delicious
I made this with homemade smoked whitefish instead of salmon. I didnt have any half-and-half, and substituted an equal amount of 2% evaporated milk which worked perfectly. If you are using a milder fish (we used pollack), Id change the seasonings a bit. The herbs overpower the fish. Next time, Ill cut out the dill and tarragon.
Fantastic I followed the recipe exactly and was very pleased. The only change I would suggest is to cube the potatoes to 1/2-3/4 inch cubes rather than 1 inch. Loved it
FANTASTIC We all loved it. I did use fresh herbs instead of dried- much better flavor Also used canned salmon instead of smoked. This recipe was so flavorful and delicious. Thanks
We absolutely loved this. It was so flavorful, rich, and warming. It was wonderful. I couldnt stop eating. I didnt cook it as long as it stated; it was thick enough before that, so I just cooked until the potatoes were tender. Ive never used smoked salmon before- it gave the soup a wonderful flavor. Thanks for this recipe. We had it with Light Wheat Rolls.
Excellent recipe even after substituting fat-free half and half for cream.
This was the best chowder Ive EVER had I didnt put the wine in because I didnt have any and I threw in about 1 1/2 cups of chopped bacon. We all thought it was worthy of being served in an upscale restaurant. WOW
My first time having smoked salmon chowder and it was delicious. I didnt have tarragon or wine and I added corn. I also didnt cook it that long after adding the salmon. It was delicious I used Coho smoked salmon from trader joes.
Phenomenal and a cinch to make. Definitely on par with the best soups Ive ordered in restaurants
One of the best dishes Ive done from AllRecipes. Amazing. Didnt put celery, because i dont like. The family loved. Thank you Mimi.
This was excellent I added some chopped bacon and a small can of creamed corn, and it tasted fantastic
So good If you can catch a deal on smoked salmon (check out Big Lots around the holidays, dont laugh:)), this is a great way to stretch it out and enjoy it as a hearty meal, rather than just as an occasional party treat
I have made this 3 times and it is always a success Winter here in New Zealand so it is perfect. Thank you.
Fabulous for a wintry night; the only thing Id do differently next time (and there WILL be a next time) is leave out the salt. Not sure it really needs the 30 minutes after the cream goes in either.
I followed this almost exactly. Only adding more veggies including carrots. Satisfying and delicious .
We did like this, but I am not sure that I would make it again. My husband really liked it though, so perhaps I will.
Very tasty Didnt have tarragon so skipped that. Used celery seed instead of celery because I was out, but the real stuff would be better. Might try adding some bacon next time. Could saute with the onions and perhaps replace some of the butter and/or olive oil with the bacon drippings.
This was really good, very thick, full of flavor and perfect for a cold winter night. Followed recipe exactly as written.
I used leeks instead of onions. So used immersion blender before I added the potatoes and salmon. Was wonderful.
This was a wonderful meal. My family and friends loved this soup. They were sad that I didnt double the batch...
This was really good Didnt have any white on hand so I left that out and subbed milk for half & half.
Very good I subbed sweet potato, and it was still yummy
Delicious No celery or flour due to personal preference and more garlic; dont think that changes a thing about the goodness. Any recipe requires common sense on what one likes.
This was a great chowder.did leave out the tarragon(dont like it)other than that it was quick and easy. served in a sourdough bread bowl.this will be a favorite from now on.I live in the hood canal area of western washington(tahuya) and to have a local seafood favorite is great. so hats off to you hils for a recipe well done.I will look for more of your recipes. thanx karen
Fantastic soup. Smoky and hearty and good for a crowd.
This an awesome chowder recipe. The flavor was delicious not too rich with a punch of heat. I followed the recipe as written and wouldnt change a thing.
DELISH I added extra potato and used 2% milk instead of half and half. Next time, Ill cut the salt in half. Under no circumstances would I ever eliminate the white wine. Will definitely make again.
You could get this in the finest restaurant. I was so surprised Made it almost exactly, but didnt have celery. No big deal. We, luckily, have a friend who gives us lots of smoked fish and I need to be creative with it. This is superb chowder.
I had some frozen corn kernels in the freezer so I dumped in an abundant cup of corn. I served the chowder with warm crusty French rolls. It was to die for
We loved this chowder I didnt use as much salt, since the smoked salmon and chicken broth have a lot of salt already. I also used a couple of shakes of red pepper instead of hot sauce.
This was wonderful chowder If you enjoy smoked salmon, I encourage you to try it.
I made this with some leftover salmon and it was superb.
Just made this last night, having never made a chowder or even a roux before and it was fantastic and so simple its a little easy to over-do the herbs (i couldnt find my teaspoon) so measure those carefully. i also used a mix of red and gold potatoes instead of russets which i think made a nicer texture and flavor than russets might have. i had so much fun making and eating this, im definitely making it again
I used 4 cups of chicken broth rather than 6, and fat free half and half rather than full fat. Tasted great
Really good. I used regular salmon and altered the dill, tarragon, thyme, and paprika a little.
