Low FODMAP Fish Chowder

Low FODMAP Fish Chowder

You might be more familiar with clam chowder, but fish chowder has a long, esteemed and delicious history and our Low FODMAP Fish Chowder is another easy to make classic.

Inspiration At the Supermarket

We love showing all of you how you can cook low FODMAP and still thoroughly enjoy the process. We want to normalize the approach – it really is not any different from the way you cooked before.

Inspiration for this chowder came as I was buying some salmon for dinner. Look what the supermarket was featuring (see below)!

How could I resist? Here was an assortment of mild white fish – in this case cod, haddock and perhaps some catfish and monk fish – that were quite inexpensive and perfect for Low FODMAP Fish Chowder. Just as I used to shop for deals, here was a fantastic one that would make a great low FODMAP meal.

What Makes A Soup A Chowder

This is an interesting question. There are chowders that do not contain dairy (I am thinking about Manhattan and Rhode Island style clam chowders for instance), but the great majority does. Chowders are always hearty, combining some sort of soup base with lots of delicious, chunky, large pieces of protein and vegetables. They are classically seafood based, although you will see the term applied to other types.

I have had the good fortune to talk chowders with Jasper White, whose book 50 Chowders is situated prominently on my shelves. He points out that Webster’s definition of chowder does not even include the word soup, the idea being that it is so much more than that.

This dictionary’s definition of chowder is “a dish consisting of fresh fish, clams etc. stewed with vegetables, often in milk”.

We also have a New England style Low FODMAP Clam Chowder for you, but this one is all about fish. Any mild white fish works. Haddock will retain its shape a bit better than cod, but as you can see, I went bargain shopping and my chowder was fantastic!

A Slight Deviation

A classic pared down fish chowder would not contain the carrots or parsnips, but I couldn’t resist. Since they both contain NO FODMAPs they were perfect additions to our low FODMAP Fish Chowder.

Send This Recipe to Me!

Enter your email to have this sent to your inbox and we will send you fresh recipes weekly!

Email *

Save

By sending this message, I accept FODMAP Everyday’s
Terms and Privacy Policy.

Pin This Recipe

Print

4.15 from 7 votes

Low FODMAP Fish Chowder

Our Low FODMAP Fish Chowder is like classic New England chowder - now low FODMAP!

Low FODMAP Serving Size Info: Makes about 8 cups (2 L); serves 6

Makes: 6 Servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Author: Dédé Wilson

Ingredients:

• 2- ounces (55 g) slab bacon, rind removed, diced (see Tips
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup (36 g) finely chopped leeks, green parts only
• 2 medium carrots, trimmed, peeled and chopped
• 2 medium parsnips, trimmed, peeled and chopped
• 1 stalk celery, trimmed and diced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 2 cups (480 ml) bottled clam juice
• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• 1- pound (445 g) russet baking potatoes, peeled and cut into large bite-sized chunks
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1 ¼ pounds (570 g) mild white fish fillets, such as haddock, cod, hake or monkfish
• 1 cup (240 ml) lactose-free heavy cream, at room temperature
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley; optional
• Snipped fresh chives; optional

Preparation:

1. Place bacon in a large, heavy Dutch oven and cook over low-medium heat to render the fat and cook until bacon is crisp. Remove bacon bits and reserve, draining on paper towels. Add butter and chopped leeks and sauté gently over low-medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes or until leeks are soft but not browned. Add the carrots, parsnips, celery and thyme and sauté for about 1 minute to coat.
2. Add the clam juice, water, potatoes and bay leaf to the pot. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the root vegetables are all tender. Use the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher to mash some of the root veggies right in the pot. Their starch will add richness to the chowder.
3. Add the reserved bacon, fish and the cream and heat over low heat until fish is cooked through and flaky, but do not let the chowder boil. Taste and add pepper as desired. Soup is ready to serve but improves after it sits for an hour.
4. Serve with parsley and chives sprinkled on top, if desired. The un-garnished chowder can be refrigerated overnight and reheated very gently without simmering or boiling.

Notes:

Tips

• If you can find slab bacon, I like it in this chowder and you can cut proper little chewy dice. If you do not have access to it, simply use thick-sliced bacon.

If You Can Tolerate

• Fructans: If you have passed the fructan onion challenge, chop one large white or yellow onion and use instead of the leek greens.
• Lactose: If you have passed the lactose challenge, feel free to sub in conventional heavy cream.

Course: Appetizer, Dinner & Lunch, Soup

Cuisine: American

Tags: Low FODMAP Father's Day Recipes, Low FODMAP Recipes for Labor Day, Mother's Day Low FODMAP Recipes

Nutrition

Calories: 434kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 194mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 24IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.