Hearty and delicious, this easy Creamy Fish Soup is made in the slow cooker. All you need is a simple side of homemade bread or drop biscuits and you have the best comfort food ever.
This recipe for fish chowder combines potatoes, fish (you can swap in whatever kind you like), corn, and broth, topped with crispy bacon bits. Perfect for warming up on cold winter days.
Creamy fish and potato soup is an easy to make cozy meal. Comfort food in a bowl that is ideal for busy weeknights.
I happen to think the slow cooker is the best kitchen invention ever. Set it and forget it cooking. While dinner cooks I can do other things. The food always turns out delicious.
Slow-cooker soup is so easy to make. I love to make a huge batch. Great for more meals during the week. It’s perfect for putting in the freezer too.
- Slow Cooker Pho is a great cheat version of the classic Vietnamese dish.
- Spicy Kale Soup is similar to Portuguese Caldo Verde.
Creamy Fish Soup Ingredients
This creamy seafood chowder soup is so thick, you would almost think it is a fish stew. Just like Irish fish chowder and soda bread.
- potatoes
- frozen corn
- flour
- seasoning
- chicken broth
- evaporated milk
- crab (or fish of your choice)
- salt and pepper
- bacon bits for garnish (optional)
Best Fish For Making Soup
This is where you can experiment and see what works best for you and your family. You have lots of choices, and each will produce delicious soup. You can use fresh, or frozen fish, and even canned varieties as well.
In this recipe I used pre-cooked imitation crab. Works like a charm and is budget-friendly too. I always have this in the freezer. Perfect for salads, sandwiches, pasta, and roasted tomato crab soup.
Since fish cooks quickly, it is added to the slow cooker near the end of the cooking time. This is basically a creamy potato soup recipe with fish. You could try:
- tuna
- salmon
- haddock
- cod
- shrimp
- whitefish
Make Slow Cooker Chowder Tonight
This thick and creamy seafood chowder is super easy to make. Place the ingredients into the slow cooker, and dinner will be ready in a few hours. If you cook it on HIGH it will be ready sooner. Be sure to read the recipe card for complete instructions.
- Coat the slow cooker with cooking spray.
- Peel and cut potatoes and place in crockpot.
- Add the corn, flour, and seasonings.
- Add the broth.
- Cook (see recipe below) for a few hours.
- Add the milk and fish.
- Cook for an additional 30 minutes.
- Dinner is ready. Garnish and enjoy.
Substitutions/Recipe Tips
Fish Soup Seasonings: You can use a variety of seasonings. For this recipe, a Cajun seasoning blend. Smoked paprika and Old Bay Seasoning are great choices too.
Broth Choices: If you are looking for a vegetarian version of this fish soup recipe, replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth.
Frozen Corn: I always have this on hand. You can replace it with canned corn as well.
Cream Substitutes: In most of my recipes, I use evaporated milk. I find it convenient (it doesn’t curdle) and something I always have on hand. Great for both savoury and sweet recipes. You can also use cream, milk, or non-dairy options like coconut milk if you wish.
Can You Freeze Fish Chowder Soup? Yes, you can. It will last 3-4 days in the fridge. To freeze it, place in an airtight container or freezer bag. It will last for several months.
Reheat thick soups containing milk or cream over low heat, stirring frequently.
Is Chowder Soup?
Always a fun topic and debate. Chowder is a thicker kind of soup generally cream-based. Soup is usually thinner and is broth-based. That is not to say soup cannot be thick and contain cream. My mushroom soup is not chowder, but is thick and does contain cream (and cream cheese).
- Basic Chowder usually combines stock, potatoes, fish or shellfish, salt pork and milk.
- New England Chowder containes clams and cream, along with potatoes and bacon.
- Manhattan Chowder is tomoato based instead of cream based, and has a nice red colour.
- Long Island Chowder uses both cream and tomatoes in the base.
Looking for more fish recipes? Give these a try:
- Smoked Salmon and Potato Appetizers are perfect for entertaining.
- Warm Potato Salad with Dill and Smoked Salmon is a great as a main course for dinner.
- You can never go wrong with a Smoked Salmon Bagel for lunch.
- Easy weeknight meals are a must and this Quick Salmon Plate comes together in minutes.
- Looking for a crispy fish recipe? Fish Cakes made in the air fryer are always a hit. Pair them with some Spicy Fries, or Cast Iron Potatoes.
- Egg Tacos are a fun brunch, lunch or dinner option any day of the week.
Slow Cooker Fish Chowder Soup
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds potatoes (peeled and cubed)
- 8 ounces frozen corn
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ pounds crab meat
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 12 ounces evaporated milk (1 can)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Coat slow cooker with cooking spray.
- Wash, peel and dice the potatoes into bite-size pieces. Place in the slow cooker.
- Add the corn and flour to the potatoes toss to coat.
- Add the seasonings and broth, mix, cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours. (Low for 6 hours)
- Turn slow cooker to LOW and add the milk and crab to the pot.
- Cover and cook for an additional 60 minutes.
Marsha Gainey
I used 3 pollock fillets, and I wish I’d had more. I also used 2 teaspoons of Old Bay seasoning instead of Cajun spice. I also had some carrots and celery that I threw in. I didn’t think the final result was brothy enough tho. And the carrots and potatoes didn’t soften enough, even after 6 hours on low. But the chowder was well-seasoned, easy to prepare, and made a lot. It will be a good springboard for a slow-cooker seafood chowder that I’ll play around with in the future.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
We love thick chowder. Replacing the seasoning with Old Bay sounds delicious as well. Perhaps the carrots and potatoes needed to be smaller in size. Glad you will make this work for you.
Mark
If I were to use fresh cod, would I add that in at the same time? Recommend to cut it up? Thanks!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
I would cut the cod into nice large chunks. As for the cooking time, I would assume it to be similar, but it is easy to check with a fork to make sure it is cooked through. ENJOY!
Marsha Gainey
I used thawed pollock. I put the evaporated milk in for 40 minutes, then put the chunked-up fish in for 20 minutes. I didn’t add the milk & the fish at the same time b/c one hour would’ve overcooked the fish.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
Glad you played around with this recipe to make it work for you. Yes depending on the fish you use, adjusting the time is certainly an option.
Tristin
This came out creamy and full of flavor. I always love getting to use my slow cooker.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
I do agree, slow cookers are awesome.
Katie Crenshaw
I am in love with this fish chowder! It comes out rich, creamy, and flavorful. It is very filling.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
It is a comfort food keeper for sure.
Naiby
I don’t have a slow cooker as I’m afraid to have too much kitchen equipment in my kitchen! This looks so creamy and your steps are easy to follow.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
You can easily adapt this for the stovetop. A slow cooker is the best invention ever. You really need to give it a try.
Brianna
Creamy, comforting and delicious! Prepared this soup in the morning and came back from skiing to a cozy bowl of chowder.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
The magical slow cooker does all the work. You get to eat the delicious results.
Jere Cassidy
I have never made fish chowder and this recipe looks so creamy and hearty. I’m going with crab since I have a bunch frozen and it needs to be used. Thanks for the good instructions.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
You are very welcome. Hope you enjoy this slow cooker fish chowder as much as we do.
Jenny
I love the ingredients and seasonings in your recipe The soup was so good and creamy, we enjoyed it very much. This recipe is a winner!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
The perfect way to warm up on a cold winter day.
Hayley Dhanecha
Heart warming and creamy soups are my favourites, sharing this recipe with my friend who loves sea food. I am sure she will love it.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
This slow cooker fish chowder is a seafood lover’s dream.
Mikayla
Such wonderfully savory flavors make this a great wintery chowder with a stack of crackers or a slice of sourdough bread.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
Sounds like the perfect comfort food to me.
Linda
Love this soup so much! It’s so refreshingly food and tastes ah-ma-zing
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
We love this slow cooker fish soup. So glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Megan Ellam
Oh is that crispy bacon or chorizo on the top? How delicious! I will have to give this recipe a try for sure. Thanks for sharing.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
That is bacon on top, and completely optional….and you can switch it out for something else if you wish.
Ramona
This was absolutely delish! Will definitely make it again. Thank you for sharing Gloria!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
You are very welcome….so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Beth
This is so comforting, warming and delicious. Will be making this over and over again. So good with crusty sourdough!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
This is one of our favourite slow cooker soups by far. ENJOY!