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We had this yummy New England Fish Chowder for dinner last night. Although it was delicious, you can’t really call it traditional New England fish chowder because I didn’t use bacon and opted to add in carrots and celery!
I haven’t made fish or clam chowder very often. It is one of those things I usually ask Mom to make for me when I visit.
But yesterday, for some reason, I got a hankering for a steamy bowl of the stuff and decided to give it a whirl.
After consulting the 1959 version of The Fannie Farmer Boston Cooking School Cookbook (my mom’s version) and still affected by Jamie Oliver’s base soup recipe from his Food Revolution Cookbook, I took to the kitchen prepared to create a New England fish chowder of my very own.
And this is what I came up with.
Recipe Notes
I decided to stick with the basics. Most old-time fish chowder recipes, including the one I consulted, call for just the most basic ingredients – firm white fish (such as haddock), potatoes, bacon or salt pork, onion, milk or cream, salt, pepper and butter.
No wine.
No thyme.
No cayenne.
No Old Bay seasoning.
No fish stock.
No flour for thickening.
These can all be great additions, but I wanted the simpler kind of chowder I grew up with.
I decided to forgo the bacon and use olive oil instead.
And I felt like a few more vegetables couldn’t hurt, so I added 2 stalks of diced celery and 2 peeled and diced carrots with the onions and diced potatoes.
Mom often makes her fish chowder with evaporated milk, which is very common in Maine. I added a touch of cream for added richness.
The result was a fish chowder that I’m proud to call my own!
How Many Calories and WW Points in this New England Fish Chowder?
According to my calculations, each generous 1-cup serving has about 325 calories.
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.
9 SmartPoints (Green plan)
8 SmartPoints (Blue plan)
6 SmartPoints (Purple plan)
8 PointsPlus (Old plan)
Cooking Tip
Fish chowder is improved if you make it one day and serve it the next, although I’ve never had the discipline not to indulge immediately. I like to make a big enough batch to enjoy for a couple of days.
If you like this lightened up version of New England fish chowder, be sure to check out my other Weight Watchers friendly recipes including Slow Cooker Smoked Salmon Potato Leek Soup, Slow Cooker Spicy Seafood Chowder, Crock Pot White Beans & Shrimp, Slow Cooker Corn & Shrimp Chowder and Mom’s Maine Corn Chowder
If you’ve made this Fish Chowder, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
New England Fish Chowder Recipe Made Lighter
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds firm white fish fillets (I used haddock)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced onion
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 small carrots, peeled and diced
- 4 cups cubed potatoes
- 2 cans (12 ounces each) reduced-fat evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Butter to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Put the fish and 2 cups water in a covered skillet. Cook over medium low heat until the fish just flakes with a fork, 5 to 10 minutes (depending on the thickness of your fish). Remove the fish, reserving the liquid, and separate it into large pieces.
- Put a large pot on medium heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion, celery, carrots and potatoes and mix them together with a wooden spoon (affiliate link). Cook for around 10 minutes, with the lid askew and stirring occasionally, until the carrots have softened a bit and the onion is lightly golden.
- Add the reserved water you used to cook the fish. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat, cover and cook just until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Add milk and cream.
- Heat gently, stirring often. Don’t allow to boil. Add salt, pepper and butter (if desired) to taste.
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 9 SmartPoints (Green plan) 8 SmartPoints (Blue plan) 6 SmartPoints (Purple plan) 8 PointsPlus (Old plan) Cooking Tip: Chowder is improved if you make it one day and serve it the next, although I’ve never had the discipline not to indulge immediately. I like to make a big enough batch to enjoy for a couple of day.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If you like this New England Fish Chowder you might also like:
Watch How America’s Test Kitchen Makes New England Fish Chowder
