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This New England shrimp chowder recipe is the perfect meal to enjoy on a summer evening. Get your delicious on with this mélange of shrimp, oysters, and veggies in this dish that’s creamy and comforting. You won’t have the oven heating the house, and everything cooks in one-pot for easy cleanup. Did I mention that bacon is also involved here? Oh yessss.
Did you ever eat something soooo good and felt trying to create a “better-for-you” version would not be worth it? That’s how I feel about this New England-style shrimp chowder.
We’ve got heavy cream, bacon, and a little butter going on in this one. It’s got a significant amount of saturated fats from added fat sources, but I would not change a thing.
Wondering how this recipe came to be? A few weeks ago, I was looking for a way to use up some conch that I had in the freezer. I ended up substituting conch for the clams in this Spend with Pennies New England clam chowder recipe.
My goodness, it was heavenly. I knew I needed to make it again. Since I was out of conch, I used a combination of shrimp and oysters, and switched up some of the seasonings.
Before long, this *amazing* New England-style shrimp chowder (AKA Boston shrimp chowder) was born. It needs to be shared. Good thing I have this website to spread the word!
I love Crown Prince smoked oysters in olive oil for this recipe. I’ve been having trouble finding them locally lately. Luckily, Amazon carries them for less than I was buying them for in the stores.
Purchasing a bulk pack was no problem for me. I’ve been known to eat them straight out of the can. Haha
🍤 New England Shrimp Chowder Recipe
Here’s what you need to make this thick and hearty recipe for shrimp chowder:
- 1 lb. shrimp, chopped small (454 grams; tail-off, peeled)
- 3.5 ounces smoked oysters, packed in olive oil, drained, chopped small (99 grams)
- 16 ounces clam juice (480 mL)
- 6 strips bacon, chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1¼ lbs. Yukon gold potatoes, chopped (567 grams; do not peel)
- 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced
- sprinkle of red pepper flakes (or Cajun spice)
- ⅓ cup spelt flour
- 2½ cups chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup heavy cream
- parsley, chopped (optional garnish)
Get a printable recipe card for this shrimp and potato chowder below!
Make this into shrimp and clam chowder by substituting the oyster for clams in this recipe. You could also make shrimp clam chowder by swapping out some of the shrimp for canned clams.
How to Make New England Shrimp Chowder
Here are the step-by-step instructions for how to make clam chowder with shrimp instead:
In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon. When cooked, remove half of the bacon from the pot and set aside. Add the butter to the bacon and bacon grease remaining in the pot.
Sauté the onion and celery in the pot until softened.
Add the potatoes, garlic, and spelt flour to the pot. Stir the ingredients together over medium heat for approximately 30 seconds.
Add the chicken stock, clam juice, bay leaves, red pepper, black pepper, parsley, oregano, and thyme. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
Add the shrimp, oysters, and heavy cream. Heat until the shrimp is cooked through, approximately 5-10 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves from the pot and discard.
Put the chowder into bowls and garnish with the cooked bacon that was set aside and the parsley.
➕ New England Shrimp Chowder Recipe Nutrition
If you LOVE chowder, don’t miss my Instant Pot seafood chowder recipe as well. It’s just a tad less indulgent than this shrimp chowder with the heavy cream, butter, and bacon.
That said, through the years, I’ve determined that enjoying occasional meal indulgences helps to prevent me from feeling deprived. As a result, I am less likely to snack later. The net result is that I get to enjoy fully satisfying meals AND maintain a healthy weight.
Is this the strategy that you should use? I can’t answer that question as I don’t know you, your goals, or your medical history.
Something to keep in mind is that replacing saturated fat with refined carbohydrates does not reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. If I chose a shrimp and oyster stew that is lower in saturated fat but ended up snacking on 130 calories of cookies later, I most likely did not make a healthier choice.
(P.S. Two Oreos are 130 calories. Most of us do not stop at two. Choosing the lighter meal followed by cookies in this case may also lead to excess calorie consumption.)
The Dietary Guidelines permits <10% of our calories to come from added sugars and <10% from saturated fats. They recognize that (for most people) there are “not enough calories available after meeting food group needs to consume 10 percent of calories from added sugars and 10 percent of calories from saturated fats and still stay within calorie limits.” Thus, the 80/20 rule doesn’t really work if you want to have a balanced diet AND maintain a healthy weight.
👨🍳 More Shrimp Recipes
There are so many ways to prepare shrimp beyond shrimp chowder recipes! Try these next:
Watch How to Make It!
Shrimp Chowder (New England Style Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 lb. shrimp, chopped small (454 grams; tail-off, peeled)
- 3.5 ounces smoked oysters packed in olive oil, drained, chopped small (99 grams)
- 16 ounces clam juice (480 mL)
- 6 strips bacon, chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1¼ lbs. Yukon gold potatoes, chopped (567 grams; do not peel)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- sprinkle of red pepper flakes
- ⅓ cup spelt flour
- 2½ cups chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- parsley, chopped (optional garnish)
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon. When cooked, remove half of the bacon from the pot and set aside. Add the butter to the bacon and bacon grease remaining in the pot.
- Saute the onion and celery in the pot until softened.
- Add the potatoes, garlic, and spelt flour to the pot. Stir the ingredients together over medium heat for approximately 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken broth, clam juice, bay leaves, red pepper, black pepper, parsley, oregano, and thyme. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
- Add the shrimp, oysters, and heavy cream. Heat until the shrimp is cooked through, approximately 5-10 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaves from the pot and discard.
- Put the chowder into bowls and garnish with the cooked bacon that was set aside and the parsley.
Equipment
Notes
💭 Expert Tips from Dietitian Summer Yule
This is a level 2 recipe (transition or weight maintenance). At about 600 calories per serving, you are getting a hearty meal with this one! For those who need a meal that offers even higher energy, serve this with a side of whole-grain crackers or biscuits. Yum! If you are a New England chowder lover, I hope that you fall in love with this shrimp chowder recipe. I think it is absolutely divine! For a shrimp chowder without bacon, check out my Instant Pot seafood chowder recipe, as mentioned in the post above. No matter what you are looking for on your health journey, I’ve got you covered! Consuming 20% of your total calories from added sugars and saturated fats is not optimal, according to the Dietary Guidelines. Rather than 80/20, I personally aim for 90/10 on most days. That is, 90% of calories from “better for you” options with discretionary calories for the other 10% (or less). Again, I can’t say what might be a good approach for you. If your weight loss strategy is to use low-fat, lower-calorie meals and daily treats with added sugar, I have a whole section on low-calorie recipes to check out. This is similar to how I did things early in my weight loss journey, and I was able to make good progress. On the other hand, if your goal is to get more of your calories from meals instead of snacks, this shrimp chowder recipe may work for you. As for me, I’m enjoying the heck out of this chowder. It’s definitely making it back on the dinner menu a few times this summer. Nutrition information is for one serving.
nutrition info disclaimer
All recipes on this website may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your medical needs and personal preferences. Consult with a registered dietitian or your physician if you need help determining the dietary pattern that may be best for you.
The nutrition information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. It will differ depending on the specific brands and ingredients that you use. Calorie information on food labels may be inaccurate, so please don’t sweat the numbers too much.
“To taste” means to your preferences, which may have to be visual to follow food safety rules. Please don’t eat undercooked food x
Nutrition
FAQs
What makes New England clam chowder different?
New England clam chowder stands out for its creamy white base, which is made with milk or cream. It features tender clams, diced potatoes, onions, and sometimes bacon. Its rich and hearty flavor is distinctively comforting and creamy, setting it apart from other chowder variations.
What is the thickener in New England clam chowder?
What thickens seafood chowder? The best thickening agent for chowder is the starch from the potatoes that are cooked in the soup. As the potatoes break down during cooking, they release starch, which naturally thickens the chowder and gives it a thick and creamy consistency. You can also use cornstarch slurry to thicken New England chowder more.
What New England state is known for chowder?
Massachusetts, particularly Boston, is renowned for its seafood dishes, including New England clam chowder. Coastal proximity and historical ties to the fishing industry contribute to its reputation as a chowder hub. Maine shrimp chowder isn’t thickened with flour and has the thinner consistency of soups. Rhode Island chowder is also thinner because it has a broth base and no cream.
What’s the difference between Manhattan and New England chowder?
The main difference between Manhattan and New England chowder lies in their base. While New England clam chowder has a creamy, milk or cream-based broth, Manhattan chowder features a tomato-based broth. Manhattan chowder typically includes tomatoes, vegetables like celery, carrots, and onions, and does not contain dairy.
How to make dairy free shrimp chowder?
For shrimp chowder with no dairy, substitute vegan stick butter for regular butter and this vegan cream for heavy cream. This is an easy way to make creamy shrimp chowder without the dairy.
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Hello! I’m Summer, a registered dietitian and home chef who loves to cook, eat, and create recipes for you! Every recipe on this site has been tested by me to help ensure your success in the kitchen. All eaters are welcome here 🙂
I found this recipe by way of a search for New England Clam Chowder using shrimp broth. Currently living in South Korea I have the awesome opportunity to buying great fresh seafood and boy is it fresh! I’m from Texas but have lived in California so this is by far the freshest seafood I’ve ever had. We are about to move back home so I’m utilizing everything in my kitchen to get rid if it and having said that I had to omit the parsley because apparently I didn’t have any. Dang it! Oddly enough by using your recipe I ended up with a really tasty slightly clamy chowder because I didn’t buy enough clams, how sad. I used way too many potatoes lol. Oh well! Hopefully my next destination NC will have great seafood too so I can try yours in entirety. Thanks!
Hi Candace, thank you so much for the feedback and rating! The seafood there sounds absolutely amazing- I’ve never been to South Korea but would love to visit someday. If I do, I’ll make sure to try the seafood. Wishing you a happy and safe flight back! 🙂
Good answer, Summer, especially perched as you are, betwixt Manhattan and New England spheres of Chowd(a)(er) influence!
Either choice is well-served by your culinary skills. Especially as they bring the shore to those of us not so happily situated.
I need to be diplomatic considering I spent my childhood in upstate NY but much of my adulthood in various parts of New England 😉 Haha
That’s a great way to present it, Summer, that the added calories in this “indulgence” come out to about two Oreos. So what’s your choice, something that will satisfy both body and soul, or a quick snack that won’t end with two (let’s be honest), but instead with “OMG, what did I just do”?
Plus, good strategy, using the occasional treat to keep to the straight and narrow. Though, with you in the kitchen, being good feels like an indulgence anyway.
The soup brings to mind a concoction sold around here and named, “New England Chowda.” So, Connecticut woman, is your creation a chowder, or a chowda?
Connecticut is pretty much the only part of southern coastal New England where we nearly all say “chowder” as opposed to “chowda” 🙂
However, there were a lot of restaurants serving chowda when I lived in a suburb of Boston! As an area transplant, I would order the chowder and get served the chowda. Hahaha
Just so long as it is not the Manhattan chowder, we’re all good. 😉 (I say this completely in jest, sometimes I do feel like a tomato-based soup.)